Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-01-08
Some Hitherto unpublished His


tory.
The French GOVERNMENT AND THE
SOUTHERN CoNFEDERACY.-Hon. James
Lyons, of Virginia, has written letter
to Mr.. Allen B. Magruder, of Balti-
more, in which be makes the following
statements:
.That in 1862 Count Merciet, the
French minister, visited Richmond, by
permission of the federal authorities,
and was Mr. Lyons's guest during two
days. That, i'll point of fact, the Count
was seEt by Mr.. Seward, then Secretary
of State, with view to make peace
and save the lite of the nation That
he proposed to Mr.. Lyons that if the
South would stop the war return TO
the Union would be permitted without
any conditions, slavery should be con-
tinued, aud any guarantee made for the
future that the South would dictate"
Mr.. Lyons adds:
"Some time afterward the French
Consul, Monsieur Paul, entered into
conversation about the acknowledgment
of the Confederate government by the
Emperor of the French, and asked me
if we could not pass a bill for the grad
ual abolition of slavery in fifty or sixty
years. May be it might do even if it
was longer, and said tha: if that were
done the Emperor would Immediately
acknowledge US, but that the French
people would rot be satisfied without
such a provision for the abolition of
slavery. They did not care how dis.
tant it was, so the fact was secured as
the price of recognition, and the Em-
peror would be fully justified.
II expressed my individual willingness
to accede to those terms, and promised
to see the President upon the subject
next morning when l went into Con
gress, and if he agreed with me |
would Immediately introduce bill tor
the purpose. But said /, Monsieur
Paul, what guarantee can you give us
that, if we take so important step the
Emperor will acknowledge us?"
'He replied, Mr.. Lyons, nobody can
guarantee the Emperor, but you may
be sure that the Emperor will do what
| tel you he will do which consider.
ed as but another mode of saying that
he had been authorized to do what he
had done.
at is due to Mr. Davis to say that
saw him next morning at his own Louise
before Congress met, as soon as | went
into town, and told him what had passed
between the French counsul and myself.
His answer was, i should concur with
you in accepting these terms but for the
constitutional difficulty You know that
Congress has no jurisdiction over the
subject of slavery. True, said, but
that difficulty may be gotten over, in
my opinion, without any violation of the
constitution.
"Let the bill providing for the grad
ual abolition Of slavery also provide thai
it shall pot take effect until the States
have, by acts of their respective lcgisla
lures, duly passed, approved and rati
fed it, which you know will be jus. a.
good as if passed beforehand, authoriz
ing Congress to do the thing. | vii
not be gully Of the presumption o
offering suc!. bill upon my simple re
sponsioility, but If | may say that yol
concur with NE | will introduce the bill
tomorrow He then asked me why
the French Government could not dea
with the States in the matter so as II
avoid all constitutional questions.
told him | had put that very question t.
the French consul, and his answer was
France does rot know the States, bu
she knows the Confederate government
and President Davis Mr.. Davis thel
said: 'Well | must consult the cabinet
and if they agree with you ] will senc
tor you. And there the matter ended