The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-06-12
@MAersom InaelliaeMEer.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN,
France ant, the southern confederacy.

my iousc, LaDuTuuI1, near hlcnfnOnd,
with Count Mercier, the French Minis
ter, in the month Of May or early part of
June, 1862. He, it will be recolected.
Northern Government, but was interdict
ed from holding direct intercourse with
President Davis or any Of his Cabinet,
and lie spent nearly two days of his time
at my house in Honrico. In point Of
fact, rs the sequel will disclose, he was
sent here (by Mr Seward) with view
TO make peace. In the course of days
discussion in my library, he asked me
great many questions; among others, the
question:
"Can you whip McClellan?" who was
then lying with an army Of 100000 men
within six miles of Richmond, confront.
ed by Gen. Lee.
told him in reply that felt sure we
could and would, and if the Emperor Of
the French would open the ports and
keep them open, we would march to
New York, and not ask the loan uf a
man or dollar. With great animation
he sprang to his feet, and said in
French:
"If such be the temper of your people
you are invincible. But why do you
think you will whip McCIellan?"
| answered, because the President
and Gen. Lee tell me they believe we
will ?"
Then he added, "But do you know
how many men are bearing upon Rich
mond?"
l replied, "Thc Presid. 1t thinks thore
are 100000. Gen. Lee thinks not so
many, but more than 10000.
TO which he replied, "They are both
mistaken. There are 225, 900. Gen.
Burnsides force Mt Port Royal is a part
of the force bearing upon Richmond
sent to Port Royal merely in the hope of
inducing Gen. lee to dctach part of
his army to meet it. am JUS. from the
war office and have all the statistics
here" (holding up a paper which he
drew from his pocket y "but,' he added,
cant this war be stopped? Can't you
come back uuder the old fag?"
said II suppose that is impossible,
for Mr.. Seward would not permit us to
do so without the abolition of slavery,
and it would be useless to propose that
TO the men from the extreme South"
To that he replied: "Y0u are mis-
taken. you will only return and nc
knowledge the fling, Mr.. Seward will per
nit you 10 return without any condi.
tions."
What" said 1, with the institution
of sIavery?"
"Yes," he said.
then said: "But there is yet one
thing more 10 be considered. TO use the
phrase which was 30 much hackneyed
with respect to the northeastern bounda-
~ question of indemnity for the past
and security for the future we can't ask
know, indemnity for the past, but we
must have security for the future. We
cannce I've hereafter in the state OF hnr-
assment and excitement in which we
have lived for some years past"
Then, drawing his hand across piece
OF paper lying upon the library table,
upon the opposite sides of which we
were sitting, he said:
MIR. Seward will allow you to write
your own guarantees"
l expressed my individual readiness to
consent to these terms. had been in
favor of the Southern Convention which
South Carolina proposed through Mr..
Memminger, her commissioner, believing
as did, in which / am now confirmed.
that If all the Southern States met in
convention, as proposed by South Caro-
lima, such guarantees would be asked of
the Northern people Us they would grant,
and which would protect us, and in that
event there would be no secession, and
certainly did not wish secession if we
could be protected in the enjoyment of
our constitutional rights, and that be-
lie was the genera! sentiment of the
So i. | believe have given you now
almost, if not exactly, verbatim, these
conversations to which referred in my
conversation with you. / will add that
the day following the conversation with
the French minister, q largo company Of
At.,fth l. l..
and he left there after 10 o'clock at night
in rain, in order, as he said, to send
dispatch to Norfolk to fire up steamer
which could take him or his dispatches,
l forget which, to New York before the
next Atlantic steamer sailed.
The battle of Coal Harbor aud the
other battles around Richmond occurred
not long afterward, and had no doubt
OF our acknowledgment by the French
Government, and was very much sur
prised that 1t did not come.
Some time afterward the French con.
sui, Mon' Paul, drove up to my house
on SundEy afternoon, and very soon en-
teTed into conversation about the ac-
acknowledgement of the Confederate Gov.
ernment by the Emperor Of the French,
and asked me if we could not pass some
bill for the gradual abolition Of e!avery
Az my VI SiAty years. MAY Ue a. might
do even if it was longer, and said that if
it were done the Emperor would imme-
diately acknowledge Us, but that the
French people would not be satisfied
without such provision for the aboli-
tion of slavery. They did not care how
distant it was, so the fact was secured as
the price of recognition, and the Empe.
ror would be fully justified.
l expressed my individual Willingness
to accsde to those terms, and promised to
see - President upon the subject neat
morning when I went into Congress, and
if he agreed with me l would INN, al.
ately introduce bill for the purpose.
But" said /, "Mohsieur Paul, what
guarantee can you give us that If we take
so important a step the Emperor will &C.
knowledge us ~ ti
He replied, "Mr. Lyons, nobody can
guarantee the Emperor; but yon may be
sure that the Emperor will do what I
tell you he will do" which considered
aa Init another mode of saving that he
had been authorizedt TO do what he had
done. -
1t is due to Mr.. Davis to say that /
saw him next morning, ut his own house,
before Congress met, as soon as I wen:
into town, and told him what hai passed
between the French consul and myself.
His answer was: 81 should concur with
vnst rsy,ro a onyt ;e.e,. -, -. a.,