River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-09-06
NIX. SEWARD AND NAPOLEON.

How the Great New York Statesman Cir
eumVented the Designs oil europe ON Ann
erica.
Washington Correspondent of the Buffalo
Commercial
prominent republican senator was
speaking of Seward the other evening and
his eminent fitness for the part h epayed
during the late war In 1869, while on his
trip round the world, said the senator, Mr..
Seward stopped for a week at San Francis
co. The night previous to his departure
If was my large privilege to be one of the
invited guests at a dinner party given in his
honor. 1t was felicitous occasion. To
my mind the champagne corks had never
popped so merrily "reminiscences of army life
were resurrected, bon mots freely exchanged
and an air of genuine enthusiasm
pervaded the entire scene.
Finally Mr.. Seward spoke:
I'm tell you" said he, "a chapter of I'M
written history that will show You how mar
lOwly on one occasion We avoided ccmpli-
cations with England and France. II was
at the most critical period of the civil
war. Our troops beaten and driven back at
every point; the army of the Potomac rent
with jealousies and disatfeotlOn; traitors in
the rear furnishing encouragement and as
sis.anee to their friends in the field. A
over the whole land. We at Washington
were sending out messages of good cheer 10
the country, but it was with heavy hCa t
and an affectation of confidence we were
far from feeling. One day / received
an autograph letter from Louis Napoleon.
He began by stating his personal regard for
me and his kind remembrances of America.
But he went on to say, his mills and fac
tories were standing idle. His peasantry,
the mos thrifty in the world,
were suffering for want of
employment owing to the blockade of the
Southern ports. He concluded by saving
if the war does not ceased at least practi-
cally, within ninety days, he should feel it
his duty to interfere and recognize the bel
ligarency OF the South. This act, he con-
tinued, would be followed by similar move
on the part of England, and possibly Ger
many. l answered the letter at once.
spent no time in hattering the Emperor of
France, or in finding excuses for the North.
Plungiug boldly into the subject, told him
that this was a family quarrel; that the
good sense OF the south was against seces-
sion, but that it had been overruled by I'M
scrupulous leaders. backed by the hot
blood of their young men and the per-
nicious influence of the doctrine of
state rights We, of the north,
are somewh divided as to the meth
DDS which shoiild be employed il settling
this Bloody question, but once a foreign
power interferes and we become as one
man, with one common interest, in mo-
ment. The history Of the last century has
emblazoned on its pages, in letters of liv-
ing fire, the valor and patriotism of Ameri-
can freemen. Beware how you rouse us to
action, else it be worse for both England
and France than you wot of Thus far we
nave conducted the struggle in the most hui
name AMI considerate manner, recognizing
our enemies as gallant sons of one great
family; but let foreign power interfere
and we will turn loose the dogs of war with
fer seness that will not only depopulAte
bat deyastate every portion of the south
from the Ohio to the Gulf. There was more
IN the same strain, added Dir. Seward, abut
what have repeated embodies the main
points. The next day / telegraphed for
/ Henry Ward Beecher, Archbishop Hughes
and Thurlow Weed. The conference re-
suited in sending them all to Euroge. Mr..
Beecher went to Protestant England; the
grand old prelate to Catholic France, and
Mr.. Weed to Germany. Speaking daily to
crowded houses. they placed our situation
before the people of those countries in go
clear and favorable a light that never again
die the ghost of foreign Intervention arise
to fright our souls" Mr.. Seward sailed for
Mexico the following morning, and / have
never seen him since, said the senator, buf
the remembrance of his impass.oned speech
will remain fresh In my memory should ]
live 100 years.