The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-07
NIX. SEWARD AND NAPOLEON.

HOW the Great New York Statesman Cir
cumvented the Designs OF Europe on Am
erica,
Washington Correspondent Of the Buffalo
Commercial.
A prominent republican senator was
speaking of Seward the other evening and
his eminent fitness for the part he played
during the late war. In 1869, while on his
trip round the world, said the senator, Mr..
Seward stopped for o week at San Francis
GO. The night previous to his departure
invited guests at a dinner party given in his
honor. 1t was a felicitous occasion. To
my mind tha champagne corks had never
poppedso merrily; "reminiscences of army life
were resurrected. bon mots freely exchanged
An air of genuine enthusiasm
pervaded the entire scene.
Finally Mr.. Seward spoke:
I'll tell you,s said he, "a chapter Of IN
written history that will show you how mar
rowly on one occasion we avoided ccmpli-
cations with England and France. 1t was
ut the most critical period of the civil
war. Our troops beaten and driven back at
every point; the army of the Potomac rent
with lealousies and disaffection; traitors in
the rear furnishing encouragement and as.
sistance to their friends in the field. A
feeling of gloom seemed to have settled
over the whole land. We at Washington
were sending out messages Of good cheer TO
the country, but it was with a heavy h,a t
and an afectaticn of confidence we were
Tar from feeling. One day I received
an autograph letter from Louis Napoleon.
He began by stating his personal regard for
me and his lind remembrances Of America.
But, he went on to say, his mills and fac
tories we're standing idle. His ~peasantry,
the NOS. thrifty in the world.
were suffering for want Of
Southern ports. He concluded by saving
IT the war does not ceased at least practi-
cally, within ninety days, he should feel it
his duty to interfere and recognize the bel
ligarepcy Of the South. This act, he con-
tinued, would be followed by a similar move
on the part of England, and possibly Ger
many. l answered the letter at once. I
spent no time in f1attering the Emperor of
France, or in finding excuses for the North.
Plunging boldly into the subject, l told him
that this was q family quarrel; that the
good sense OF the south was against seces-
sion, but that it had been overruled by un-
scrupulous leaders, backed by The hot
blood of their young men and the per-
nicious i%nflnencs of the doctrine Of
state rights. we, of the north.
are somewh divided as to the meth.
DDS which should be employed in settling
this bloody question, but once . foreign
power interferes and we become as one
man. with n common interest, in a 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
have conducted the struggle in the most hu-
name and considerate manner, recognizing
our enemies as gallant sons of one great
family; but let a foreign power interfere
and we will turn loose the dogs of war with
a fierceness that will not only %depopulate
but devastate every portion Of the south
from the Ohio to the Gulf. There was more
IN the same strain, added Mr.. Seward, but
what have repeated embodies the main
points. The next day I telegraphed for
Henry Ward Beecher, Archbishop Hughes
and Thurlow Weed. The conference re-
suited in sending them all to Euroge. MI,
Beecher went to Protestant England; tie
grand old prelate to Catholic France, and
MIR. Weed to Germany. Speaking daily to
crowded houses, they placed our situation
before the people of those countries in 80
clear and favorable q light that never again
die the ghost Of foreign intervention arise
to fright our souls" Mr.. Seward sailed for
Mexico the following morning, and I have
never seen him since, said the senator, but
the remembrance Of his impassioned speech
Will remain fresh in my memory should l
live 100 years.