FRANCE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1824, 31 January 1863, Page 3

FRANCE.

A conspiracy to assassinate the Emperor is said to have been discovered. earl russell's reply to the French proposal FOR MEDIATION IN AMERICA. ' The following despatch, addressed by Earl j Russel to Earl Cowley, her Majesty's ambassador at Paris, in reply to that of the French go- 1 vernmeot appeared in the • Gazette ' of Nov. 15 :— From it will be gathered very clearly the substance of the letter to which it is a reply. "My Lord,— The Count de Flahault came to the Foreign-office by appointment on Nov. 10, and read me a despatch from M. Drouyn de Lhuys, relating to the civil war in North America. 11 In this despatch the Minister for Foreign Affairs states that Europe has followed with painful iuterest the struggle which has now been going on for more than a year on the American Continent. He does justice to the energy and perseverance which have been displayed by both sides, but he observes that these proofs of their courage have been given at the expense of innumerable calamities and immense bloodshed. " To these accompaniments of civil conflict is ■ to be added the apprehension of a servile war, which would be the climax of so many irreparable misfortunes. "If these calamities affected America only these sufferings of a friendly nation would be enough to excite the anxiety and sympathy of the emperor. " But Europe also has suffered in one of the principal branches of ber industry, and her artisans have been subjected to the most cruel trials. ♦' France and the maritime Powers have during' this -struggle maintained the strictest neutrality ; but the sentiments by which they are animated, far from imposing on them anything like indifference, seam, on the contrary, Co require that they should assist the two belligerent parties in an endeavor to escape from a position which appears to have no issue. " The forces of the two sides have hitherto fought with balanced success, and the latest accounts do not show any prospect of a speedy termination cf the war. "These circumstances, taken together, would seem to favor the adoption of measures which might bring about a truce, "The Emperor of the French, therefore, is of opinion that there is now an opportunity of offering to the belligerents the good offices of the maritime Powers. He, therefore, proposes to her Majesty, as well as to the Emperor of Russia, that the three Courts should endeavor, both at Washington and in communication with the Confederate States, to bring about k a suspension of arms of six months, during which every act of hostility, direct or indirect, should cease, at sea as well as on land. This armistice might, if necessary, be renewed for a further period. " This proposal M. Drouyn de Lhuys proceeds to say, would not imply on the part of the three Powers any judgment on the origin of the war, or any pressure on the negotiations for peace which it is hoped would take place during the armstice. The three Powers would only interfere to smooth obstacles, and only within limits which the 'two interested parties would prescribe. " The French government is of opinion that, even in the event of a failure of immediate sueces?, these overtures might be useful in turning the minds of meu, now heated by passion, to consider the advantages of conciliation and of peace. " Such is, in substance, the proposal of the government of the Emperor of the French, and I need hardly say that it has attracted the, serious attention of her Majesty's Government? " Her Majesty is desirous of acting iv concurrence with France upon the great questions j now agitating the world, and upon none more than on the contingencies connected with the great struggle now going on in North America. Neither her Majesty the Queen nor the British nation will ever forget the noble and emphatic manner in which the Emperor of the French vindicated the law of nations and assisted the cause of peace in the instance of the seizure i of the Confederate Commissioners on board the Trent. 14 Her Majesty's Government recognise with pleasure, in the design of arresting the progress of war by friendly measures, the benevolent views and humane intentions of the emperor. " They are also of opiniou that if the steps proposed were tt> be taken, the concurrence of Russia would be extremely desirable. " Her Majesty's Government have, however, not been informed up to the present time that the Russian government have agreed to co-ope-rate with England aud France on this occasiou, although that government may support the endeavors of Englaud and Fiance to attain the end proposed. "But is the end proposed attainable at the present moment by the course suggested by the government di France f Such is the question which has been anxiously and carefully examined by her Majesty's Government. "After weighing all the information which has been received from America, her Majesty's Government are led to the conclusion that there is no ground at the present moment to hepe that the Federal government would accept the proposal suggested, and a refusal from Washington at present would prevent any speedy renewal of the oSer. " Her Majesty's Government think, therefore, that it would be better to watch carefully the progress of opinion in America, and if, as there appears reason to hope, it may be found to have undergone, or may undergo hereafter, any change, the three courts might then avail themselves of such change to offer their friendly coun&el with a greater prospect than now exists of its being accepted by the two contending parties. " Her Majesty's Government wjll oommunicate to tbat of France any intelligence they may

receive from Washington or Richmond bearing i on this important subject. " Your excellency may read this despatch to Mous. Drouyn de Lhuys, and give him a copy of it, — I am, &c, (Signed) " Russell." PRINCE GORTSCHAKOFF's KEPLY TO THE FRENCH PROPOSAL. The ' Journal de St. Petersbourg' of Nov 15, contains the reply of Prince Gortschakoff to the note of M. Drouyn de Lhuys. The prince, after recalli»g the constant efforts of Russia in favor of conciliation in America say& : — "It is requisite, above all, to avoid the appearance of any pressure whatever capable of chilling public opinion in America, or of exciting the susceptibility of the nation. We believe that a combined measure of the Powers, however conciliatory, if presented in an official or officious {officieux) character, would risk arriving at a result opposed to pacification. # If, however, France should persist ia her intention, and England should acquiesce, instructions shall be despatched to Baron Stockel at Washington to lend to both his colleagues, if not official aid, at least moral support."