Three months of the Lincoln-Seward Administration.
[from ‘"Le Pays"’ of Paris, June 7, 1861.]
When we review the policy of Messrs. Seward and Lincoln, when we examine the facts which have transpired and the occurrences we have witnessed recently at Paris, we are almost tempted to believe that the Administration of the United States is conducted under the delusions of lunacy! It is a fact that after the Presidential election Mr. Lincoln himself was so far from considering himself elected by the national preference that he entered Washington City furtively, in order to escape, as he pretended, from certain infernal plots — which plots, it is evident, only existed in his own weak brain.
Assuming the reins of Government, this excellent Mr. Lincoln imagined — at least he predicted — that the Confederate States were only temporarily separated from the rest, and that they would soon return and resume their places under his parental authority. But the refusal of these States to respond to this appeal of their indulgent father angered him to such an extent that he soon after called on his Northern friends for 75,000 troops in order to treat the South as rebellions.
Those Southern States which had not yet seceded, (and upon the fidelity of which Mr. Lincoln had reckoned in order to intimidate those which had heretofore seceded,) having protested against an unconstitutional, coercive policy, his anger seems to have been thereby aggravated into a furious rage. He proposed to punish them severely, and having doubtless little confidence in his 75,000 volunteers, he decrees under his individual authority a regular army of 45,000 men, overleaping utterly the restrictions of the Constitution, which forbid such an act! Like a new Lewis XIV. this Republican Lincoln exclaims:
‘ "I am the State and the Constitution!"
’ Soon after this, we became witnesses here of a similar spectacle. While Mr. Seward declares that he possesses the materials necessary to equip a quarter of a million of men, and armories capable of making more arms than the Government requires, he sends to Paris certain agents, who publicly, at the Hotel of the Louyre, open a list of individual subscriptions, patriotically destined for the purchase of French and English arms; and these agents hold meetings, in contempt of our hospitality and neutrality, even setting at defiance our police regulations and our laws concerning public assembiages!
And while from the White House Mr. Lincoln threatens Spain, one of his ministers in Paris solicits her aid! While one of his ministers defies England, one of his agents solicits arms of her!
In the United States, Secretary Seward pretends that he is strong enough to crush out rebellion, while his plenipotentiary ambassadors abroad are demanding, through the columns of Galignani's Messenger, the assistance of France, of England, of Spain and of Mexico, in order ‘"to save the Union!"’
These same ambassadors are pretending in France that the purpose of their Government is to purge Confederate States of traitors and rebels, who are hindering the progress of civilization; while official organs of their party in the State of Massachusetts utter rallying cries which would cause the barbarians of the most barbarous times to blush for shame!
Considering all these things, Mr. Faulkner notifies Mr. Lincoln that his aggressive policy did not, to the European Cabinets, appear to be inspired by prudence; that, according to the law of nations, the Confederate States had really a right to the recognition of the European Powers. And then, forgetting that these rebels are not yet conquered, Mr. Lincoln levels his thunder against all Europe.--First, a Minister of his appears in England, and addresses to The Times that famous letter which every one knows about. Then, comes that gracious dispatch from Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton. Then, still later, comes the warning to Europe to suspend all commercial relations with the Confederate States. And finally, we have an ultimatum by which Mr. Lincoln announces that he will declare war against any European Power which shall take part in this quarrel.
This is the policy of the Washington Government. Unable, thus far, to conquer the Confederate States, it nevertheless pretends to be prepared to carry on a war, if necessary, against the whole world.
Had we not reason for remarking, as we did at the beginning of this article, that the most singular in sanity appears to rule at Washington city?
