The following little flare-up will serve to indicate the feeling of a certain party, at least, in France, towards the people of America; that is, both Federal and Confederate:
‘ "In the French Senate, on the 9th, the general discussion on the address was commenced. The Marquis de Boissy expressed a wish that the Ministers should be responsible for the policy of the Government. He pointed out the deplorable conduct pursued by England, which was still the asylum of assassins, ready to attempt the life of the Emperor, and continued: 'I do not believe the Convention of September will ever be carried out. It is necessary that the Pope should remain in Rome, for, if France is Bonapartist, much more is she Catholic.'
"Marshal Magnan animadverted in energetic language on the assertion of Marquis de Boissy, that on the day of the Emperor's death, France would fall into a state of anarchy. When this event occurred, the Senate, the Corps Legislatif, the army, and the country, would proclaim the Prince Imperial, and France would be saved.
"The Marquis de Boissy then continued. He condemned the French intervention in Mexico, but strongly expressed a wish that the war between the Federals and Confederates might be carried on to the complete ruin of both belligerents rather than the French army in Mexico should be made prisoners by the conclusion of peace. [Loud expressions of disapprobation.] The Marquis de Boissy hoped, in conclusion, that the Emperor and his dynasty would long continue to reign.
"M. Chaix d'est Ange regretted the impious wishes respecting America, and condemned the expressions of M. de Boissy in reference to England.
"On the 10th, after further debate, the general discussion on the address was closed, and the first eleven paragraphs then agreed to."
’ We know not to what party M. de Boissy claims to belong. His name is one of the oldest in France, and was connected, in some degree, with her history from the time of St. Louis to the Revolution. How so aristocratic a name comes to be found among the friends and admirers of the Emperor, we are unable to say. But if he represent any strong party in France, they may be likely, among them, to put Lord Russell to some inconvenience. It is not very many years since this was done upon this very question of harboring the assassins who had attempted the life of Napoleon.--According to the genius of the English Constitution, all strangers are entitled to a home of refuge there, and to the protection of the laws. Exceptions are made in cases of persons who have committed felonies, not of a political character, where there is an extradition treaty with the country or countries from which they come. Napoleon attempted to get a law passed against harboring political refugees, and Palmerston attempted to pass it for him. But the people took the matter into their own hands, and soon frightened Palmerston from his design. It is not likely that M. de Boissy will be more successful. No man dare, in fact, propose such a law in England. It would be too much for the popularity of any Minister that ever stood at the head of affairs in that country. Even the first Pitt could not have stood it. So if M. de Boissy wish to make England behave herself, he must persuade the Emperor to make war upon her.
But the most remarkable thing about this splenetic ebullition is that to which we have already alluded. The animus towards us is little less than diabolical, and we doubt not it is fully and justly expressed. France would be delighted to hear, at any time, that we had mutually destroyed each other. It would leave her mistress of the continent, and to be mistress of the continent she would destroy, root and branch, half the nations of the world — if she could. Unfortunately for her, the power is not at all correspondent with the will. She cannot even beat the Federals, exhausted as they are, without our assistance, and that she has spurned. Her colonies will go the way of all the other she ever had on this continent. When they get ready to be used, the Yankees will swallow them up. That is all. And so M. de Boissy may possess his soul in peace.
