rchases on its own account or on commission, and expedites the traffic
with Europe. In the United States, every part has need of the whole;
agricultural States, manufacturing States, commercial States, they form
together one of the most homogeneous countries of which I know. I should
be surprised if such a country were destined to become forever
dismembered, and that, too, at an epoch less favorable to the
dismemberment of great nations than to the absorption of small ones.

Shall I say all that I think? When Anglo-Saxons are in question, we
Latins are apt to deceive ourselves terribly; one would not risk much,
perhaps, in supposing that events would take place precisely in the
reverse of our hypothesis. We have loudly predicted in Europe the end of
the United States, the birth and progress of a rival Confederacy, an
irremediable separation: is not this a reason for supposing that there
will be ultimately neither a prolonged separation, nor a rival
Confederacy worthy of consideration? Free countries, especially those of
the English race, have a habit of which we know little: their words are
exceedingly violent, and their actions exceedingly circumspect. They
make a great noise: one would say that every thing was going to
destruction; but it is prudent to look at them more closely, for these
countries of discussion are also countries of compromise, the victors
are accustomed to terminate political crises by yielding something of
their victory; in appearance, it is true, rather than in reality. Fully
decided at heart, they consent willingly to appear less positive in
form.

Here, I know that the extreme violence of the South renders a compromise
very difficult, at least a present compromise. As it is accustomed to
rule, and will be content with no less, as it knows that the North,
decidedly emancipated, will not replace its head beneath the yoke, it
seems resolved to incur all risks rather than renounce its fixed idea.
For two months, the probabilities of compromise have been becoming
constantly weaker. But if we have scarcely a right to count on them now,
so far as the Gulf States are concerned, we must remember that the
border States are at hand, that they are hesitating between the North
and the South, and that certain concessions may be made to them, to
prevent their separation.

Such is the true character of the discussions relating to compromise.
Confined to these limits, they nevertheless possess a vast interest,