t the justification, and so
they are obliged to complain and stand upon their guard. Those in either
country who desire to see the two nations remain in this relation are
not well-advised friends of either of them."

Our relations with France during the war have not been dissimilar to
those with England, but have been less grating and more courteous. The
same difficulties in regard to neutral rights have arisen; and the
Imperial cabinet have seemed throughout favorable to the South. But the
popular feeling, as far as it is patent, is decidedly more favorable to
us than that of England; whatever has been said against us has been said
considerately and temperately; and there has been at no period any
imminent danger of war. The design of Napoleon to mediate was
interpreted by the community as hostile and aggressive in its object.
The President, we think justly, took what appears a more simple
view,--that the Emperor miscalculated the actual condition of the
country, and a mistaken desire to advise induced him to take the course
he did. But those who know France best tell us that the Imperial opinion
is far from being the index of the popular opinion, on any subject; and
every evidence induces the conclusion that there is a strong
undercurrent of sympathy for America throughout France.

Of all the foreign powers, Russia has been the only one which has given
us cordial, unstinted encouragement. The sovereign, the most liberal and
enlightened Czar who ever ascended the Muscovite throne, has expressed
himself again and again the constant friend of the Union. It is
agreeable to reflect that that vast empire, now far on its way to a
liberal constitution, and hastened, instead of retarded by its august
head, should lend the moral force of its unqualified good-will to the
cause of American liberty. The noble words of Prince Gortschakoff to our
envoy will be grateful to every loyal American heart:--"We desire above
all things the maintenance of the American Union, as one indivisible
nation. Russia has declared her position, and will maintain it. There
will be proposals for intervention. Russia will refuse any invitation of
the kind. She will occupy the same ground as at the beginning of the
struggle. You may rely upon it, she will not change."

Our relations with other nations have not been important, and are quite
similar to those with England and France. But, generally, the belief and
hope in the final success of the Union hav