the day of the confederacy-第21章

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special　agent　of　the　Confederate　navy；　was　forced　to　fall　lack
upon　the　same　tactics　that　were　being　used　across　the　Channel；
and　to　sell　the　rams；　on　paper；　to　a　firm　in　France。　Neither　he
nor　Slidell　yet　appreciated　what　a　doubtful　refuge　was　the　shadow
of　Napoleon's　wing。

Nevertheless　the　British　Government；　by　this　time　practically
alined　with　the　North；　continued　its　search　for　the　real　owner　of
the　Laird　rams。　The　〃Southern　party；〃　however；　had　not　quite
given　up　hope；　and　the　agitation　to　prevent　the　sailing　of　the
rams　was　a　keen　spur　to　its　flagging　zeal。　Furthermore　the
prestige　of　Lee　never　was　higher　than　it　was　in　June；　1863；　when
the　news　of　Chancellorsville　was　still　fresh　and　resounding　in
every　mind。　It　had　given　new　life　to　the　Confederate　hope：　Lee
would　take　Washington　before　the　end　of　the　summer；　the　Laird
rams　would　go　to　sea；　the　Union　would　be　driven　to　the　wall。　So
reasoned　the　ardent　friends　of　the　South。　But　one　thing　was
lackinga　European　alliance。　What　a　time　for　England　to
intervene！

While　Slidell　was　talking　with　the　Emperor；　he　had　in　his　pocket
a　letter　from　J。　A。　Roebuck；　an　English　politician　who　wished　to
force　the　issue　in　the　House　of　Commons。　As　a　preliminary　to
moving　the　recognition　of　the　Confederacy；　he　wanted　authority　to
deny　a　rumor　going　the　rounds　in　London；　to　the　effect　that
Napoleon　had　taken　position　against　intervention。　Napoleon；　when
he　had　seen　the　letter；　began　a　negotiation　of　some　sort　with
this　politician。　It　is　needless　to　enter　into　the　complications
that　ensued；　the　subsequent　recriminations；　and　the　question　as
to　just　what　Napoleon　promised　at　this　time　and　how　many　of　his
promises　he　broke。　He　was　a　diplomat　of　the　old　school；　the
school　of　lying　as　a　fine　art。　He　permitted　Roebuck　to　come　over
to　Paris　for　an　audience；　and　Roebuck　went　away　with　the
impression　that　Napoleon　could　be　relied　upon　to　back　up　a　new
movement　for　recognition。　When；　however；　Roebuck　brought　the
matter　before　the　Commons　at　the　end　of　the　month　and　encountered
an　opposition　from　the　Government　that　seemed　to　imply　an
understanding　with　Napoleon　which　was　different　from　his　own；　he
withdrew　his　motion　（in　July）。　Once　more　the　scale　turned　against
the　Confederacy；　and　Gettysburg　was　supplemented　by　the　seizure
of　the　Laird　rams　by　the　British　authorities。　These　events
explain　the　bitter　turn　given　to　Confederate　feeling　toward
England　in　the　latter　part　of　1863。　On　the　4th　of　August　Benjamin
wrote　to　Mason　that　〃the　perusal　of　the　recent　debates　in
'Parliament　satisfies　the　President〃　that　Mason's　〃continued
residence　in　London　is　neither　conducive　to　the　interests　nor
consistent　with　the　dignity　of　this　government；〃　and　directed　him
to　withdraw　to　Paris。

Confederate　feeling；　as　it　cooled　toward　England；　warmed　toward
France。　Napoleon's　Mexican　scheme；　including　the　offer　of　a
ready…made　imperial　crown　to　Maximilian；　the　brother　of　the
Emperor　of　Austria；　was　fully　understood　at　Richmond；　and　with
Napoleon's　need　of　an　American　ally；　Southern　hope　revived。　It
was　further　strengthened　by　a　pamphlet　which　was　translated　and
distributed　in　the　South　as　a　newspaper　article　under　the　title
France；　Mexico；　and　the　Confederate　States。　The　reputed　author；
Michel　Chevalier；　was　an　imperial　senator；　another　member　of　the
Napoleon　ring；　and　highly　trusted　by　his　shifty　master。　The
pamphlet；　which　emphasized　the　importance　of　Southern
independence　as　a　condition　of　Napoleon's　〃beneficent　aims〃　in
Mexico；　was　held　to　have　been　inspired；　and　the　imperial　denial
was　regarded　as　a　mere　matter　of　form。

What　appeared　to　be　significant　of　the　temper　of　the　Imperial
Government　was　a　decree　of　a　French　court　in　the　case　of　certain
merchants　who　sought　to　recover　insurance　on　wine　dispatched　to
America　and　destroyed　in　a　ship　taken　by　the　Alabama。　Their　plea
was　that　they　were　insured　against　loss　by　〃pirates。〃　The　court
dismissed　their　suit　and　assessed　costs　against　them。　Further
evidence　of　Napoleon's　favor　was　the　permission　given　to　the
Confederate　cruiser　Florida　to　repair　at　Brest　and　even　to　make
use　of　the　imperial　dockyard。　The　very　general　faith　in
Napoleon's　promises　was　expressed　by　Davis　in　his　message　to
Congress　in　December：　〃Although　preferring　our　own　government　and
institutions　to　those　of　other　countries；　we　can　have　no
disposition　to　contest　the　exercise　by　them　of　the　same　right　of
self…government　which　we　assert　for　ourselves。　If　the　Mexican
people　prefer　a　monarchy　to　a　republic；　it　is　our　plain　duty
cheerfully　to　acquiesce　in　their　decision　and　to　evince　a　sincere
and　friendly　interest　in　their　prosperity。。。。　The　Emperor　of
the　French　has　solemnly　disclaimed　any　purpose　to　impose　on
Mexico　a　form　of　government　not　acceptable　to　the　nation。。。。〃
In　January；　1864；　hope　of　recognition　through　support　of
Napoleon's　Mexican　policy　moved　the　Confederate　Congress　to　adopt
resolutions　providing　for　a　Minister　to　the　Mexican　Empire　and
giving　him　instructions　with　regard　to　a　presumptive　treaty。　To
the　new　post　Davis　appointed　General　William　Preston。

But　what；　while　hope　was　springing　high　in　America；　was　taking
place　in　France？　So　far　as　the　world　could　say；　there　was　little
if　anything　to　disturb　the　Confederates；　and　yet；　on　the　horizon；
a　cloud　the　size　of　a　man's　hand　had　appeared。　M。　Arman　had
turned　to　another　member　of　the　Legislative　Assembly；　a　sound
Bonapartist　like　himself；　M。　Voruz；　of　Nantes；　to　whom　he　had
sublet　a　part　of　the　Confederate　contract。　The　truth　about　the
ships　and　their　destination　thus　became　part　of　the　archives　of
the　Voruz　firm。　No　phase　of　Napoleonic　intrigue　could　go　very　far
without　encountering　dishonesty；　and　to　the　confidential　clerk　of
M。　Voruz　there　occurred　the　bright　idea　of　doing　something　for
himself　with　this　valuable　diplomatic　information。　One　fine　day
the　clerk　was　missing　and　with　him　certain　papers。　Then　there
ensued　a　period　of　months　during　which　the　firm　and　their
employers　could　only　conjecture　the　full　extent　of　their　loss。

In　reality；　from　the　Confederate　point　of　view；　everything　was
lost。　Again　the　episode　becomes　too　complex　to　be　followed　in
detail。　Suffice　it　to　say　that　the　papers　were　sold　to　the　United
States；　that　the　secret　was　exposed；　that　the　United　States　made
a　determined　assault　upon　the　Imperial　Government。　In　the　midst
of　this　entanglement；　Slidell　lost　his　head；　for　hope　deferred
when　apparently　within　reach　of　its　end　is　a　dangerous　councilor
of　state。　In　his　extreme　anxiety；　Slidell　sent　to　the　Emperor　a
note　the　blunt　rashness　of　which　the　writer　could　not　have
appreciated。　Saying　that　he　feared　the　Emperor's　subordinates
might　play　into　the　hands　of　Washington；　he　threw　his　fat　in　the
fire　by　speaking　of　the　ships　as　〃now　being　constructed　at
Bordeaux　and　Nantes　for　the　government　of　the　Confederate　States〃
and　virtually　claimed　of　Napoleon　a　promise　to　let　them　go　to
sea。　Three　days　later　the　Minister　of　Foreign　Affairs　took　him
sharply　to　task　because　of　this　note；　reminding　him　that　〃what
had　passed　with　the　Emperor　was　confidential〃　and　dropping　the
significant　hint　that　France　could　not　be　forced　into　war　by
〃indirection。〃　According　to　Slidell's　version　of　the　interview
〃the　Minister's　tone　changed　completely〃　when　Slidell　replied
with　〃a　detailed　history　of　the　affair　showing　that　the　idea
originated　with　the　Emperor。〃　Perhaps　the　Minister　knew　more　than
he　chose　to　betray。　From　this　hour　the　game　was　up。　Napoleon's
purpose　all　along　seems　to　have　been　quite　plain。　He　meant　to
help　the　South　to　win　by　itself；　and；　after　it　had　won；　to　use　it
for　his　own　advantage。　So　precarious　was　his　position　in　Europe
that　he　dared　not　risk　an　American　war　without　England's　aid；　and
England　had　cast　the　die。　In　this　way；　secrecy　was　the　condition
necessary　to　continued　building　of　the　ships。　Now　that　the　secret
was　out；　Napoleon　began　to　shift　his　ground。　He　sounded　the
Washington　Government　and　found　it　suspiciously　equivocal　as　to
Mexico。　To　silence　the　French　republicans；　to　whom　the　American
minister　had　supplied　information　about　the　ships；　Napoleon　tried
at　first　muzzling　the　press。