of the sacred right of self-government that the Confederate States appear before the tribunal of the nations of the earth and submit their claims for a recongnized place amongst them. They approach his Imperial Majesty of France with the more confidence as he has lately championed this great cause in the recent Italian question so much to the glory of himself and the great people whom he rules. In asking for this recognition the Government of the Confederate States believes that it seeks for no more than it offers in return. The establishment of displomatic relations between nations tends to the protection of human intercourse by affording the means of a peaceful solution of all difficulties which may arise in its progress, and by facilitating a mutual interchange of good offices for the purpose of maintaining and extending it. In this all nations have an interest, and the advantages of such an intercourse are mutual and reciprocal. The only preliminary conditions to the recognition of a nation seeking an acknowledged place in the world would seem to be the existence of a sufficient strength within the Government to support and maintain it, and such a social and political organization as will secure its responsibility for its international obligations. It will be easy to show that the Government of the Confederate States of America is fully able to meet the requisitions of these tests.

When we look to the undeveloped capacities as well as to the developed strength of the Confederate States we cannot doubt that they are destined to become the seat of a great empire at no distant day. The elevenConfederate States already comprise 733,144 square miles of territory, with a population of 9,244,000 people. If to this we add the three States of Maryland, Missouri and Kentucky, all of which will probably find themselves constrained as well by interest as by inclination to unite their fortunes with the Confederate States, then these will embrace a territory of 850,000 square miles with a population of 12,500,000 people. This estimarge territory not yet organized into States and which in the end will probably fall into the Southern Confederacy.

The territory of the Confederate States as they now stand embraces all the best varieties of climate and production known to the temperate zone. In addition to this it produces the great staples of cotton, sugar, tobacco and rice, to say nothing of naval stores which are now exported from it and of provisions which it is capable of producing in excess of the wants of its people. This vast region already enjoys through its rivers a great system of water communication and 8,844 miles of railroad running for the most part traversversely to these rivers diversity and multiply the channels of commerce to such an extent as to promise a speedy development of the vast resources of the new empire. If peace were now established it is not extravagant to suppose that the exports of the Confederate States would within a year reach the value of $250,000,000. With a crop of 4,500,000 or perhaps even 5,000,000 bales of cotton, most of which would be exported, together with its tobacco, sugar, rice and naval stores, it would easily send abroad the value just named.

But without reference to its undeveloped capacities you may show that they have exhibited strength enough to maintain their independence against any power which has as yet assailed them. The United States commenced this struggle with vast odds in their favor. The military and naval establishments were in their hands; they were also in possession of the prestige and machinery of an old and established Government. Many of the forts and strongholds of the Confederate