Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-01-08 00:00:00

THE MEXICAN QUESTION.

The following, from the Times, is explanatory of
the designs of the United States on Mexico :
Private letters from 'Washington purport to describe the
policy of Mr. Buchanan with regard to Mexico. Partial
absorption is said still to be the subject, instead of a defined
protectorate or complete annexation. To seize or to ob-
tain under cover of a totally inadequate payment, which
will be merely a bribe to such military ruffians at Mexico
as may happen to be parties to the transaction, the large
provinces of Sonora and Chihuahua, abounding in mineral
wealth, and the Tehuantepec Isthmus, worth in itself
" more than California and New Mexico," would satisfy
for the present the desires of the American Cabinet. The
opposite party, headed by Mr. Douglas, and denounced in
the following communication, take, however, a bolder and
more logical aim. [" Mr. Douglas inclines to the ex-
treme views of the southern Fire-eaters. 'What Mr.
Buchanan desires to acquire for a consideration the
Senator wants to take by force; where Mr. Buchanan
consults international law Mr. Douglas appeals to mani-
fest destiny :1 The friends of Mr. Buchanan claim for
him that heis desirous of being governed by international
law, but they have yet to explain on what principle of
international law the United States can be allowed exclu-
sively to wrest territory from Mexico in satisfaction of
their demands. The demands of the European Powers
are more serious in character, larger in amount, and for
the most part much older in date than any 'of those that
can be alleged from Washington. Consequently, if
Mexico is to be taken in exeuttion, each titust grasp suffi-
cient for the amount due, or. one nation must be fairly
and honourably appointed assignee for the whole., IN
addition to the bearing ofthe case on individual interests,
the only other plea upon which interference in Mexico
.•

man be lustified-is thelneressity of putting a stop to atro-
cities, e continuanee of which is an opprobrium to the
civilised world, a'ndtthis is a point in 'which all Christian
nations have a common interest. America, being in con-
tiguity, is the country that could most naturally and
conveniently take the matter in hand, but she must either
assume the task on its reputable and dignified ground, and
encounter all its ?responsibilities or consent to share !it
with or foregO eitlto others. Mr. 'Buchanan's plan would
apparently evade every broad principle of this kind. Be
would go on taking territory bit by bit, and thus, by further
weakening the State, leave it still to pass throughlears
of rapine, bloodihed, and general anarchy. Such,.indeed,
has been openly avowed as the motive which should
govern American feeling. "We must have the country,"
it is virtually intimated in some quarters, " but we must
get it for nothing, at our own time, in our own way, and
without trouble as regards moral considerations To step
in and restore order would he to assume a grave duty and
defined litti3ilities. Sympathisers from our frontier, and
Filibusters from California, must be allowed to prepare
the road; they will take care that the nationAall drink
the cup GT-anarchy to the very dregs, and it will then fall
to us as a helpless prey." France and Spain have not
been disposed, however, to let their subjects /meanwhile
be robbed and killed with impunity, and it is•announced
that thirlatter Power has already obtained fail satisfaction
for some of the most recent outrages inflicted. It is the
English government alone which desirous, perhaps, of
showinekow little of the "firebrand" there is in Lord
Malmesbury, is content to permit indignities and spolia-
tion to .extent, provided they take place in a region
that excites little Parliamentayr attention. The mer-
chants.in the city know that about 12 millions sterling of
debt, and a large trade, as well as the Rational name in
the Spanish American States are all compromised by what
is going ; but to the politicians of the day Mexico con-
stitutes no theme for appealing to the passions of the
community.