The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-19 00:00:00

THE PUNCH IN MEXICO,

The following is a letter from the Emperor Na-
poleon to, General Forey, Commander-in-Chief of
the French army in Mexico.

"Fontainebleau, July 3, 1862.
" My dear General,--At the moment when you.
are about to start for Mexico, charged with political
and military powers, I thins it useful to make you
well acquainted with my ideas.

" The line of conduct you will have to follow is:
—l. To publish on your arrival a proclamation, the
principal points of which will be indicated to you.
2. To receive with the greatest kindness all the
Mexicans who shall present themselves. 3. Not to
espouse the quarrel of any party ; to declare that
everything is provisional, so long as the Mexican
nation shall not have expressed its opinion ; to show
great deference to religion, but at the same time to
tranquillise the holders of national property. 4. To
feed pay, end arm, according to Sour means, the
Mexican auxiliary troops, and make them play
principal parts in the combats, 5. To maintain
among your troops as well as among the auxiliaries,
the most severe discipline ; to vigorously repress
any act or word insulting to the Mexicans, for the
pride of their character must not, he forgotten, and
it is important for the success of the enterprise to
conciliate the good feelings of the people.
',When we shall have reached the city of Mexico,
it is to be desired that the principal persons of all
political shades who shall have embraced our cause
should come to an understanding with you to orga-
nise a Provisional Government. The Government
will submit to the Mexican people the question of
the political regtms which is to be definitively esta-
blished. An Assembly will be afterwards elected
according to the Mexican laws.
" You will aid the new Government to introduce
into the Administration, and particularly into the
finances, that regularity of which Franco offers the
best model. For that purpose men will be sent to
second its new organisation.
" The object to be attained is not to impose on
the Mexicans a form of Government which would
f he obnoxious, but to assist them in their efforts to
ac.;:c:eing to the's' own wishes, a Govern-
ment which may have a chance of stability, and can
secure to France the settlement of the injuries of
which she has to complain.

"It follows, as a matter of course, that, if the
Mexicans prefer a monarchy, it is for the interest
of France to support them in that path.

" There will not be wanting people who will ask
you why we expend men and money to found a re.,
gular Government in Mexico.
"In the present state of the civilisation of the
world,—the prosperity of America is not a matter
of indifference to Europe, for it is that country
which feeds our manufactories and gives an impulse

to our commerce. We have an interest in the Re-
public of the United States being powerful and
prosperous, but not that she should take possession
of the whole of the Gulf of Mexico, thence com-
mand the Antilles as well as South America, and be
the only dispenser of the products of the New World.
" We now see by sad experience how precarious
is the lot of a branch of manufacture which is com-
pelled to procure its raw material in a single mar-
ket, all the vicissitudes of which it has to bear.

"If, on the contrary, Mexico maintains her inde-
pendence and the integrity of her territory, if a
stable Government be there constituted with the
assistance of France, we shall have restored to the
Latin race on the other side the Atlantic all its
strength and its prestige; we shall have guaran-
teed security to our West India colonies and to
those of Spain ; we shall have established our
friendly influence in the centre of America ; and
that influence by creating immense markets for our
commerce, will procure us the raw materials indis-
pensable for our manufactures.

" Mexico thus regenerated will always be well-
disposed towards us, not only out of gratitude, but
also because her interests will be in accord with
ours, and because she will find support in her
friendly relations with European Powers.

At present, therefore, oar military honour en-
gaged, the necessities of our policy, the interests of
our industry and commerce, all conspire to make it
our duty to march un Mexico, to boldly plant our
flag there, and to establish either a monarchy, if
not incompatible with the national feeling, or at
least a Government which may promise some stabi-
lity. "NAPOLEON."