The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-24 00:00:00

The French Army Abandoning Mexico.

(From the New York Daily Evening Bulletin.)
A recent Parisian letter, in speaking
of the mission
of Baron Saillard to Mexico, in connection with an
arrangement for the withdrawal of French troops,
says definitely that advices have been received from
Mexico by way of Havana, which leave very little
doubt that some 5,000 men will return to France in
the latter part of May. This news had the effect to
produce a rise in the French funds. And in the ad-
dress of the CorpsLegislatif to the Emperor on 19th
Feb. the withdrawal of the French troops from
Mexico was spoken of as an eventpreviously decided
upon. It may therefore be considered, so far as
France is concerned, that Mexico willreceive no fur-
ther assistance, but at our latest dates volunteers
were being enrolled in Austria, Belgium, to
take the place of French soldiers to be withdrawn.
This new phase in Mexican affairs will relieve the
United States from all apprehension of war with
any European Power, for assistance henceforth will
be individual rather than national, and will probably
result in Mexico being governed by her own citizens
at no distant day, for it is not likely Maximilian
will be able for much length of time to draw around
his throne European adventurers in sufficient num-
bers to sustain him. Money will be required inlarge
amounts after the departure of the French to pay a
mercenary army, and it will be most difficult of at-
tainment, either by loan or taxation. From present
indications it is likely that the attempt to establish
an empire in Mexico, without any active interfer-
ence from the United States, must fail. It has been
evident from the period when it was understood
that the rebellion would prove unsuccessful that
Napoleon could not sustain himself in Mexico. It
was considered only as a matter of time, but it was
feared that the National Government, by press-
ing affairs too rapidly, might place France in
such a position that war would be inevitable.
It became necessary, therefore, to permit Napoleon
to withdraw his troops, under an assumption that
he had finished his mission, when the whole
world knew that he had accomplished nothing. He
had, instead of reducing the Mexican debt due to
French citizens, incurred in addition a very large
national debt.

It is as well understood to-day as it was during
the American rebellion that Napoleon sent his army
to Mexico to take advantage of eventualities which
were expected to arise in the SoutherA States. lie
supposed he could establish an ally, on our borders,
and at the proper season step in and appropriate
Texas, and perhaps Louisiana, making of them de-

A correspondent of a contemporary, writing from
Vicksburg, Mississippi, Aprill2, discusses the ques-
tion of free labour, and the probable cotton crop of
this year :
" The great question as to the capacity of the
negro for work, except under compulsion, is being
solved in the most satisfactory manner. After tra-
velling some weeks in the South, and making dili-
gent inquiries on the subject, I find that the almost
universal testimony of the planters has been that
the negroes are working better than they had even
hoped. Some go as far as to assert that the negroes
were never so profitable to them as slaves as they
expect them to be as hired hands. Those who have
persistently dogmatised upon the innate slothfulness
of the negro now say that this fit of industry is but
transient, and that as soon as the hot weather sets
in no more work will be done. Ido not entertain
these fears myself, but at the same time I do expect
to hear contradictory reports as the season advances.
In some localities the necessities of the freedmen
have enabled the planters to exa't hard terms ; in
others the greater demandfor labour, or more gene-
rous principles, have caused a more liberal policy to
be pursued. In out-of-the-way districts the amount
of the whole wages is often from $5 to $lO per
month ; while in the neighbourhood of large towns,
and along the Mississippi, $l5 per month, with
food and lodging, is the average hire. Some planters
again giVe one-sixth, or even one-eighth of the crop
as wages, while others allow one-third or one-
fourth, and give rations in. When those who
have been engaged at the low figures find out
what their more fortunate brethren are getting,
they will certainly become discontented, and
there will be some difficulty in getting them to
perform their contracts. At the present moment,
when but a small portion of the land is sown, it is
impossible to form an accurate estimate of the
coming crop. It must not be supposed, however,
that the willingness of the freedmen to work. will
cause a crop equal to the average before the war to
be raised. In the first place there is far less labour
available than formerly. The war, small-pox, and
want have certainly diminished the coloured popu-
lation not less than two-fifths of a million. The
negroes, moreover, much prefer employment in
cities and upon the rivers to the monotonous life of
a plantation. Many thousands are now engaged as
porters in New Orleans and other Southern cities ;
the Irishmen, indeed, who formerly performed this
kind of work, have been entirely supplanted by the
freedmen. Considerable disinclination, moreover,
is being shown by the women to perform heavy
field work—a by no means blameable feeling on
their part—but it may have a considerable effect
upon the amount of cotton raised. It is generally
expected that not more than two-thirds of the for-
mer amount of work will be got out of the freed-
men at the critical time of picking the cotton. This
operation begins in the early part of August, and
lasts till frost kills the plant. Under the old sys-
tem the slaves were driven to their work at sunrise,
and kept at it till sunset. Deducting meal hours,
and about two hours allowed for rest at noon, the
working hours were 14 on an average. Under the
system of contracts, the hours for labour are gene-
rally ten. This change will, of course, be set down
to the innate laziness of the African race, but it
seems rather inconsistent to accuse the labourer in
Mississipi and Alabama of idleness, when he works
but ten hours in the broiling sun of August and
September, while his compeer in Ohio and Illinois is
thought industrious when, in a far less oppressive
climate, he performs the same amount of labour.
In addition to the scarcity of labour, there is
also great difficulty in procuring good cotton
seed. ' Much of that which is being sown is
three or four years old, and it is feared will pro-
duce a sickly plant. All things considered, I cannot
estimate the coming crop at more than 2,000,000
bales, and unless the season is very favourable I do
not anticipate even that quantity. The high price
of cotton has, of course, given an immense stimulus
to its production, and a considerable amount will be
raised this year by white labour in Tennessee, Upper
Alabama, and Georgia. The cotton, however, grown
in these districts is known as " Uplands," and is
but
a poor substitute for the superior staple producedmTexas
on the alluvial lands of the Mississippi. Fro
accounts are exceedingly favourable. This State was
comparatively untouched
the ravages of war.
commencement of the
Many planters, also, at the coni
struggle, transferred their slaves to Texas, in the
ea'rree,achof therefore,the
cotton other Southern
hYankeeope of
armies. kep n g themapita
andbe beyond
labournd the
more abundant here
cropthoafn will probably be
and will, perhaps, raise some-
' pBrtaotedUcaendd. aArfl7alliisas comes next after Texas in
order of prosperity,
what more than half an average crop. mississippi,
which produced more than any other State before
the war, has been terribly devastated, The levees
along the river have been repeatedly cut, and, from
fear of an overflow, the greater portion of the rich
bottom lands will beleft uncultivated this year. The
river, in fact, has, within the last fortnight, burst
through the levees in several places. I have not been
through Alabama and Georgia yet, but believe they
are not in a better condition. than Mi " smsat
' PlN.ln-
deed, the less productive soil of the two former
States will prevent them recovering so rapidly as

of one of my linen shirts bought in London in 1846." The
New York Times pronounces the diary genuine.
DR. COLENSO'S SUCCESSOR.—Dr. Gray, Bishop
bf Cape
Africa,
rica, Town n
having
deposeda d Metropolitanrt rcoi of t
on s
of
r ohe
m thChurche i
Bishopric n South
f
Natal, has, on his own authority, nominated a successor, to
whom he will require the clergy of the diocese to pay
Canonical obedience. The gentleman selected by Bishop
Gray to fill the "vacant" see is the Rev. F. H. Cox, B.A.
minister of the church of St. John the Baptist, Hobart
Town. Mr. Cox was ordained in England, and held for
some time the curacy of Irping, near Midhurst. About 20
years since he went to Van Diemen's Land, and has officiated
at Hobart Town since that time. He is to bear the title of
"Bishop Pieter-Maritzburg," the chief town of the colony
ofpo sNseaste,siln. Tg
twhoe
itozs_owillo:hnuonisinhaavteed
episcopal
the other by the Metropolitan, and eachca
bishop-designate is
The new authority over the clergy.
a High Churchman.
tlhh3 theadvantage
na
t ao
canon nodf

THE HORSE SHOW AT THE AGRICULTURAL HALL.
—During Tuesday, up to six o'clock, nearly 20,000
had paid for admission to the horse show at Islington.
Amongst those "assembled were the French Ambassador
and suite, the Chinese Ambassadors, now on a visit to this
country, and several foreign Ministers. General Count
Fleury, Master of the Horse to the French Emperor, was
also present, and was accommodated with a position in the
hasspecimens.
At made several purchases of most valuable animals for
tarrerin az .es
hlttlNites
bnenednerresatol
realised
dt that
the
e
the
the Empress, and the Prince Inaperi
Emperor, al, and that
At the time the hunters were jumped (from
there could scarcely have been fewer than 4to 5 pm.)
in the building, and the interest and ' lO,OOO persons
vceeryntreexocef
excellent
tense, and the shouts of laughter al excitement was in-
any unlucky wight came to grief most indescribable when
hurdles.
Scarcely
less
amusing in attempting to leap the
splendid class of carriage was the parade of the
noble creatures, horses in pairs, and that of those
One theof
ftheentire horses and hunters, and weight-
carriers.weight-carrier in park hacks
extraordinary specimens as a
beautiful grey Conti hacks being Mr. F. Branwhite's
Sir IL Baring. The Confidence,
which has been purchased by
splendid trotting of Mr. Edwards'
celebrated roadster, S
'Which tephen H. Knapp, and the way in
passedall
plause.
The
exeit other competitors, elicited shouts of ap-
ement, however reached itsclimax when
trotting
and riding ponies entered the ring, and ultimately
became generally participators in a sort of improvised
Derby" on a small scale. There were two racing ponies,
the actual merits of each were not decided. Yesterday,
although the-fourth day of the Metropolitan Horse Show,
was the greatest and most important day ,hich has taken
place since the opening, not alone arising out of the cir-
cumstance of the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales,
but as regards the number as well as the high character of
the masses who visited the exhibition.
TIIE NOTTINGHAM ELECTION.--Mr. Faulkner,
one of the candidates, hits deposited with the Speaker a
petition praying for an inquiry as to certain cases of bribery
on the side of Amberley andCossham on the one hand, and
Osborne and Jenkinson on the o .
ther Sir George Grey,
Bart., has been requested top resent . the petition.—The
News.