The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-11-07

The Mexican Revolutions,
The New York Herald Of Saturday last,
gave the following rapid history Of tie eau
|ses of the present revolutionsin Northern
Mexico, the active pariizans, the success so
far, and the weakness of the Government
in resisting:
The tariff question appears TO have been
lat the bottom Of the whole movement, and
notification has carried the day. Whether
these revolutionized provinces will follow i.
up with immediate secession, or wait lor CO.
operation, we shall presently consider. The
Mexican tariff is high tariff, ranging from
twenty TO two hundred per cent Along
the Rio Grande it offers very considerable
inducements to- en,erprising smuggles.-
There were plenty Of traders, on both sides
of the river, prompt 10 take hold of such
advantages. Immense quantities of goods,
avoiding the customs, were carried over the
river and wnrehoused on the Mexican side
at various points. Canales, the late author
lied Governor Of Mamaulipas, it appears,
was engaged in this business to very profit
able extent. But the central government,
apprised of the evil, enforced more rigid
surveillance; the practical free trade which
had been established was suppressed, and
The warehousing system Of smuggled goods
was suspended by their seizure. A large
quantity of goods thus seized was held in
possession of the central government officers
at Camargo, when Caravajal with his gueril-
las, and their effective allies OF several hun
dred Texan rangers, made descent upon
the place, and, after sharp fight, captured
it, occupied it, and released the goods from
confiscdtion and from duty. BY turning
them over to their former owners, 4iE1der
cover of mock auction. Such appear to
have been the objects of this movement
the release Of smuggled goods and the open
ing of the northern provinces of Mexico to
the benefits of free trade in contraband i'm
ports. The proclamations Of Caravaial DO
not declare for an independent government
The whole movement thus far, is The result
of a combination of interested parties on
both sides OF the river, in free trade spec
ulation.
Novel Us are the causes Of this revolt, the
character Of the parties engaged in it is still
more interesting. Caravajal and Canales
were the chiefs Of the most active guerillas
along the Rio Grande during the Mexican
war. The baggage and provision trains of
General Taylor suffered terribly from their
depredations. They rioted in plunder--
were always on hand when an unprotected
train could be safely attacked, but never 10
be found by the dragons, or the more dead
ly rangers. These men are at the head of
this revolution, commanding rank and file
of guerilIas, contrabandi8tas, traders, and
devilmay-care Texas rangers, all engaged in
the grand work of liberating imported goods
from the payment Of Mexican duties.
In the meantime, the Mexican govern
ment is powerless-withou means-its cab.
met dissolved-its trade destroyed, with
the high roads in the occupation of robbers,
and the capital at the mercy of lspros--over
head and ears in debt, and pressed upon ev-
cry side for money-crippled with a corrupt
priesthood, and forever in state of reyolu-
tion, with the frontiers occupied by free
hooters Or overrun by the Apaches, and the
interior suffering from the combined evils of
Incidence, official rapacity and famine, poor
Mexico can do nothing. She is compelled
to let this revolution take its course, and
trust 10 the precarious chances of bad man.
agement. We learn that she is anxious 10
anticipate some 100000 of the indemnity
to be paid her by the United States, and
that the local authorities on the Rio Grande
have entered into compact with Wild
Cal for assistance against Caravajal Wild
Cat was conspicuous chief in The Seminole
war; but. under treaty, was removed with
most of his tribe to the far West, leaving
Billy Bowlegs TO fight it out in the ever
plades with Gen. Twigs. Since his removal
to Texas Wild Cat has led an active career
and is now located near the Rio Gande,
with a large force of runaway negroes under
his command, Gen. Avalos, in command
at Matamoras, it is reported, will have this
great chief to aid him in putting down the
revolution. The resu. has yet to be kno wn.