The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-20
Affairs OF McxicO-Dreadful Results or Gen.
Scott's laundering and Despotic Policy.


The news which we published on Monday morning,
in relation to the present deporable condition
of Mexico confirms the tenor of all previous ad-
vices from that unfortunate country for many
months past, and the irredeemabe un6tness of thst
people for self government. There is no help for
them-no hope, no peace, safety, nor the re-
hottest prospect Of progress or improvement, ex-
cept as dependency of Great Britain, or as an
integral portion of these United States The time
approaches and the day is not far off, which we shall
be called upon to assent to the first alternative, or
to adopt the latter. The demands Of commerce and
of civilization cannot much longer permit such
splendid country Mexico to run to waste in the
hands of an improyident race Of semi. barbariaus.
Humanity, too, and the duties Of good neighbor.
hood, require that that people should be taken I'M
der the protection Of some power competent to
arrest their progressive Generalization aud destruc
tion and capable Of developing their better quail
ties, and the vast of their soil and their
mines, not only for their own benefit, but for the
common good of mankind.
What is the present condition of Mexico! Inse-
curity of life and property, long continued, against
internal revolutions and Indian depredations, has
rendered people naturally indolent, as reckless
and improvident as could well be conceived. Ha
ciendas have gone into decay-the cultivation of
the soil has been suspended, and famine, as natu-
raj consequence, for years past-and worse of late
than eyer-in different parts of the republic, has
decimated the population. The products Of the sill
yer mines, from which the supplies of the world
were drawn during the Spanish dominion, to the
extent of hundreds of millions, have dwindled down
to conducta Of million or two, at long intervals,
for the payment of some beggarly instalment to
English creditors. But even these occasional con-
Quotas, under escort of the army, are not always
exempt from the hordes Of brigands with which the
whole country is infested. Ignorance, superstition
and priestcraf the most absolute and corrupt, per-
baps the face of the earth grind the people into
the dust. Superadded to all this, treasury, con-
stanty drained by plundering officials, can only be
repenished by heavy, and too often, cruel and ruin
Gus taxations. Hence, domestic manufactures are
extingusbed, foreign commerce is interdicted, and
all branches of local industry, to great degree are
paraly zed and suspended.
Such is the complication of fatal disorders with
which Mexico is afflicted; and they form but the
groundwork and back view Of the picture. The
foreground is occupied by the ravages of the cut
! throat Apaches and Camanches in the States of
| Sonora, chihuahua, ard Zacatecas; by the move
ments of the fHibustros along the Rio Grande; and
by revolutionary conspracies in arms against the
government, in the States of Vera Cruz, Jasco, and
Puebla, and elsewhere. The object Of these move
ments it appears, is to put down the present govern
ment of Arista, able, honest, and well meaning
man, and to recall and restore Santa Anna TO the
supreme dictatorship of the republic. The proos-
bilities that the revoutonists will succeed in
their designs. The late decree against the liberty
Of the press, the resignation of Aristas cabinet,
and the call for the assembling of Congress on
the Goth Of October in connection with the revolu
tionary movements referred to, betray at least
q crisis in Arista's administration, and the
country, of more than ordinary moment. But
whether Arista succeeds in re- organizing his
cabinet, in suppressing the revolutionists, and
in maintaining his power, or is overwhelmed by
the hostile factions, and superseded in the govern
ment by the recall of Santa Anna, there ia scarcely
q shadow of hope for poor distracted Mexico as
separate and independent nation. Thirty years are
long enough, in this age of the world, to test the
capacity even of Mexieans tor self government.
Their experiment has proved total failure-con-
stantly tending from bad to worse-unti their con.
dition, State and as community, calls for the
commiseration ard interpostion of their more for
tunate neighbors, for relief.
ton of President Polk we're rather DESTROYS, than
otherwise, Of securing the incorporation of the en-
tire republic of Mexico into this great confederacy
the only basis of continued peace for the future
1t has also been disclosed-and in late electioneer-
ing speech by General Scott-that the Mexican
people at that day desired and actually made over
lures to him, looking to the speedy accomplishment
Of annexation But he was opposed, as he now tells
the American people for the first time, t, the
"mxirg up of that inferior race with our own;
ard so their offer unceremonously rejected
Designating his instructions and assuming to him
fef all the powers Of his government, he cast away
the prize, the value Of which, and its ultimate in
tvtable Destiny he could not or would not compre-
bend. Acting upon the Chinese policy Of exclusion
Of all "outside barbarians,' he was opposed to
mixing up with the Mexicans, and would probably
have relinqushed even California had no. our cab-
net made it a sine qua non. Thus the involuntary
Offering Of an empire arrogantly and ignorant.
ly thrown away, by subordinate Of the govern
ment, in the assumption Of powers which only be-
longed to the President and to Congress.
What would have been the beneficial results had
General Scott pursued different policy, resulting 10
the annexation Of Mexico, we can only approximate
internal peace would have been restored to the
country; It's industry and commerce would have re-
vived as if by magic; the immense OF her
silver mines would have been developed and brought
into market, thus restoring the equilibrium between
silver and gold which is most important dssi-
deratum. The ornamental timbers of Tabasso and
Yucatan, and the dye stufs and medicinal plants OF
these and other States, would have opened another
vast field Of American enterprise while the com
merce Of all the nations Of the earth would By
this time be sharing with us the advantages
Of ship canal or railroad across the Isthmus Of
Tehuantepec, and Of other transit routes between
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In short, the
benefits which might have been realized to this
country, to Mexico, and to the world at large,
from the annexation Of Mexico in 1917 or 1878 eau
only be copjectured from the splendid results which