Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-10-08
THE vEXED MEXICAN QUESTION

|
journal, In the liberal interest," which find trsnsla
ted in the Charleston News. According to the writer
anarchy rules the whole country; from end to tht
other of the Republic the people are In arms eacl
Mexican military chief makes forced march to sup
ply his baud with monsy, horses. clothing, provi
sions, &C., which he ssiz7s, simply furnishing re
cept therefor. An epormoue amount Of property be-
been sacrificed In the present civil wsr since the ls
of last January-the total amount of money and pro
perty taken and destroyed, in :he past months
being fairly estimated at not less than Sl0O 900 O0U
The Justice of this calculation will be admitted, wher
We recur to the losses occasoned by weeks heavy
firing in the large city of Mexico, week or more
aring in Gusdalejara lie battles In San Luis Zsca-
tecss, Guapajuao, Durango, Celsys, Yrapuato. Mora
vato, Jalapa, Orizavs. &c, the entire deserton o
Perote and about twenty-five more considerable
places, the abandonment Of hundreds of hscepdas
AID, in addition, the heavy expense Of keeping up al
least fifty Thousand soldiers. In the above estimate
are lot included the injuries to commerce. nor the
losses of the thousands of sgricuursts whoee crops
aud fields will necessarily be neglected for long
time. 70 austsin itself the Government, resorts to
forcing money from lie rich citizens, two Of whom
were thrown into Jail because they would not pay up
$50 900 each when requested to do so the only
rity offered to them being the vaueless obligations OF
the clergy. BY the imprisonment Of one Of these
wealthy citizens, Senior Escaudon, twenty thousand
persons were thrown out OF employment. To COM
plets the black picture, wa quote the following eI
tract Of late letter from Mexlco as We find II in the
New York Express:
7
rals-have together about 50,00U men in the field -
1hess forces are scattered over the country IRON
Yucatan to Sonora. They have no disciplined trea
sures to sustain these forces and they therefore
compelled 20 live upon the country. Their morality
not being the highest. this necessity is easily complies
with, and css towns, villages and haciendas are pu
under contribution, and made TO pay with horses
provisions, grain money, clothing, 60, the expense,
of civil war. So rapacous have become the rabbi,
soldiery, that the grossest ourages commiitei
all the populations. Property is taken and destroyed
and many in the central parts Of the Republic
the of the towns and villages have been made
subjsct 10 the lusts OF the sodiery. To sucn an ex
tent have outrages been committed that the people
of hundreds of hacieIdas, and a score more oil
considerable towns have been forced abandon their
homes and take refuge in the large cities. Place
with populations of from ten to fifty Thousand hsv,
been completely abandoned. Peroie has been aban
doned by its population tor the last four months San
Louis Potosi, place of 81, 700 population, has beer
mostly deserted. At lest advices but three shops
were open in the whole place. The citizens bad fed
to the mountains or the larger cities.
In the meantime, the commerce and Industrial 10
teresis of the country fast going TO ruin, and
ney is becoming remarkably scarce article In the
channels Of trade. Goods have now been detained
in Vera Cruz for the last eight months. The sture
houses Of that port are crowded, and much damage
nas come to all classes of psrishabe articles by being
on this cspiIsi inc Government ruling with rod
If iron. Persons are thrown into prison on the slight
eat pretex,; the jsis filed The press is CON-
pletely senced. The priests have it under their
;humb. The esldent Of the nation is an old mont
dealer, and the Prime Minster-and soul and spirit oi
the GoverBment-is an unscrupulous priest
Terrified by the scene of ruin around them, il il
alleged that the Puros or Liberal Party and also the
British creditors of Mexico aud the American claim
ants against Mexico are looking TO the United Slater
to take possession of the country, in the shape OF
Proteotorate. Even that conservative organ. the
New York Express" complains that the Admins
traon neglects the tempting opportunity" present.
ed by the wreck and ruin 10 which that unhappy
country s getting 10 bo iusItrosby involved and il
demands sterner measures. II goes on 10 say, that
"The wsest for ibis governusnt to pursue In
this emergency Is to strengthen its influence with the
nov known 10 be numerous class of mexicans, who,
weared with anaroby, bloodshed and robbery, are
resdy to encourage whatever stops the Cabinet at
Washington may be disposed TO pursue with view
10 vlndicate the rights of i;s citizens, prelim-
aarily, by quelling the factions and restoring some
thing like law and order throughout the country. AZ
things stand at present. it would seem that this can be
beet done by supporting General Vidaurr, now on his
way to ths capital, with effective force, to upset
the Zulosgs Government A few thousand American
bsyonets between Vera Cruz and the City OF Mex
leo, is probably all that would be needed. The pre-
sence Of such a force there under the prudent and
experienced command of Lieut.. Gan. Scott, even if
vidaurr Is beaten back which it is not likely be will
be- would give encouragement to the Mexcans who
are in favor Of American Interference, but who
dare not, at present. express themselves and thus
in any event, prepare the way for come sort OF q
solution Of this vexsd question. Those American
troops would be cent, not hostile invaders, but NJ
police force 10 keep the peace, and 10 relnstate
order iu a land where both peace and order are
virtually at an end. Justice to ourselves woulc
sanction the step, and duty to our nsighbor woult
approve It. II Vidsurri succeed, We can then, ii
conjunction with him, come to some mutual under
standing, and, if e1psdest, look to consolidation
|
shall be In an infinitely be'ter position than We
| present to protect the lives and property OF ou
citizens, vindcate national dignity, and give suc
turn to sffairs as will evenuate in the settlement U
what mus, otherwise remain eternsly one of To
most ve1ed of all our veIed questions
Such bold proceeding, on the part Of the Unite
States. would tally with the sentiments Of extra
ordinary article iu the London Times" which sub
s,sntially complains that the United St.tes do NO
come forward in the cause OF commerce, humant
and good government-snd, above all, we presume
for the security Of British creditors Of MeIioo-o pu
stop to the dsgrscsful state of things "instsuty an
without interfering in the slightest degree with put
lie liberty"
The last intelligence from Me1lce is that ZuloaR
relies upon an alliance with the riends Of Sarts Ann
for assistance and that several agents Of he ex Die
tator had passed through Havana en- route for Yer
Cruz. Whatever may be the issue OF the approach
ing crisis We have no confidence that any ruler ca
be found in Mexico TO reconcile the ambitious clerg!
the hostile military chleftains and the ignorant az
fierce popuacs Even should the United State
take sdes with any party and establish pre-
tectorate, it must maintain its possession perma
nepty. in order to secure continued good order.-
This would be ,antamount to forcible anneIation-an
We are not prepared to say that the present condito
of affairs would justify so extraordinary astep. w
agree with the "Chareston News" that neither sut
jugaton nor Protectorate enters into the mlssio
and purposes of a confederated Republic, oonettu
ted like ourr. Intervention may become posso
and appropriate, but pot in the form Of interference
in the internal affairs of ths country for any ulteri'
purpose wbatever. Such interference mu.t os lim'
ed to thoss conjunctons which would involve prime
Piles of self defence. The United States could nevt
fold their arms and silently permit any foreign sts
to intervene in Mexican affairs Acquisition OF TEL
ritory might be the inevitable efeot OF conflict
indemnity for its expenses, to prevent the interVent'o
of one or more Of the States OF Europe In Il
concerns of Mexico, bat should form no part Of OF
policy primarily and by original design. The pr
bem Is one OF the most interesting and importa
,h,, ran engage the serious deliberations Of Oh