The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-20

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Destiny.
That Mexico is rapidly relapsing to the state
OF sem -barbarism that marked the era of its
conquest by Cortes and his companions, is
abundantly evident to any one who will take
the trouble to study her contemporaneous his
tory as 1t is developed week after week and
year after year.
As governing a political community, it may
well be doubted whether the federal rulers of
the republic hold as wide a sway as did the
Moctezumas. Everywhere in the distant States
the federal authority is unheeded. Yucatan is
a prey to civil discord and savage warfare;
OaJaca and Guerrero, now that Alvarez is re-
moved from active life, have become the scene
of Indian triumphs, led by priests as ignorant
as themselves; in Sonora Ex-Governor Gandara
is exciting the native race, among which he has
great sway, to a fierce war upon his rival, the
present Governor, Pasqueira; in chihuahua,
Durango, Zacatecas and Nuevo Leon the rowing
tribes roam as they will, plundering on every
side; Puebla is the seat of a civil war, where
the church marshals the semi savages to perpe-
tuate its own greedy existence; in Michoacan
""N NA"Ju~V SaS " VI ClhllutuG
their old position; on a very recent occasion,
to use the words of q Mexican writer, ga tumult
occurred which demonstrates the true designs
of this race, which believes itself to be the
legitimate lord of this continent. An immense
number conceived the project of presenting
themselves on a given day before Morelia, the
capital, and through their imposing numbers
| rocoa Tho MI 10 lao,no - 1.oo IL.
turn of their lands so long since usurped."
Another native writer, describing only a few
weeks since the condition of the State of
Tamaulipas, says, Commerce is completely de-
cayed, agriculture is abandoned for want of
labOrers to till the lands, and every element of
industry is completely destroyed" While this
is the condition of a large portion of the re-
public, the federal government is completely at
the mercy of stockholders and needy adven-
urers, who look only to filling their W
pockets before the entire fabric falls to pieces.
1t would be instructive to examine and de-
monsirate fully the causes of this decadence.
but our limited space precludes it. They may
be c~oncisely stated, however, by a parallel, for
like causes everywhere produce like effects.
The principles Graded in the French Assembly
of 1898, and since advocated by the Exeter
Hall enthusiasts, are producing in Mexico
a slower, but the same sure results of
Jamaica and st. Domingo. They only
| differ in the fact that the Aztec race
has not the same base nature with
the African, as is demonstrated by the
aboriginal history of each. But the words of
the Tamaulipas writer above quoted are appli-
cable not only to Mexico. but to the British and
French West Indies. Commerce is decayed,
agriculture is abandoned, and every element of
industry is destroyed.
This result is due to the fact that the War of
Independence not only separated Mexico from
the mother country, but dissolved all the
bonds that held the dissonant races of her popu-
lation in social organization. Domestic slavery
for the negro was destroyed, and peonage for
the native Indian was swept away before that
grand panacea for human ills-the perfect
equality of all races of men. Since that time
constitution after constitution has been con-
structed, but each seduously preserving as
the supreme law of the land the principle
that no contract which held man to labor
should be lawful or recoverable in kind. Thus
he who plants is not able to reap, and COM
merce and industry follow in the footsteps of
waning agriculture. With the decay of mate
rial welfare, social. political and moral well
being must also decay, and government as well
as society dissolve. This is the process that
is going on in Mexico, while at the same
time the white race, which never con-
stituted a large portion of the popu-
lation, being degraded to the social
and political level of the aboriginal and
black races, is rapidly being absorbed and
extinguished by them.
But while with these elements of inevitable
dissolution Mexico is Fastening towards bar
barism, contiguous with her is a people possess
ing every element of internal life and external
expansion. The whole Of this country is preg-
nant with enterprise, energy and activity, ready
TO burst forth and overrun any and every field
that presents itself to them. Our whole history
is marked with alternate vibrations between
internal ~strugglings and external acquisition.
Hardly had we got over. the bitter strife that
attended the establishment Of our constitution
at the close of the last century, before the
present one was ushered in with the purchase of
Louisiana; the intense heartburnings that
marked the second war with England, and pro-
duced the Hartford Convention, were followed
by the acquisition Of Florida the fierce hate of
parties that attended the administration of
Jackson was succeeded by the war in Texas;
party strife again ran high aud drove the
democratic party from power for a time, only
to be followed by the Mexican war. and
the admission Of New Mexico and California
within our limits. Thus great events are
continually reproducing themselves; and
the party rage that has marked the last three
or four years being now on the verge of
dissolution, the era of expansion must follow.