The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-08-09


The Sa,danniytas would have been fortified but the
liberals and enlightened Conservatives would have
regarded him as perlidious and dsloyal His hope
was, he says, ''to make his government not the
q government of a facliou-not even that of a
party, but government superior TO all parties
and an enemy to all factions" The policy he
most earnestly advocated, but strove in vain to
carry out was that Of liberal Conservatism. To
subject his policy to the exigcncies of the revolu
tionary element; TO innovate all at once without
any consideration of right, interest, opinion, or
Glass; was to enter upon a desperate struggle, not
only against the classes suffering from the re-
voluton, but against the whole people, 1t was to
launch with the one hand, the revolutionary batter
ing ram, and to brandish with the other the dem
agogical dagger, ''but," he adds, governments
which deserve the name, do not act in this way.
nor do men who believe themselves Just" He was
In favor of prudent reform, which, while satisfying
the just expectations of the liberalists should not
openly shock the good conservative principles or
the habits aid religious creed of the people
Neither the circumstances under which he was
chose. chief magistrate, nor the condition of the
country, permitted him to carry out the views
which he himself entertained. He had to struggle
without resources against formidable enemies, and
TO fulfill to the best of his ability, the promises of
the plan of Aqutla. Those promises called for
reform, peace, and legal order; reform, against
which those rebeed who lived upon abuses;
peace, which was not to the taste of those who
lived upon war; legal order, which was rejected by
the friends of revolutions; and the whole country
was full of privileged classes, disurbers and rcvo-
lutionsts. The Gberasts called for extreme meas
ures The centralists still favored a Dictatorship
CoMoNFoRr sought to moderate the impetus of the
conquerors, and to cover with shield the con-
quered. He therefore proclaimed the principle of
tolerance and respect for all opinions. The ex-
tremists trumphed and he fell. In the meantime
however he had been elected Constitutional Presi-
dent; but in the first Constitutional Congress
thereafter ensuing, there prevailed elements of IL
rtation which were not favorable to the concilia-
tory policy which he advocated. The measures
adopted by the assembly to strengthen the hands
of the Executive were inefficient for that purpose
There was, besides, among the Deputies from the
Departments, an inimical phalanx which not only
opposed the reforms advocated by the Government
but were bitterly hostile to the Executive The
principal military chiefs, and authorities of the
greatest influence in the Capital and out of it.
seeing that the Constitution was infrnged daily by
| the Governments of States, and by the Legisla-
tures and that the popular discomfort was hourly
increasing urged upon CoMoNFoRr the necessity
of averting the impending crisis by means of a
decisive stroke. He decided to sustain legality or
to succumb with it. and thus drew upon himself
,l,a coF+I, h,4, Il.
tuition inspired. He could satisfy neither of the
conflicting parties, and while his parzans became
lukewarm or mutinous, his enemies GREW strong
until, at length, hefound himself alone in the Cap
ital of the Republic vet pledged to sustain that Or
der of things which could only be saved by the
the employment of physical force, and not by bar
rem votes. He could count but upon one body of
| troops, which was favorably attached to hm-the
ZULoAGA brigade; and the brigade of ZuLoAGA
the Constitution of 1857. That Constitution
which ought to have been the bow of peace and
the fountain of health, which ought to have re-
solved all questions, and ended all disturbances
excited one of the greatest political empests that
has ever afflicted Mexico. Under it, the executive
power was left disarmed, in the presence of its
enemies; and in it, those enemies found il formda-
bic preteXt for an attack upon the government
The Clergy denounced it, and launched cxcommu-
nications against all who swore allegiance TO it;
the army, eager for the re-establishment of dica-
orship, and hostile to every plan that looked to
adjustment of existing difficulties, pronounced
against the government at different points and Mt
various times and on each occasion that the NAL
contents were beaten, free pardon was extended
| to all, which only produced the effect of en-
couraging the chiefs of the reactionary movements
to renew their revolutionary efforts. Deserted by
all but the brigade of ZuLoAGA, CoMoNFoRT con-
sented to accept the plan of TACUBAYU-annulliug
the Constitution of lS57-and was nominated
Chief of q new provisional government. New
difficulties Immediately arose. The reactonists in
sisted upon change of policy but when CoMoN-
FORT refused TO acccdc to their demand, they de-
clarcd themselves deceived and proceeded to array
themselves in opposition. On the It'll of January
the ZULoAGA brigade secretly issued new pro-
nuncjamento, and took possession of the citadel,
the barracks, and other important buildings, The
garrisons of San Luis, Puebla, Zacapoaxtla, and
other important places, speedily followed the ex-
ample set them by the troops at the capital, and
civil war became imminent. Gathering around
him the few partisans yet faithful to his Standard
and favorable to the tolerant policy to which he
adhered, CoMoNFoRr prepared for the conflict; but
previous to doing so, he endeavored to effect
a compromise on the basis of the Constitution of
1851 The reactionists, confident in their strength,
refused to make the concessions which were de-
manded, aud negotiations were broken off On
the goth of January, 1853, the struggle for posses
| sion of the capital was commenced. On the morn
ing Of that day, CoMoNFoRT could muster some
five thousand men of all arms; at night. all but
five hundred had disappeared. Nothing then re-
manned for him TO do but to make his escape
| from the country, leaving the President of the
| Supreme Court to assume the executive author-
| ty according to the provisions of the Constitution
This resume of thCamanifesto of ex-President Co
MoNFoRT, retaining, wherever it was possible his
| own language, gives us a clearer insight into
the state of parties in Mexico than it was possible
TO obtain elsewhere. 1t enables us to understand
the difficulties with which he had to contend, and
shows the utter impossibility of occupying, with
| safety and effect an intermediate position between
| two extremes. The principles of the liberals were
evidently radical and agrarian, whilst those of the
Sa'adnaistds were centralizing and despotic. The
great blunder of CoMoNFoRT was that he attempted
| to take middle course; and thus subjected him
self to q fire on both TANKS. Disguised, as he
confesses himself to have been, by the ultra liberal
ism pervading the constitution of 1857, he should
have listened TO the advice of his friends and de-
nounced it; or he should have accepted the reac-
ton, and consented to test the efficacy Of a strong
central government administered with frmneSs,
prudence and impartiality
The returns received from Kansas indicate the
rejection of the Lecompton Constitution, by the