The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-05-04
writer's Of the country, closes his History Of Next
60" with the following mournful prophecy


races that nov mhabn IT, ID seems ~ f sers destiny
that the Basions winch have settled 10 In
afeI ent periods OF time shoald SssppsAr from u,
leaving hardy = remembrance Of their existence, ~
the people that boih tho edces OF Pslepqae and others
whcb we admire IN tho pennsuls OF YooAtaa nas been
destroyed no one knowing what II Was how dsAED
pared, ss the Toitecs persisted BY the hands OF the
savsges from ths North leaving other memorial than
the pyramids OF ChouiA snd reoshuacan; and nnAy az
the ancient hexicsns fell the power Span
ards the country gaining greatly oy This change Of do
mnioE, but former possessoss becoming subjects
another So also the present inhabitants will become
ruined, without receiving that compassion which
their obaoed and thsrs may be applied 70
the MEXICAN people OF what the Latin poet said
one Of the most famous persons of Roman hstorySdk
ndg nonttnis u1arG-there remains only ths shsdow Of
former ulustr 'ous times.
do not cite these words because I have found
reason to agree with Senior Alaman He was an in
fdel in the political ideas Of America, and believed
that salvation Tor the nations existed only In the
monarchical system Of Europe; o system which his
clear reason told him Can never be established Ia
any country in the New World and much less in
Mexico which k in such close proximity ~ the giant
republic Of the North.
Other writer's IN this country as able as Senior
Alaman entertain different views from him, and
nurture hopes which he refused to cherish. One of
these, whose ideas have already made their mark
upon the country, and who may yet plough IT with
prolific burrows OF thought, thus closes an address
to his countrymen upon "tbe political and Social
condition of Mexico" published soon after the war
with the United States:-
But II, a. viii be the case, 70 learn nothing
from the severe lesson We hsvs recevsd-u 20
IN ip all things hePetotOYe-n the base Interests Of
persons corporations prevail the inte
rests Of the ccunuy-h The army ana She government
officers, instead Of being ihe u society
continue bs it's tyranS and IT. eyecutioners-1 toe
clergy still influence tho policy Of tbe country
order 70 prevent IA advAnoen the gcvenneut % oe
forever solely endeavOrng 70 the exgenceB OF Tho
dsy without considering those Of the fuuye Tho ANN
Distraton Of justice 70 continue heretofore, and
criminals 70 walk triumphant IN society-I industry
and commerce, instead Of beng protected, arc %
always outraged with heavy ana unjust 0urthens,
work-f the pubic debt instead o, receiving tina. AMI
zaGon thai would transform into element OF order
and prosperity must always remain in that chaos 10 which
u satisfy me svar,ce o. greedy and miserable
specuIstors-1 the contracted IDEAS when have
hitherto prevailed - foreigners still
that they settle freely among as
any interest the Of the country and, finally,
our usual pronunc0ut<nos, tearing down and putting
up ewes three months order 70 satisfy all
thu disseminated ~no aim NJ living upon DISORDER Aaa tao
number Of which must Increase prod,gously view OF
tee IMMUNITY enjoyed oy the ds,ur oers OF public orier
MeXcap, and those wbo have any thing lose, snail
convinced Of the truth however sad I. may be.
This truth WI, be that We cannot 90 on alone ~ nation,
and that shall peed, least ears, the
port the armed Intervention III some foreign Power.
Once convinced Of this tho eDy question 70 Do
ahmed viii be, whether w be better for that that
support shall from the United States, 10 view OF ~
democratic principles, or from some Of the European
monsrchies.
And this il the result that the people, of Mexico
look forward TO hopefully. Tired and Disguised with
the constant chickering's OF the politicians and the
army, the great mass Of the people much more
disposed TO acquiesce IA foreign Intervention than
are those who govern to admit IL have conversed
with all classes the subject Of the evils that act
Mexico, and among them all, aud without \ single
exception, the only expression OF confidence and
hope has been in something To come from abroad.
The political and social disintegration which exists
here, destroying not only the organization ut the
republic but the very cohesion of society, is more
evident 70 the great that does not NEEDLE with
politics, or is more readily admitted by them than
by the public men, yet these latter do not deny the
facts which meet one at every turn, and acknow-
ledge that Intervention must come or later.
Until it does come there can be no change IN the
conduct Of public affairs here, unless some genius
shall appear upon the who shall possess mar
vellous power of mastering the conflicting elements
and great wisdom in the art Of government and
cal reform. Until that time the constant struggles
which have been witnessed in the past for the pos
session OF the government will be continued, while
the power OF government ~ resist the elements op-
poeed 10 IL will become daily weaker and weaker.
While IL is at present powerless to maintain in
ternal peace, II is utterly 81 70 impose upon the
apscious local rulers In the distant quarters of the
republic due respect either Tor the general
government or for the International obligations Of
the country. Private property is not respected and
the representatives OF foreign governments, when
claiming the rights Of their fellow citizens, are not
needed, If indeed they not insulted.
With sufficient elements Of public wealth the con
tracts of the nation with foreign citizens, and
with foreign governments, are not fulfilled and have
forced by an exhibition of power. The interest on
the English debt has not been paid for i've years,
and the payments stipulated may never be resumed
again until The republic rs reorganzed through
foreign aid The stpulations of the English, French
and Spanish conventions are in similar condition.
Claims OF American citizens have already accumu-
lated TO the amount OF many millions ct dollars.
There IL no prospect Of cessation Of this state Of
things while there IN every appearance that IL Will
continue to grow worse.
A spirit Of guerrilla warfare IL springing up in
many portions Of the country, where a thirst for
rspine, covering itself with the mantle Of political
panisabshp, threatens the most destructive evils To
society. The roads everywhere are in possession Of
the robbers, and the government cannot put them
down.
What with this danger on one side and the inter
uptons caused by the civil contentious, the trade
OF the country IN parslyzed; and with the confirm
ance Of the present condition VI affairs merchants
al d traders disabled iron fulfilling their obga
tons. IL IL the opinion Of men well versd In the
business OF the country that should no Improvement
IN political affairs, there will not be solvent
merchant in Mexico Within two years.
Instead Of a tendency toward stability there sevf
IDENTIFY continued adv anoe ia another direction. The
rancor Of parties throug hOut the country u IN
creasing and should there lie no foreign support al
forded to some Government In Mexico there IL every
prospect aud probability that the ald OF private ex
petitions from the United States will be sought and
obtained. The experience OF Nicaragua may yet be
repeated here, even in a more disastrous degree.
in these contests the church properly must con
tnue 20 be the great and constant object Of attack
both on the part Of its enemies and its frends-by
the former with the hope Of spoil and by the latter
under the plea Of resources for defence. The disnl
tares Of the church well Of this and in
foreign intervention the only hope Of avoiding de-
struction.
Such are few Of the many reasons thas have been
addnced ~ me here why foreign Intervention " an
ticipated and hoped for, and they VIII not fail 70
have weight with the rest Of the world. There only
remains Tor consideration the questions who should
intervene and how such step should BE- carried out
As this report has extended 10 a much greater
length than had intended, shall limit myself to
few suggestions merely.
WHO snouLp INTERVENE IN MEXICO, AND HOW 1T
SHOULD BE DONE.
II IL natural that each OF the different interests and
parties In Mexico should desire Intervention favor
able TO taelf and its ideas. Thus one aspires to
purely European intervention another 10 one purely