Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-10-31

Our Mexican neighbOrs have very earnest and
effective mode Of conducting a political canvass.
They have improved on the Plug Ugly, Know Moth
ing method Of enforcing arguments with brass
knuckles and sluDg-shot. Candidates for the Presi
dency in that Republic assert their claims to public
favor through the persuasive eloquencs Of eseOpete
and artillery, and the of administration
depends more upon military tactics than political
sagacity. Questions of public policy argued at
the point Of the bayOnet and the gOrdiau knot Of
diplomatic difficulties is severed, in the days Of
Alexander, with the sword The result of an cleo
ton is determined by the fate of battle and all
changes in popular sentiment manifest themselves
in a revolution.
We have Just Witnessed the termination Of one
Of these popular outbreaks. At AhualucO not far
from San Luis POtosi, says the New York Tines the
constitutional army of Yidaurri was attacked, on
the 25th Of September, by the Centralists, under
Mramou The action was an obstinate one. 1t
lasted until the 29th, when it terminated in favor of
the Zuloags faction. Vidaurri appears to have fed
from the field some time before the end of the fight
A dispatch from him, dated at point forty miles
from the scene of conflict, yet written on the 29th,
communicates the tidings of the reverse to the
UONeruOE NOduulid oHSAebatAH6s . AttSA eN'-SSS
show, the extent of damage, and assuming tone
needlessly dependent. 1t was probably this first
hasty report that gave the sum Of the Constitution
alsts killed at FIVE hundred, and the prisoners at
two thousand It seems that the number killed
was but trihing-a fortunate Characteristic Of Mex
lean Warfare-the prisoners q mere handful; and
that but a portion Of the artillery and munitions
had fallen into the hands of MiramOn. It was
doubtless this better news that brought Vidaurri
back to the main body Of his troops, who held their
own at La Psrada, within call of Potosi. Here he
has since maintained his position, notwithstanding
the repeated assaults of the Zulogsts awaiting re-
Inducements which are said to be on the way from
Guadaljara and Tampco. As further additions to
the strength of MiramOn appear to be out of the
question, in the exhausted financial condition of his
party the odds seem to be in favor Of the eventual
success of his antagonists And here is a new
crisis in Mexican affairs.
At the same moment crisis of no slight import is
notable in their foreign affairs From Paris comes
the information that French feet has been ordered
to the Mexican coast protect the subjects of the
Empire. The Spanish expedition is rapidly pre-
pairing to sail from Cadiz with hostile designs upon
Vera Cruz and TampicO, by way'Of vengeance for
wrongs done to subjects Of her Catholic Majesty.
The moment is doubtless chosen with reference to
the fact that both those ports are just rank in
their COnstituoualism, and blow OPPORTUNITY
struck will at once vindicate Spanish honor and do
service to the tagging Of the Church and
Centraism The action Of the British Government
upon the protest Of the English resident at the City
Of Mexico is still undvulged but it will hardly fall
short of the French and Spanish reclamstiOns in
yigor.
There is no doubt that the secret object Of
the Spanish demonstration is to restore the S.
tendency of Spanish influence il the person Of
Santa Anna. With the success of Miramon the pro-
ject ceases to be mpracicabe, and if that success
be folloWedup, Santa Anna, supported by Spanish
feet, will doubtless return aud resume his Anti
American domination. His agents are now busy al
the city Of Mexico. We only lock to the triumph
Of the Constituencies to prevent this serious evil
and yet we can hardly see how it is TO avert the
other namely, the pressure Of foreign reclamatiOns
upon treasury worse than bankrupt. Perhaps
some Of those who derouncs the idea Of American
intervention may have some other and better solvent
for this confused question.