The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-05-04

| and aftable and frank IN tner eApoatt0nS OF the
state of the republic and the that have led
to the present condition of things. Justice requires
| me to say that have met among them many pro-
| found thinkers, who see clearly and appreciate
properly the influences that are destroying the CO.
hesiveness of the body polite, and not few who
perceive the national disntegration that is going on
In the following remarks do not pretend to give
the views of any particular school of politics here,
but rather those congratulations which have been
able to deduce from information gathered from
many sources.
1t must str Ike every one who studies the condition
| of the Mexican Union, that as federated republic
Mexico has virtually ceased to exist. Nominaly it
still consists of twenty three States and six Terrific
ries, and the forms of the federal government are
kept up in the national capital. But the power of
| this government does not extend beyond few of
the central States for any effective purpose Those
| lying upon the frontier, and in the most distant
quarters of the Union are prey to the savages,
civil discord, or some local ruler who keeps up his
army and his arbitrary rule with little regard either
to the behests of the federal government or the
| wishes of the people,
| Thus we have Yucatan desoated throughout the
| greater part Of her territory by the savages, and
civil dssensons existing at the same time between
the local authorities of Merida and Campeachy;
Guerrero, subjected TO the arbitrary rule of Don
Juan Alvarez, whose power is supported by horde
| of savage pintos, who take pleasure in making
direct or indirect war upon the white races. Alva-
acknowledges no federal authority except upon
condition of a monthly subsidy regularly paid, and
| this acknowledgment consists merely in restraining
his piptos from ravaging the neighboring States.
Gov. Yanex has ruled in Sinaoa for several years
with power that is really though not nominalty abso
lutte, and he recognizes federal government that
does not reciprocate by recognizing him. In Sonora
two cques, led respectively by Gandara and Pas
| guerra, are continually struggling for the local
! power while the barbarous tribes of Indians roam
through the State at will. In Nuevo Leon Vidaurri
| rules in much the same manner that Yanez docs in
Snaloa, and besides this, he has annexed the State
| of Coahuila to his own without the federal power
| being able to prevent it. Tamaulipas is subjected
to the sway Of Gov. Cara, who pays as little heed
Chihuahua, Lower q ornia, 0ajaca and Chiapas
are too distant from the centre and of too little
weight in the republic to call for much attention
from the federal authorities. The proXmate frontier
States Of Durango and Zacatecas are a constant
| prey to the Indian tribes of the north, who have
driven the white population mostly into the cities
and larger towns for safety from their raids which
are made with mpunity, in bands Of from twelve to
thirty warriors.
From the foregoing recapitulation it will be seen
that the true republic of Mexico consists at present
Of the States of Vera Cruz Pueba, Mexico, San
| Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, Queretaro, Zacatecas,
| Aguascalientes, Michoacan and Jalisco These en-
Drace Delt OF territory running from the Gulf OF
Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, between the 18th and
oath degrees Of north latitude, and comprise about
five millions OF the estimated eight millions of total
population 1t is in these States, but particularly in
those OF Vera Cruz Mexico and San Luis Potos that
the continual struggle for power and the revolutions
carried Their chief seat is the capital itself
and in this respect it may be said Of this city,
has been said of Paris that il is the whole country
Whenever q revolution has possessed itself of the
| capital il has generally triumphed.
Although Mexico has experienced so many so
called revolutions the true revolution of the country
has never yet been made. IL has indeed thrown of
the yoke Of Spain but the institutions and the ideas
Of Spain still rule here both in the political and the
| social organization of the republic. The church
and state are still closely united; the ecclesiastical
and military tribunals are superior TO those of the
| civil power the feudal possession of the land by
limited class which is estimated not to exceed sixty
square leagues of land and eight millions OF inhabi.
tants; the serfdom Of the great of the people,
like that of Spain of the present day and
i Europe in the sixteenth century; are virtually
| admitted custom, as when the old system of peon-
age existed; the mercantile and mechanic classes
bold social position not unlike that of the burghers
OF Europe three centuries ago; and all popular
rights, all power and honors and all public enter.
prises must emanate from the government as of old
they flowed from the king.
Since the overthrow Of the Spanish power reyou-
ton after revolution in the PERSONAL of government
has been effected, but in the principles of gov
eminent. Efforts have been made IL Is true 10 imi
tate the forms of the great American republic but
their spirit has never animated the rulers here In
dustry and trade Of all kinds not even excepting the
daily traffic Of the public markets, have been one
rousy taxed for revenue, but tax il Ibid upon the
vast possessions of the landed propretors Protective
systems and monopoes have been sedulously eaborl,
ted fer NE benefit OF the avortes of the ruler The
countability Of public officers has never been estab-
shed and the plumber Of the public treasury has been
the practice OF every administration Under the priv.
leges afforded them by the law and the corrupt adj.
miDistraton OF government, certain ecclesiastical
corporations have absorbed the great mass Of the
wealth OF the community, until now they oyersha-
dow the land. IL il only within few years that the
principles of true revolution in government and
society have dawncd upon the public mind here and
the struggle Is now going In the midst of an ex.
pi,Mng . nationality and dsintegrated society.
70 consider the present organization Of society here
and the elements and the objects Of the changes
now going on
POPULATION AND RACES.
No complete census of the inhabitants Of Mexico
has been made since the year l7e3 when the Vice
roy, Revillaggedo, directed one to be taken which
gave total population Of 44s3 $50. In this several
Of the departments were not included and in Others
the enumerations were made with great Careless
ness Two years afterwards corrections were made
Of these omissions, and the total population was e.
timated at S 100000.
In 1891 census was ordered 10 be taken by the
government and its result was announced an giving
total population Of e,9s2, 2sl; but several Of the
States set down at round numbers in this emu.
meration because the statistics could not be OBJ
tanned.
Subsequent general enumeratons have been made
by several writers based upon the partially obtained
returns Of the respective local authorities. and of
the parish registers Of births and deaths the latest
Of which il published in the Memora of Don Manuel
Siiceo Minister OF Fomento in the administration of
President Comonfort in 1857 In this document the
s,2s7iI3 " ' ''pN''' - '''''""eu ~
In these enumerations no distinction has been
made Of race color, IL having been considered i'm.
polite to do no. Don Miguel Ierdo de Tejata esti.
mates in hia Cuadro Snoptico the different races on
the population in the following pros ortions:-One.