The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-07-08

Letters from Vera Cruz and the City of Mexico
by the steamship Tennessee speak encouragingly of
the progress of the Liberal cause, and anticipate
speedy advance upon the City of Mexico, of the
combined forces of the Constiutonalists; but from
all we can gather the prospect of expeling the Re-
actonists from the Capital is in reality as remote
as it was twelve months ago. 1t is scarcely worth
while to dwell upon the disorganized condition of
affairs in that country for to do so would be but
TO repeat what has been so often said before
Both parties are numerically weak in troops; both
parties are impoverished the Liberals have the
moral support of our own government; the Reac-
tionists have the moral and material support of
the clergy; but in neither case do they derive any
considerable assistance from their hackers. If we
regarded simply the fact that of the twenty-three
States Of which the Republic is composed, twenty
are IN complete possession of the Liberals
we should be disposed to predict the almost
Immediate and certain success of the
Liberal cause. But the necessity of providing
for the defence of so many thinly populated De-
partments actually operates as a disadvantage. 1t
may, however, be contended that holding so
large an extent Of territory, the Liberals must
be numerically superior. Such is apparently the
case, but it is only in appearance that it is so. A
few figures will make this plain. The entire
population of Mexico in 1854 was estimated
at seven millions eight hundred thousand:
four millions and half being of pnre Indian
blood. In the three Central States-Mexico,
Queretaro, and Puebla-which are held by the Re-
actionist or Church party there is a population of
two millions and half. Now, as at least four
millions Of the pure-blooded Indians inhabit the
Departments which acknowledge the jurisdiction
of the Liberals it necessarily follows that the re-
naming white and mixed races do not number
more than one million three hundred thousand
and as it is from these latter that tie forces are
raised for carrying on the war, it will be seen that
the numerical superiority-so far as men available
Tor military service are concerned-is in reality in
favor of the Reactioniss. They are, moreover
concentrated in and around the Capital, and within
that space can very readily bring their forces to
bear upon any given point. On the other hand,
the Liberals have control over all the seaports,
both on the Pacific coast and on the coast of the
Gulf stream, and they also hold the frontier GUS
tom-houses, whereby they are able to intercept the
chief part of the revenue duties. The means,
therefore, of carrying on the war on the part of
advances made in various forms by the clergy, but
as the latter have grown weary of hypothecating
Church property, the government of MIRAMoN has
been reduced of late to resort to forced loans and
to system OF exactions in other respects that more
closely resembles brigandage than any thing else
with which it can be compared As, however.
portion of the interest due to foreign creditors is
paid at Vera Cruz, the exchequer of the Liber-
ais is scarcely in better condition than that of
The Reactlonsts, notwithstanding the former hold
possession of the seaports and frontier CUSTOM
houses. 1t is, then, owing to the want of means
on both sides, that neither party can bring more
than few thousand men into the field and to the
necessary division of these forces into detachmens
that the contest has been protracted for so long
time without either of the parties being able to
gam any signal advantage over the other. 1t
Is now stated that the Liberals of Northern
Mexico, are preparing to assume the offensive; that
the differences which previously existed between
the rival chieftains have been composed. and that
the whole of the Independent commands would be
united into one, for the purpose of marching upon
the City of Mexico, under the lead of Colonel now
General ZUAzUA We doubt whether, even if the
attempt is made, it will prove any more successful
than the expeditions that were previously under
taken for the same purpose. No army from the
North, since the commencement of the present
civil war; has ever been able to advance beyond |
Queretaro without being badly beaten, and the
recent massacre at Tacubaya indicates the erocous
spirit that animates the Reactionist soldiery, and
the contempt in which they hold the 'moral SUD-
port which our Government has given 10 the
Liberal cause. On that occasion five American
citizens were wantonly murdered in cold blood |
three of whom as stated in the indignant protest,
addressed by Mr.. McLANE to Senior BoNILLA ewere |
physicians actually engaged in attendance
upon the sick and wounded in the military hos
''pitals, and two others were unoffending youths
under age" What effect that protest will have
upon the Government of MIRAMoN, or in what
manner the redress will be obtained which Mr..
McLANE intmates will be imperatively demanded,
we have yet to learn. Some of our contempora-
RES however, incline to the belief that the pro-
test to which refer, covers more than a simple
menace and that new war with Mexico and
further extension of our territory Southwark,
are IN contemplation at Washington