New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-10-12
MEXICAN CORRESPONDENCE.
VERA Cnuz, Sept. &c, 1859.

rue think Mr. McLane certainly cast his horoscope
N the day be landed at Vera Cruz; for that be
hould have cast away advantageous treaty simply
because Mexico would not concede barren preroga-
i've, can be explained In other way. 1t is said in
'emioffical circles that the Minister few of the !,
handle because he coud not gain the admission that
United States troops might protect, in cases Of ne
,essity, the various railway rights we acquired under
he treaty.
hardly believe these intimations for they accuse
The Minister of casting away advantages of immense
value upon mere acknowledgment; for l doubt
II the treaty would be worth a cent more with the !
right Of protection than without it. In fact, this
idea Of treaty rights to protect is an absolute hum
bug, simply asserting long established principle.
We have not got right anywhere, but have the con-
current right also the duty Of protecting 1t. Then
what does Mr. McLane gain by inserting this right in
treaty, and more particularly in form Of govern.
ment like ours? Who is to exercise this right The
Constitution invests Congress with the war-making
power and this treaty probably aims to take this dis
creton ont Of the power Of Congress and lodge it in
the hands Of the President for what is it than
an act of war, with or without treaty, to march
troops into foreign State TO protect American works
against the local government? If foreigners invade
Mexico and seize American property, our treaty with
Acxic does not entitle us to step In and say we
will defend this spot Of ground or this important line
of travel. Certainly not. Then the only excuse for
our invasion of their soil would be that our rights
needed protection in Mexico against Mexico. The
proposition is plain, and consequently any attempt
on oupart to protect works here, can be construed
into nothing but an attack upon Mexico.
Such stipulation, consequently, is useless, and
Mr. McLane was not justified in throwing away ben
efts to secure any such assumed advantage. We
have the right to protect our citizens and their works
wherever they go, and no treaty strengthen it.
10 common, then, with many others, think Mr. Nc
Lane did wrong to insist upon such an article in the
first place, and he did further wrong to throw away
advantages because this useless article was thrown out
Suppose for moment that an ultra Northern man is
elected President, with but one idea and that was
against slavery, what hope is there that this power
would be confded to him by the South or suppose
an ultra southerner should fill Buchanans place, and
the Northern members consent to trust into his
hands such means of extending the Union over new
territory adapted to slavery That treaty is doubtful
before our own Congress- and because it enarges the
already extended power of the Presidents and 1t is
dousy distaseful to Mexico for it at once leaves her
open to an irresponsible attack Better she should
90 the whole length, and accept protectorate at
once, than do this thing, which is neither protection
to US or to her.
In accordance with hs programme of reform,
Juarez has decreed the abolition Of all feast days but
nine, as follows the first day of the year Thursday
and Friday OF holy Week; Thursday, the day OF
the Resurrection; Independence Day; the l6th Of
September; All Saints Day; the % Of November,
in memory Of the faithful who died in the church /;
and the oath of December. l had occasion in an
early letter to call your attention to the innumerabe
feast days which crippled the labor of the country.
There are in Mexico sixty stated days made solemn
arces by the Church and State when no labor can be
done because some Saint died thousand years ago,
forty movable easts and hytwo Sundays in all one
hundred and ftytwo days, when it is inable offence
to work. When it is considered that these feast days
but drunken roics which produce additional rest
days, you may reasonably conclude that there are
two hundred of them, which leaves but one hundred
| and sixty.fve working days in all the year.
| As case in point, contractor of mahogany in
forms me that he has lost over five hundred dollars
by one feast day, in the following fashion the Peon
system enables contractors, by small advance pay
ments to the Indians to hold them to service until
the debt is paid. My informant had contracted after
the manner, with large number of Indians, and his
poems went to work. The 10th Of September ap,
preached, and every Indian marched off to his native
town to enjoy the day 1t is the 26th Of Septem
ber and they have already lost three weeks for they
quit work four days in advance to go one hundr ed
miles to the village where they live, and now they
are dispersed over the country in every direction
To get them back he will have to procure writs Of
attachment and hire officers to hunt down the delin
quents. This is all expensive, and probably he will
not recover onefourth Of them, thus losing his
money, his men, his time, his contracts and his law
| fees.
In this complaint do not desire to saddle all the
blame upon the Indians for most of it belongs to the
Mexican judges and priests. The former are guilty
of gross wrong in enforcing the peon system
against the Indians, knowing, as they do, that it il
unconstitutional and illegal; and the latter are
wrong, that they pretend to absolve the Indians
from all sin IN the preach OF ther contract
The Liberal Press IS JUST now ]ubilant over new
p.eeo W ls,vas, nnsa os ~ pseu .ne.' "
.ae WY " 'eAoo ~ - alnonss
.t;..l ~ nroo1a;n, rev,,n.ion ~ ,. pa.,
csnobt in the citv and is likely to snfar eatt NH
troason 1,h;ch so;ts tho naonls hereoho,ts is too,
- lo,,,;r r,or of oooa uba with nc - ,o,,, =,
another evidence of human deprayity. The sam,
a.e.t = oon.to,.,, ~ oo,toc;os hoo,ns. -.
cradle rascals halffed and badly clothed choose t.
desert their colors and come where they have ttl,
to eat and but little work or lighting.
ohorr tod