The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-09
BALTIMORE.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1861

telegram from New Orleans announces the
arrival at that port of the British steamer Vale
rius bringing most important tdings from Mex
leo. For several months past the fortunes of the
Church party have been gradually declining, and
nothing but a resort TO forced loans, the hypothe
cation of Church property, and the SEIZURE at the
house formerly tenanted by the British Minister
of a million of dollars belonging to English bond
holders, enabled MIRAMON to hold his small army
together. MIRAMoN himself and the brutal MAR
QUEz, the butcher of Tacubaya, whose cold
blooded massacre of American citizens has yet to
be atoned for, were the only officers of note who
remained faithful to the cause of the Reactionists
ZULoAGA, the Provisional President was in disgrace
and for some time was held prisoner in MIRA
MONS camp. Robes the former Mexican Minister
at Washington, was suspected of being more thah
lukewarm in his attachment to the cause, ana 'he
vounoar Nrpanoy had been so frequently and so
badIv beaten in the Northern Departments Of
Mexico as to have lost all favor with his party
Notwithstanding that the successes of the Constitu
tionaliss were alternated with occasional reverses
Of very serious character, they have been
slowly but steadily gaining ground San
which, during the past three years, MIRAMoN was
successful in holding for any considerable period
of time, and Jalapa the most Southern. In
Western direction he was never able TO carry his
arms beyond Guanajuato. All the other Depart
ments have proved themselves throughout the
whole period of the civil war, more or less loyal
to the Constitutional Government and its repre-
sentative JUAREz In brief, the influence of the
Church party has been restricted almost wholly to
the valley of Mexico, the central and most popu-
GUS section Of the Republic. independently, how
ever of the prestige derived from his possession of
the Capital, MIRAMoN had two other advantages
over his opponents. He was of an enterprising
spirit and on several occasions had shown himself
to be gifted with some of the best qualities ola SOL
der. daring and self-confdence being among them.
His army, besides, was, at the outset composed of
regular troops, and has always contained large
admixture of trained soldiers. The forces of the
Constituencies on the other hand, were chiefly
composed of raw levies, and perhaps, with the ex-
ception of ZUAzUA, were always badly command
Cd But outside of the three central Departments,
the popular sentiment has ever shown itself
faithful to the Liberal party, and in opposition to
that of the Church. The Chief Dignitaries of the
Church in Mexico, by means of the enormous rev.
onues over which they held complete control, and
of the spiritual influence which they welded, had
long been able to make and unmake Presidents,
and TO shape the policy of the Republic at their
pleasure Their power was partially shattered
during the war with the UNITED STATES; but they
succeeded in Strengthening it again to some ex-
tent by advocating the recall and supporting the
administration of SANTA ANNA. On the retire
ment of the latter into exile and the elevation Of
CoMoNFoRT TO the Presidency, the Church Party
recommended the struggle, and by afiiliating with
the Conservatives and by brides to the army, sue
ceeded, at length, in forcing CoMoNFoRT into ex-
lie and in getting General ZULoAGA, who had
pronounced against him, appointed provi-
sional President. But the Constitution had
provided that in case of the absence or dis
ability Of the President, the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court should be recognized as Pro
visional President, and should perform the
duties of the office. By appointment, therefore,
OF CoMONFoRT, JUAREz accepted the delegated au-
thority, and in consequence of the Church party
having obtained possession of the Capital, he re-
najuato, and subsequently to Vera Cruz where il
has remained up TO the present time. Such was
the beginning of the contest for supremacy in
Mexico, which, after devastating the country for
three years, has at length been brought happily to
a close by the complete rout of MlRAMoN and the
capture Of the Capital. 1t is a strange and IN
looked-for event, and the more so from the fact
that tdings had but lately reached us of his having
surprised Toluca and captured the advance guard of
the Liberal army, consisting of thirteen hundred
mon, together with a large supply of arms and
military stores. This took place on the 9th of
December, and on the 18th he re-entered the City
of Mexico in triumph. How, then, it has hap
pened, that within two weeks subsequently the
Liberals should have concentrated their troops in
numbers sufficient to capture the Capital and pu
MIRAMoN to flight, is among the marvels of Mex
can warfare, which can only be elucidated by
knowledge of the details.