, 1862-12-20
The Mexican Muddle.


and further reinforcemehts are on the way. The
report by telegraph is that they will not commence
their advance upon the capital before the first of
December We are so absorbed by our own
troubles that we have little time to bestow on the
affairs of our neighbors Occasionally, however,
in the pauses of the conflict, thoughtful men look
abroad and ask themselves what is the meaning
of the French invasion of our sister republic !?
what have the Mexicans done to invite it and
what is to be the issue of the conflict?
Mexico owed some money to the subjects of
the Queen of Spain, but in consequence of the
confusion which has long prevailed there, no
interest had for long time been paid. Spain,
having of late been endeavoring to elevate her.
self to her former place among the nations of the
earth, and having plenty of ships and men al her
comand, conceived the idea Of compelling Mexi-
co to act up to her obligations. No sooner had
this project been developed, than Louis Napoleon
bethought himself that Mexico owed few thou
sand dollars to his subjects, too, and came to the
determination of having finger in the pie. Eng
land was the last to move in the matter That
nation was by far the heaviest creditor of
Mexico. Duty to her own citizens compelled her
to unite in this great international levy upon the
bankrupt republic to the south Of us. The cele-
brated tripartite alliance was then formed and an
expedition was sent by the three nations named
to Mexico.
After they had landed Juarez, gave such guar
antees to both Spain and England that they
deemed it only right to retire but not so the
French. On their responsibility they commenced
an advance upon the City of Mexico and were re-
pulsed From that moment the whole matter
assumed a totally different aspect The original
cause assigned for the presence of the French
troops in Mexico was lost sight Of in the hurry
and hustle to avenge the defeat of Orzaba There
are now 10000 French troops there for the sole
and only purpose of chastising the Mexicans for
their audacity in disputing the passage of Gen.
Lorencez to their capital city Not a word is
any more said about the few hundred dollars due
TO the French citizens. The war is now prosecu-
ted for la glorie, and nothing else.
There is nobody so shallow as to be deceived
by these bald pretenses. Louis Napoleon is aim
ing at one of two things-either to convert Mex
leo into French colony, or to have an army on
our frontier in case of any trouble arising with
our Government. The latter we cannot believe
to be the case. The Emperor of the French has
nothing to gain by our destruction. 1t is max
i'm of French policy, that the Omitted States are
the natural allies of France on the high seas"
There is no nation in Europe in which we have
more enthusiastic friends, than the one over which
Louis Napoleon rules-witness De Gasparin's late
work, and the able articles of La France. 1t
must be admitted that, since the war commenced
we have had little or no cause of complaint against
our allies in the revolution. 1t is not to French
ports that the Southern pirates retreat when pur-
sued by our cruisers, nor yet is it in French
ship-yards privateers are built. We are not the
rivals of France in any manner, shape or FORM
on the contrary, the United States are, by tradi-
ton and history the friends and allies of that ma
ton To aid in breaking down our powers would
be attributed, by the impartial historian, to no
higher or more honorable feeling than that of
wanton destruction.
These considerations would seem to indicate
that it is upon Mexico, Louis Napoleon has de-
signs. From the ygor which the Mexicans have
so far exhibited we ae constrained to believe that
he will find greater difficulties in his path than he
expected Let it not be doubted, however, that
he has not already done signal service to them
He has united them as one man. They consti-
tute, to-day compact a nation as there is on the
face of the globe, Faction has been forgotten,
and as one man they are preparing to resist the
invader with all their might. The pressure from
without has done its work. 1t has consolidated
our sister Republic, and rendered her formidable,
on her own soil, even to France Alta Cal.