Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-06-16
TI,e French jn 1Texjco

The telegraphic dispatch from San Francisco,
announcing the defeat of the French before Pu-
ebls, has teen confirmed The United States
frigate Potomac, which arrived at Key West
May 30lh, from Vera Cruz, reports d" the com
plete discontinue of the French forces, on the
line of the road of the city Of Mexico, and their
repulse and hasty retreat to Vera Cruz" The
news from the capital, by way of Acapulco and
San Francisco, as to May S.h, and this about
corresponds with the dates by way OF Vera Cruz
The first YVES Mexican report, but the last must
come through French channels as the forces of
the Emperor hold Vera Cruz. In refenirg to
this news the Pail ,delphiA. Bulletin says;
1t may be settled then that the troops of Ma
poleOn, heretofore victorious eveTywhele-in
Russia, A'geria, Piedmont, Lombardy, China,
and Syria-haye been wOIsted in Mexico. re-
treat OF the kind reported, in q difficult country
with an army weakened by lighting and by dis
ease, is very serious thing, and it is not un-
likely that we shall hear, if correct accounts
allow. to be published, of great suff ring among
the French troops. While feeling great sympa-
thy or the personal distress thus created, 1t is,
at the same time, impossible to feel any sympa-
thy for the cause in which the French are en-
gagged The triple alliance and joint expedition
was an offense to the United States at the out
set, because we all felt that European inteIyen-
ton in American affairs would not have b en- un-
dertsken but for the circumstance that cur gov
ernment was so much engaged in putting down
rebellion that it could not InterpOse to prevent it.
When England and Spain Withdrew from the al
lance, and recalled their troops and fleets, esv
ing France alone tJ push her way to Mexico, the
former pretexts for the expedition were sban-
doned. 1t became simply French enterprise
for the destruction of the Mexican government,
and the Jnstruc' ion of q new and monaTehical
one, on a French plan and for the benefit Of
France, with the Austrian Archduke MAxim:lian
for the sovereign. Gen. Ptim, the chiYalrous
commander of The Spanish forces lately in Mex
leo, distinctly states, in letter which we copy
to-day from the London MOrRtHg Post, that this
WAS the sole object of the French expedition.
Nobody had better means of knowing what
the French motives were than General PTim.
He is not only fine soldier, but a ssgacious d.
plomatist, and his government has Just shown
It's approval of his course and its conhdence IN
his wisdom by authorizing him toTeturn to Mex
leo as the Spanish ambassador. England, too,
has announced her approval OF her pleniposen-
tiary's course ard tie two paTtiFs are about to
deelare the tripar'ite treaty, on which The joint
expedition was based, to have laDsed. his
leaves France alone in the Mexican business, and
the repulse of her army before Mexico assumes
a more serious aspect than it would have worn,
if there had b. en- large Spanish and Eogiish
force at Vera Cruz to come up to its support
She has not even Havana to apply to tor help,
and she must wait rcnfoTcements that NUT be
sent all the way from France la hemesntime,
her land forces in Mexico are likely to be dfiVen
cut of the country, or at least to Vera Cruz,
where the fl es and forts may protect them; and
there they will be exposed TO the rOaifo, which Is
as deadly as gunpOwder to unaccliuat,d Euro-
means In the last week Of May, as we learn by
The Persia, the French government 4" was Anx
iously occupied with sending supplies to the ex
peditionary corps" and it was sdded that il
necessary, reni0Tc ,ments will leave francs at
the beginning Of autumn" But hers we have
the ex1editionary corps routed early in May, i've
months before ths proposed reinforcemsnts can
reach Vera Cruz
Evidently the Emperor Napoleon has made
terrible mistake in this Mexican business. Hc
has undeIrated the Mex;esns and oyerTated his
own power to chaStise q distant ration. lie IS
not the nian 10 abandon pr,j-ct once underta-
ken but, after losing one army, he will have to
beg a afresh, and if he should accomplish all he
aims st he will still have paid snenormOus price
for his success.