New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-02-12
THE fKANCO-MEXICAN QUESTION.
Lcfter from the Mexicnn Minister 10 the
ESr Rotary of ktutr.

Irho following the Mexican Muster here 70
Secretary sswAd which among those communicated to the
cs.. surds ,v-, the Mexican vi-w Of the designs Of
FIsnee this contnebil
W.sHisGroS, Dec q. is62
Mr. SECRETARY: Upon examining carefully and
tipaniona.ely the conduct which the French Gov.
eminent has obseusd with respect to Mexico, il is
impossible not 10 see through the aims Of the En-
poror, which however much his Majesty may have
lcsirei 10 keep them concealed, have already been
discovered to lis regret.
IL i, beyond all doubt that France had not the
slightes, color Of justice nor reason 10 make war
upon Mexico. The pretexts which she has adopted
have b.en VIGOROUSLY fnsy that she has been
unablc to aaint,n thoIn FOR any length Of time and
for ouo ycsr, which mas already elapsed since the
expedition reached Mexico, sbo has changed them
several timer. She begun by raging that shc only
proposed 10 cLt l'n the paymen, Of French claims;
ruh eco 1ently she alleged that che intended to free
the Mexican people from tbs tyranny OF an Oppres.
rive Government, and now che pretends that she
intends 70 give 10 the Mexican people tho liberty OF
constituting the government they nay desire, aud
10 make Mexico great ngiiDn. IL IL not possible
10 imagine what may be the next explanation sue
NAV give OF her vardsl proceedings against Mexico.
The rupture OF Orizaya iadicates that France had
a f Ned and Dremedtsted plan which she is deter
mined 10 carry out at any risk even Mt tue expenre
OF the immense moral responsibility which that rup
turc occa-oned her, even at the expense Of causing
GOODNESS in her relations with her own allies, aud
of bringing down upon herself their jealousy, and
that of the American nations, which cannot view
with indifference the highly aggressive conduct Of
the Emperor.
The payment Of the French claims cannot have
been the cause OF the war, both owing To the noo
rious insignifcance of these and because the Mex-
can Government has on repeated occasions offered to
recognize and guarantee the payment Of such OF
them Us are Just.
| The overthrow Of a Government, which by u
singular contradiction ia supposed to be tyrannica
wue II is at the same time powerless, Can neither
be the cause OF the war, because Independently Of
this being an affair which exclusively apperains TO
the Mexicans II ia seen that the Emperor has sus-
tanned by the force OF arms the Government Of the
Sultan to which the eptheis which that Of France
has permitted ltself 10 apply TO tho Government of
Mexico, exactly apply. The pretended desire thai
tue Mexican people should give to Itself with full
freedom, the Government it may desire can still less
be- the object Of the war; since 10 doubt that
such nm OBJECT could be better and more eicacously
accom- pishcd by letting the Mexican people alone,
thnn by occupying their principal cities their mill
tary positions, BY disarning aud subjugating It with
| 40, 900 foreign bayonets
1t IN Individually that Of the objects OF the ex.
petition has been to acquire base Of operations
nainst the United States tor the purpose OF develop
/ ing the projscs the Emperor may have conceived
against this country. i do not, however, believe
that this has been tho only nor oven the principal
object which the Emperor has proposed to himself in
this expedition sgainst Mexico. IL il more likely
that his plans with respect to the United States
the consequence Of those which he hus IN relation to
Mexico. He put of one expedition until such time
the United States were enabled ~ prevent II. No
0ne ignores that ii would have been undertaken,
much less that the character ~ now has would have
been given TO it, II the United States had continued
in peace. The expedition against Mexico IT, there
fore, the main object, and the plans against the
United States tho accessory end.
In my opinion the Emperor proposes, in case
everything shs turn out M he desires, 10 make OF
Mexico q French dependency, either as q colony OF
under the pompous name Of kingdom, upon whose
throne no would probably place u member Of the
Nspolsonic dynasty, but which substantially would
remain - dependent upon France 40 the Island Of
Cuba II now 70 Spain. He would evidently ~.