New-York daily tribune., 1863-07-30
NAPOLEON IN MEXICO.

Emperor, is his response to his cousin Jerome
Napoleon, who, in one of their frequent and
heated alterations, was exasperated into say
ing in allusion TO the very questionable pa
ternity OF his august relative lyon have moth
ing of the great Napoleon but the name. "
"Yes, pardon me- was the quick retort, :" i
haye-his family" 1t was notorious that the
founder of that family had more trouble with
his brothers and sisters, aud found more diff
Guilty in so ordering them as to avoid gross
scandals, than with the administration of his
vast empire. And "the nephew of his uncle y
inherits this "thorn in the flesh, rs his cous-
ins Jerome and Matilda bear emphatic witness.
But Napoleon III. has now proved bis rela-
| tonshp to his reputed uncle by one Of those
gigantic follies which are the favorite tempta-
ton of every lucky Charlatan who trusts i'm
plicitly in his "siar," and not ct all in truth
or justice. The seizure OF Mexico by the for
mer is very close counterpart of the clutch
of Spain by the latter. In either case, the
prize was tempting, and the first cost Of its
seizure a mere nothing. A few regiments, a
I a
all is over. Magnificent Spain, the land of
Romance and Chivalry, the mother country
and possessor of the fairer half Of the Amer-
can continent whose mountains yield lsvishly
the precious metals, and whose vast plains are
ine1haustible repositories Of vegetable wealth,
lies parslyzed under the sway of a contempt
bic monarch, an infamous queen, corrupt
/ Court, and degenerate aristOcrscy-iet n
strong hand be stretched out for its regenera-
ton and all these will disappear. giving place
as by magic TO a restoration OF the empire of
Charlemagne or at least Of Charles V. And
the first stages of the evil way are easy, so
pleasant Who but believer in God could
imagine that the dark transactions Of Bay0nnc,
the easy suppression OF the Bourbon family the
triumphal advance TO Madrid, the unopposed
establishment OF brother Joseph On the throne
of "span and the Indies, would prove but
precursors Of the disgrace Of Baylen, the
disasters OF Salamanca and Vittoria
The conquest Of Mexico by the lesser Napo-
leon is at best grave mistake. 1t is fresh
iron thrust into the fire by one who has too
many there llready. 1t is an extension of his
lines by commander who has every reason TO
fear an attack on his center. II is new
drain on the resources Of France, both in men
and money, when they are already oyerbur-
dened. And this is not, Ike the occupation OF
Rome, merely an extra bill of expense. Mex
ico may be Overrun by small army: to re-
press permanently her turbulent spirits, de-
bauched by fifty years OF anarchy and license,
will require a large ons and the work can at
best be but impsrfectly performed. Patriotism
and Plunder are old acquaiDtances in Mexico;
they will heDceforth be bosom.frends. Every
natural idler-which is about the same as say
ing every Mexoan-wil feel that no has a
" mission" to pick pockets and cut
throats in behalf of "God and Liberty"
Aud the distance from France is 90 great,
the malaria OF tue coast region is 80 invcternte
and deadly and the greater portion of the
interior is so cut up by mountains, ravnes,
precipces, and every conceivable obstruction
to military movements and operations, that a
moderate army cannot hold the vast, wild,
unproductive, often isolated Stntes, and main
tain its own communications intact, against
even feeble and cowardy guerrilla warfare.
Hardship, exposure. famine, disease. and the
petty skirmishes which disanected peasants
term surprises and soldiers stigmatizc az COW.
ardly sssassnations, will waste ito regiments
like April SHOWS, in q service which proflers NO
laurels to the brave, while it affords full play
to the fatal influences Of ennui, hOmesickness
and disgust.
Mexico, like most gold-producing countries,
is essentially poor. We do not mean that its
surface does not cover grand possibilities Of
future wealth. but its taI.paying capacity is
very limited. The soil Of its vast area is off.
cialy returned rs worth an aggregate of $780,
O00, 900, to which add that of city and village
property, $685. 900, OOO and we have total
valuation of real estate ut 81, 1856, 900, ,OOO-say
Sl70 per head for its Eight Millions of People;
while rocky, sterile New-EnRland, with an area
which compares with that of Mexico as cor
raj or cattle-pen to the praries whercon the
} herd il subsisted, returns an official valuation
of her property at over Eighteen Hundred Mil
lions Of Dollars, or more than $500 per head
for her Three Millions Of People. Nay: the total
Agricultural Products Of MsIico-which Ii
nothing if not Agricul.ural-are officially esti'
mated at $25 per head or $2OO. 100000 for
her entire people; while tho Manufactures alone
of New.Ensand amount to very nearly Five