Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-14
Mexico.

Late news from Mexico leads to the belief that the
prospects for satisfactory solution of tie intricate
probem which that country presents for the eOnsders-
ton Of the world becoming more encouraging
The bishops Of the Hierarchy have pronounced If not
against their allies the Freuch Ateast against the policy
which the Regency of with the concurrence Of
the French military authorities has at last aVoWed-
Il may perhaps seem strange tba. this alienation oil
o.rv which has been considered the chief reliance and
sppport of the Intervention Should be regarded as
favorable symptom; bus, on closer examination, 1t
ceases to be remarkable. The support Of the church
party vas never Of strength to the French IL
ervenion On the contrary, it was always an clement
Of weakness. That party, at the time when armeo
intervention was resolved by the Convention oil Lon
DON had lost is 1Auesce in the country. Always nu-
nercay inferior to The Liberal party, il had managed
70 sustain Itself and sometimes to acquire precArious
tenure of power Snly By meas OF the immense wealth
which it controlled The revenues Ct church, oIulent
beyond magin ltou we're AVished for the maintenance
Of the Hierarchy or in the of the military adVen-
urers who devoted themselves to its service. The con-
6seaou of the church property BY the Juarez Govern
nent stripped the opposing par of its iIHlence and
is power Is total collapse, and complete suppression,
after receiving this vigorous blow, showed its intrinsic
weakness. When the allied fleets appeared before
Vera Cruz it no longer made any sign OF resistance
lie armies we're dispersed lis chiefs we're e1ied. The
Constitutional party in complete possession Of the
government and of the country.
Under this state Of affairs the allied powers rejected
the idea that they contemplated conquest Of Mexico
or violent change in its form If government. The
combined expedition was act Of international hostility
and no., in appearance Of domestic intervention. But
he arrisrs psnses e1sting in the ind of Louis Ma
poecn was not slow develop itself After the cap
ure Of Vera Uuz and brief advance into the interior,
| hostHles we're terminated by the Convention OF La
Soedad and The alliance was then abruptly dissolved
by the Withdrawal Of the British contingent and Of
General Pm With the Spanish forces. 1t only
hea that General FOrey, and n. Salguy AvOWed tie
purpose Of the French Government to persist in the
enterprise until the nation should be reOrganz d" and
q government commenting itself TO the confidence OF
Europe should be established. But it until the
capture Of tbs city OF Mexico that the full extent and
nature Of the design revealed. It here that
the great mistake vas committed which deprived the
movement OF much of is prestige and Arrayed against
is the national and patriotic sentiment of the country
G, mel Al Forey brought with him to Mexico the eIied
leaders Of The church party, men who had made them
selves Infamous BY their cruetes and their eIAcOns
Who we're regarded the representatives. Of ratOrOus
party, and As the allies of foreign enemy From the
very beginning be appeared to under the nspira.
tons Of these men. Marquee and Niramon placed
in command of the Mexican cOntngents; an assembly
Of Notables composed entirely Of adherents of the
church par was hastily assembled and BY tn assembly
Macmillan was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico. These
symptoms of afLatOn with the Hierarchy coupled wi
the utter neglect Of any attempt to concilate tie
national sentiment Of the country as represented by
the Constitutional party aud with the trumpba! entry Of
the Archbishop into the City Ct Mexico, confirmed the
fear that he main object at least important col
lateral ohsc: Of the Intervention to restore the
influence of the Hierarchy and to reend the decree by
which the Church property had been cOnfsca;ed-
Nothing could have more powerful effect in arousng
public opinion against the Intervention than appre-
hension Of this kind The con6scaon and sale Of tie
Church property had interested large proportion Of
the wealth and intelligence of the country the side
of the Juarez Government just 80 long the titles 10
this newly acquired property menaced by the
order of thiDgS Il not strange therefore that up
TO very recent period there 90 exhibition of sym.
pathy for the inter Venton beyond the lines occupied
by the French forces. IL IS true that many municipal
lies have ratified the action Of the Assembly Of Nota.
bes but their ratification has been extOrted at the
point Of the bAyone Vera Cruz and Pue blA and MeXi
CO. Queretaro and San Luis and al the cites and towns
intervening have given in their adhesion to the Enpre
but as yet not 90 half of the country Acknowledges
allegiance to the new government A different policy
might have made the task ader. The recall of Salgny
and the substitution Of Bszlne for Forey indicate an
appreciation Of this fact on the part OF the French
Government. General Almon,e, the President Of the
Regency, is a man Of enlarged views aud clear under
standing aud General BizIrne has for time shown
symptoms Of desire TO rid himself of the odium at
IA hipg to his Mexican allies and adopt very differ
ent line OF operations Had ID been announced when
the French first entered the Capital that the decree Of
con6scatOn would be confirmed, and had the leaders
Of the Constitutional party been invited to attend the
Assembly Of Notabes, il is probable that the JuArtz
government would have found itself without resisting
power, and that by the adhesion of Dobado and Vi
daurF and other eminent A(xicAns the country would
have been persuaded into cheerful sequiescenee
The recent decree of the Regency affirming the va
Hdity Of titles acquired under the law Of confscaton
may therefore be regarded a total change Of policy
and change which must, in its results, prove bene6-
eial to the government OF Macmillan Il certainly
pes the active support Of the Church party; but that
party was weak, beaten, and pOWerssa 1t could not
lend assstance-it was forced to borrow support. On
the other hand the Empire viii gain at least cOnc
ate the stronger party in the Countrywide party which
had shown itself naturally and morally the dominant
party and which, BY the force Of events had become