Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-01-28
TIE MEXICAN QUESTION.

poraries with regard to the aspects of the Mexican
question as treated by the Department of State
under the different phases which that question has
assumed since the French invasion. The attacks
made upon the President and upon the Score
tary of State, the interpreter of the Presidents
views and policy in this matter, evidently the
offspring Of ignorance to the true relations of the
topic in controversy, thst simple exposition Of
these relations, disclosed in the diplomatic cor
respondence just published, will be q sufficient
defence in the premises
That our readers may know the nature Of the
misrepresentation to which refer it is only ne
cessary to quote the following paragraphs from the
New York Commercial Advertiser Of Monday last
We cite the grayamen of its charges apart from
the idle speculstions in which they are imbedded
The offence Of Mr. Seward is something more than
the sacrifice of the Monroe doctrine which required him
to protest earnestly against the invasion of this continent
BY foreign Power. 1t is something than silence in
presence OF the wrong pepetrated by France His part
Ia the transaction ia active and to it he has
ced not merely that neutrality which in any circumstances
his duty to maintain between the begerent States
and this obligation his correspondence with the British
Foreign Office may be adyanageousy consulted-but has
renewed the only difficulty which lay the way Of placing
. Hapsburg the throne OF the Aztecs. The French
Chambers apprehensive Of with the United States
to grow out Of the Mexican business have demanded the
withdrawal of French intervention In Ordinary condi
tions the demand would have to be complied with but
the Emperor has only to communicate to the legislative
body the position to which the American Government is
committed to satisfy their scrupes and enable him to pro-
coed with his plans unnterruptedy.
ssThe whole energy of the State Department has been
devoted to fostering the Emperors plans and thwartng
the efforts Of tho Mexcans TO protect themselves The
French with the express permission Of Mr. Seward have
drawn all the supplies they needed from the maj kes of
New York and New Orleans, buying in competition with
our own quartermasters The Mexicans have been pre-
vented BY orders directly emanatng from Mr.. Seward
from procuring supplies of sort from the United States
and jealous has the State Department been n this par
tcnlar that passing through Houses Point their
way Canada seized for fear they might find their
way Mexico and at the request Of the French Consul
at San Francisco the very blasting powder used by Ame
companies working in Mexican mines seized and
further shipments forbidden list might be turned
like pursoses. Had the Mexican Government been per-
united supply Themselves in the United States the
French were and as we are in England, the war would
already have ended the expulsion of the invaders for
the Mexcans have had put worthless cannon, and
only 1.-THE Of the muskets necessary to willing peo
pie defend the soil of the country We repeat there
much evidence Of Mr. Stewards active participation
behalf Of the French"
Those charges it is proper to inform our readers,
take their motive from an unauthentic rumor found
in q London paper, to the effect that the recent
visit of Gen. Forey this city had for its object
and result the foundation of an understanding be
tween President Lincoln and the Emperor of the
French that the former would not disturb the
new Mexican monarchy fthe latter would not change
his attitude towards the Confederate States And
Mr. Seward, says the Advertiser, was the ntermedi-
ary of this transaction unless it be meant to charge
that the matter was arranged between Gen. Forey
and Mr.. Seward, without the privity Of the Presi-
dent, which is hardly presumabe.
But as nobody will be likely to believe the story
of the London paper published as it is without any
pretence to authenticity, the Commercial Advertiser
adventures the following declaration:
"But it may be queried possibly the story of the News
In not true Unbappiy this solution nadmssibe The
statement 10 too close analogy with the language OF the
diplomatic correspondence just published here and IN
painfu keeping with the entire Of Mr. Seward
the departure Of the French expedition for Vera Cruz
Let us then appeal to this diplomatic correspop-'
dence for the purpose Of ascertaning whether the
writer for our New York contemporary could have
possibly read the papers to which he refers when
he rsked this statement And that we may take
. comprehensive view Of the political situation
created by the French invasion, as its different
phases p8bSeu DcioTe luinu VI ehO DCciCaiJ VI
State, it will be necessary 10 place before cur read
ers the state Of the facts with which he called
to deal at different periods in the progress Of that
invasion.
Referring to the second vou ne Of the diplomatic
we find Mr.. Dayton writing as
follows to Mr.. Seward on the 9th of April last,
when describing an interview with Mr.. Drouyn
de PHuys:
"As to Mexico he said again their purpose to take
the city; give sort of order to the condition OF
tb,nps there repay themselves for debts expenses &C.
and then leave The country That might rest assured
they going to charge Themselves with the govern
ment of Mexico"
On the Oath of last April We find Mr. Dayton
writing as follows to Mr. Seward, detailing con-
versation he had had with Mr. Drouyn de PHuys,
In regard to the certificate given by Mr.. Adams,
our Minister in London, to Messrs. Howell d Zir-
man, (Mexican agents in London as sort Of safe
conduct to cargo freighted by the latter in
England
He wished to say again to you that France had
purpose in Mexico beyond asserting her Just claims against
her obtaining payment Of the debt DUE with expenses
f the inv .soo and indicating by victory the Of
her Aae He again said expressly that they did
to colonixe in Mexico 10 obtain Sonora any other
section permanently and that all such preteuces propa-
gated through the newspapers untrue In return
him that all your correspondence with me- public
and prvnte assured me Government had no pur
po.e to interfere any way with the war between France
and Mexico