The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-03-25


and monopolized by class indisposed or
incapable of making it productive, had only
been source of evil, and perpetual barrier
to the prosperity Of the nation. Thus, when
it was generally believed abroad that We
were at War without plausible motive, only
to promote petty personal ambitions, We
were really working out one of the most
thorough of revolutions, and one of the
most necessary for the true prosperity of the
people of Mexico.
Ii should be we'll understood that We have
never raised any Issue with the church party
Of Mexico on spiritual questions Our disa-
greement has been wholly with regard to
temporal affairs, and has not, in any manner,
involved the dogmas of the Catholic faith.
The church party has ished, as an associ-
alton, to rule The country for their own ad-
vantage. We have sought to establish a
perfect independence between church and
state, to confine the church to spiritual affairs,
and to make it subordinate to the state in
temporal matters.
Thus, when We had reason to believe that
our Ioag civil wars had ended-for We had
removed, even to the roots, the sole cause of
all our past mistorunes-and that we were
now about to enjoy the blessings of peace
the only thing needed by Mexico to become
a prosperous naton-new misfortunes of a !
different kind have suddenly fallen upon US.
The church party of Mexico, seeing that
with their own means it was impossible to
make any further resistance, or to foment
any further revolutions, and having in view.
as they have mad, OILY their own advantage, !
regardless OF the welfare of the country
resolved 10 send emissaries to Europe, for
the purpose OF interesting in theil favor some
of the principa! European Governments, in
order to be By them restored to power in
Mexico
These emissaries represented that the
church party were in favor Of a conservative |
.t /
modelled after the European system while
the Liberty party were in favor OF democratic
institutions. and sympathized fully with the
views and principles Of tn, United States
On this point the emissaries were rgn:.--
rIe Liberals of Mexico do believe that Il
they can succeed in developing there, the !
great principles which have made the United I
States 50 great and prosperous, Mexico viii |
reach the same end 10y usi the same
means.
These ,m;ssarie:, however * & gerated the
; influence Of The church party in Mexico
Tney SAID the Liberal Government of that
cann;ry was tjrannical, oppressive and un-
/ popular, and governed oniy by force; and
they even affirmed that the mere moral la
tiuence of Europr would b- sufficient to over
tnrow it, and to restore the church party to
power
Thy further promised, that after over I
: throwing the Literal Government, the church
party would establish government. which {
should he entirely under the influence of the
EurClean nations which should aid them in
their .rpose.
I These false representations of the emissa-
rles led to the allied expedition of France,
Ens land ana Spain, which, assuming pre-
texts utterly Insufficient and unjust, disem-
! h, IL. ~.
! When the English and Spanish generals
and commissioners, after having resided
some time in Mexico, saw that The state Of
things in that Country was entirely different
from hat The church paGy emissaries had
repT, scented 10 their respective governments,
they decided without Hesitation Ito withdraw
with their forces from the country; and so
clear 20 them was the deception practiced |
upon their Governments, that they took the
delicate step Of withdrawing from the alliance
of their own accord, without consulting with |
their superors, and without waiting for in.
structions from their governments, although I
acting in an affair so full of difficulties and
of ulterior complications.
We have thus reached the actual situation
in Mexico; aad under this head it will be
necessary to say few words more.
The French army did not retire from Mex
leo with the armies of England and Spain,
fox the French Government had other OBJ
jects in view, and it was fully determined to
accomplish them. The Emperor Of the
French believed at that time, and perhaps
he still believes, that the United States
were permanently divided, and that circum-
stances might take such shape as to afford
him the opportunity of acquiring Texas, or
recovering Louisiana, and of possessing the
mouth of the Mississippi
To accomplish this end, it was necessary
to obtain a foothold on this continent, at
point as near the United States as possible,
and particularly TO Louisiana and Texas-a
point of departure where he could collect Sc
curoly and conveniently large army and
large naval force and form a base of sup
plies
The Emperor of the French, therefore, d..
rected himself, not SO much against Mexico
as against the United States. How far he
succeeded in his plans is now a matter which
belongs to history. 1t is sufficient to say,
that by means Of his Mexican expedition he
has been able to collec. on the American