The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-11-03
Mexico and the United states---The

Monroe Doctrine.
fresiaent Johnson IN receiving the Min
lister Of Brazil few weeks since, remarked
that the desire Of the United States e 20
Promote civilization in the New World, i'm
prove commerce, and Introduce free and
intelligent labor as fast as possible into the
virgin fields Of the American continent. -
4 ne London Daily News, Of Oct. 10. finds in
TINS expression ground for assuming thar
whenever the case OF Mexico is consider
ed ct Washington, the mere fact that the
form OF its government is monarchical will
not prevent the recognition Of the Emperor
Msximilian, whenever military successes
and the consent Of the people enable him 20
claim acknowledgment !" Possibly. instbe
very guarded and restricted form given
10 THIS opinion, It may be true We do not
suppose that our government feels warrant
ca, Or eel ed upon, 70 guarantee 70 every ma
ton on this continent republican form Of
government. II reserves that high pledge
Tor the several States Of its own Union. And
d the people OF Mexico, or Of Brazil, or any
other country deliberately choose and main
tain monarchy OF an empire, our govern
ment would not probably interfere in any
way with their choice. Its fundamental
principle is respect for the popular wall,
Whateyer forms It may assume.
But this Is not the real question involved
IN the case Of Mexico. II has not vet been
made % sppear, in any form, that the peO-
pie Of Mexico prefer a monarchlcal form of
government. and still less that they prefer
the Archduke Msximilian for their
own monarch. He is not there be-
cause the viii of the people placed him
there He was put there by force-a
force foreign 90 the Mexican naton-and
up 70 the present moment be has been
Kept there by the same force. Tne
News must remember that the mil
| itary successes" invoked on his behalf
are not the successes of one portion Of
the Mexican people over another portion,
/ and thus indicative IN any respect Of the
wish Of the majority. They are successes
Of a foreign army over the Mexican nation
The people Of Mexico resist and ght against
the COVE nment sought To be imposed upon
them by foreign force. Even if they are
! defeated, they can scarcely be sid 20 soon
sent" Macmillan is DO more Emperor bv
consent Of the people" Of Mexico after
hey have been defeated and overcome by
its iereign bayouets than before. There Is
nothing, therefore, in the fact Of "military
suecesses" which could warrant Macmillan
in claiming acknowledgement at our hands,
no matter how compiets those successes
may be.
What our government viii unquestiona-
| bly, demand as the indispensable condit on
Of such an acknowledgement, viii be perfect
proof that the people Of Mexico choose the
Empire as their form Of government, aud
Macmillan as their Emperor. And that
proof can never be afforded so long as the
people are controlled BY foreign force. Their
expressions Of preference can never be free
So long as foreign armies occupy their soil
AT the present moment war exists between
France and hexico,-and that war has been
80 far successful that French armies hold all
the important military posts and ports Of
the country, end compel obedience to the
government it has set up. But this at most
Is conquest,-it cannot pretend TO be the
populsr choice. When the French armies
are Withdrawn, snd ioreiga coercion is re-
moved, an Bppeal can be taken to the Next
can people 10 decide freely what form OF
government they may prefer, and their de
cisi0n thus given viii be entitled 70 respect.
But 50 long IS the French army remains IN
Mexico, il is impossible that the consent Of
the people" should be urged with any force
as reason for our acknowledging the gov
eminent Of Macmillan.
The confidence with which the ORGANS
and agents Of that government assert the
popular consent on their own behalf, il il
were sincere, would warrant the assump-
tion that the French armies will on DC
withdrawn. If the Mexican people are
with him, Macmillan needs nothing more.
II he has their support, he has no further
| use Tor foreign armies. And the fact Of
| these armies being retained, SO far contra
| diets the assumption Of popular consent 10
| his government, as 70 render IL impossible
/ for us to acknowledge it.
Nothing said by President Johnson 10 the
/ Brazilian minister iorbids this Rcknowledg-
ment, as the London News remarks. But
the fixed policy Of this country, known ss
90 the Monroe doctrine" does forbid ID, and
win continue to forbid It SO long as a foreign
army remains on Mexican soil; for this con-
/ st.tutes n. cisely that case of foreign inter
1 ference with the institutions of this CONT
/ ncnt which we have always considered, and
| shall always resist, as dangerous 10 our
| peace and safety" That has always been
/ The policy OF this country, and il is the
/ fixed pClicE Of this Administration. So long
az q state Of war exists between France and
| Mexico, no matter what particular form
/ that war may assume, We shall undoubted-
| ~ maiutsin that neutrality which We ex-
act al the hands If other nations in cases
! where we ourselves are Involved. But
| when the way b. over We can acknowledge
| no form of government for Mexico that is
not established by the will Of her people,
| acting 10 perfect free 'om from the pressure
or the p essence of foreign iorce.-N. T.
| Times.