The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-26


founded" which now exists among the rebels.
The New French Vice Royalty In BIexi-
co-Ths Monroe acknowledgement
Revelations from Richmond.
Our readers were doubtless somewhat aston
ished and pushed yesterday by the intelligence
| from Mazatlan, via San Francisco, that DR..
| William L. Gwin, late United States Senator
from California, and moro recently in this city
. discharged candidate for Fort Lafayette, had
BEEN dubbed Duke Of Mexico by the Emperor
Maximilian; that the Mexican States Of Sonora,
Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Durango and Lower Cali
fornia, had been cedcd by Macmillan to Louis
Napoleon, in payment for the French subjuga-
ton Of the republic, and that Dr.. Gwin had
been appointed, a. the representative Of Napo-
leon, Viceroy over said States, soon to enter
upon the duties Of his Office. This is certainly
extraordinary news. II reads very much like
| proclamation from Baron Munchausen; and
yet we are SO strongly inclined to believe it
substantially true.
The idea Of this partition of Mexico between
Macmillan and his master is genuine Ma
poleonic idea. It is the idea which secured
the cession of Savoy to France in compensation
for her services to Young Italy in her late
war with Austria The same idea win
probably some day secure the island Of Sar-
DINA to France in payment Of her services in
turning over Rome and Venice to the King of
| Italy. In this Mexican business little cir
cumlocutlon was necessary to satisfy the
French people. The direct seizure of Mexico
| by Napoleon they might have regarded as
usurpation against popular rights. Macmillan
is therefore brought in, and the forms Of
local ratification of his government are adopted.
| Thus be becomes, after fashion, according to
the French theory Of popular sovereignty, the
legitimate Emperor Of Mexico. The thing is o
barefaced mockery, but 1t will do. Then, Of
course, comes the question Of compensation
to Napoleon for his services to the Mexican
| Emperor And here we have it in this new
viceroyalty of DR.. Gwin, Duke Of Sonora.
Nor does this Mazatlan report of his promo
ton stand alone 1t is supported by similar
rumors from Paris some weeks ago, and by
later reports from Havana. We have also cor
| roborative information from DR.. Gwin himself,
| through an intelligent American gentleman,
who met the Doctor in San Diego, at the south
ern extremity of Upper California, about three
months ago. We understand that the Doctor
owns considerable real estate in San Diego,
| and that, with the development Of the riches Of
the adjacent Mexican States, he expects that
little city. in its commandin ing position, to be-
come q great seaport, and that he will thus
speedily become one Of the richest men on the
continent As the head Of q neighboring
French viceroyalty, he probably calculates that
our government will respect his property
rights in San Diego. At all events, give the
Doctor, in his viceroyalty, half o chance and he
will make Of it . good speculation.
Now we come to larger view Of the sub
ject The design of Louis Napoleon is the per-
manent occupation, as French colonies, Of the
Mexican States indicated; the development Of
their vast mineral wealth, and the erection Of a
powerful commercial and naval establishment
for the Pacific at the outlet of the great Gulf Of
| California. How does this idea strike President
Lincolni We cannot tell, but we shall proba-
bly, learn in his inaugural address on the 4th
March touching his future foreign policy.
What do they think of this French vice royalty
that city, in recent significant article on the
Monroe doctrine has "let tho cat out of the
bag" They do not like it. The Enquirer
broadly intimates, in fact, that the expulsion
of Napoleon and Macmillan may yet become
the bond of union between our loyal and rebel
lious States, and draws glowing picture Of the
grand results that will follow o reconciliation
upon this basis.
But we have despatch from Washington
which embodies information more directly to
the purpose. 1t thus appears that this Mexican
| problem lies at the bottom Of the mysterious
peace missions of old Mr.. Blair to Richmond;
that the rebel chiefs are really thinking Of the
| expedient of making Mexico and the Monroe
doctrine the basis Of treaty Of peace. We
have on several occasions thrown out the hint
that the proposition to JEFF. Davis and his appa-
rently intractable confederate rebel leaders TO
set them up in o Southern confederacy in
Mexico, If they would agree to leave the United
States, would probably be accepted. This mag
nifcent scheme, as o compromise, has, proba-
bly,, attracted their favorable attention, and
they may have been Hnessing around old Mr..
Blair for this purpose.
"Where there IL 80 much smoke there must
be some fire." The Southern confederacy set
| mp at Richmond Is on the verge Of dissolution.
The leaders concerned in It are in . state Of
despair. What are they to dot Where are
they to got Unqualified submission, oven with
an amnesty, will be as ruinous to these leaders
as subjugation. They want . loophole of
escape-something In the way Of . compromise
as basis Of reconciliation. In this view,
Mexico and tho Monroe doctrine stand invit-
ingly before us, and we seriously begin to
think that they will, after all, open the door to
reunion and peace.
The Duty ON Paper-The Duty OF the