The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-12-19

The Northern papers still continue to discuss
the question Of \ war with France with zeal
proportional to its importance. For our own
part, though we do not regard tho point as alb
solutely settled, yet we feel convinced that we
are in imminent danger Of q war-nay, that the
question Of wSr or no war will be definitely
settled within the next sixty days. The rp,-
cence Of the President with regard 10 France,
his promise to lay the papers before Congress
~ soon as the proper time shall have arrived,
the resolutions Of Congress, the appointment
of General LOGAN Minister to the Juarex Go.
vernment, and the dispatch Of n messenger to
his Government by NJ. DE MoSrHoLox, all indi.
cate something more than peaceful solution
of the question. The Northern people, more
over. whose voices are, alone, potential at pre-
sent, if We may Judge from their journals, are
nearly all in favor Of war. This is one side Of
the question.
On the other side, we are disposed to think
that NAPOLEON cannot back out if he would
The French people will not let him. They
will tolerate any government that will up.
hold the glory Of France they will submit
to nach tyranny and much msgovernment
on the part Of any such government, but
they will not b. governed by any man in the
world who allows the honor Of France to be
furnished in his hands. Now, in the case
before us, NAPOLEON took advantage Of the
sectional war raging In this country to take
possession of Mexico, in direct defiance Of the
Well-known policy Of this country. II there
ever was case in which direct back down
would render n nation infamous in the eyes of
all the world, this is the case. The high
spirit Of France could not endure it. NAPo-
LEON would lose his crown did he attempt it
and that he knows but too well. Our own
opinion is, that he will maintain the posi-
ton he has assumed-that our own Govern
ment will maintain theirs-and that war will
follow, and that speedily.
It is possible that England may be involved
with France, and on the same side. 1t is GER
tain that Austria will support France, and it
is more than probable that she will receive
the aid also of VICToR EMANUEL and the King
of Belgium. This is powerful combination
such as no country in Europe-except Russia
could Withstand. But the peculiar situation
of the belligerent parties with respect TO the
country in which the war is 10 be waged de-
prives it of half its terrors. If Mexico were
situated with regard to France geographic
cally rs Spain Is situated it would be iml,os-
sible for any foreign Power to hold its own
against the force that she could send there
but she is situated with regard to the United
States precisely Spain is situated with re-
gard to France. The United States can pour
4 million Of men into her, if it be necessary,
and she can do this while France and her
allies are preparing their ships The number
of men that the latter can send must be very
limited, even allowing, for the sake Of argu-
ment, that they have entire command of the
Mexican ports. Vera Cruz is but a small
port, Anton Lizardo is not much larger, and
there is not a port on the Gulf large enough
for the landing place of an army. Of fifty thou
sand men. If France mean to make any show
at ALL she must send at least two hundred
thousand men, and she must send them at
once. Now, we take it, the French and Eng
lish navies combined could not transport two
hundred thousand men, with their artillery,
horses, baggage, and munitions of war, at one
trip across the Atlantic; and they must be
transported at one trip or run the risk of
being "gObbled up" by detachments.
We may form some idea Of the state of pre-
paration in the United States from the report
Of Secretary STANTON. There were million
OF men under arms at the close of the late
war. There are millions of muskets, and am
munition in proportion. There are thousands
of cannon, and clothing for several millions of
men. Daring the war, ON several occasions,
sixty, eighty and ninety thousand men were
organized and sent forward in a month The
iron-clad feet is the most formidable in
the world. We believe that, in the event of
war, MACMILLAN must lose Mexico.