New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-10-06
rFron tbe London rlmss. seps. u

IIssBIMUIBN
is hopeless failure, and that the empire founded
in the capital Of the AZtecs by Napoleon III, has
| Witherad away without so much as taking root in
the soil. The empress arrived in Europe a short
time ago, and the emperor, it is expected must
soon follow his spouse. The country, in fact must
be abandoned by its imperial occupants, like 8
worthless settlement or an untenable colony, and
Mexico will once more be left at the disposal of
population which has hitherto exhibited an abso-
Ilute incspacity for any form Of self-government.
If these Mexicans nave learned during a period
Of foreign occupation any Of the duties Of civil
lied men, or have qualified themselves for becom-
ing the citizens of an organized and responsible
State, weshal be ready to hail the phenomenon
Of a native government with all satisfaction; but
in the absence or obscurity of any such prospects
we cannot but record our regret OF the failure of
an enterprise which was calculated to do good to
many, and which assuredly did wrong to none.
Four years ago the emperor of the French COM
meneed the adventure which is now drawing to a
close. He did not stand alone in his opinion that
| Mexico was scandal to the civilized world, and
that tine deeds of its rulers if such they could be
called, had provoked the intervention Of European
arms in the suppression of 80 inveterate anusance.
| England and Spain were entirely agreed with
France in their estimation of Mexican. deserts and
| both powers actually Joined in the original expe-
dition against the country, but England disceried
at an early period of the operations that M COM
| mensurate profit was to be exnected from their
continuance, while Spain, thongh willing to do all
that France did if left to herself wag unwilling
i to act as share holder in the undertaking. =
II so the emperor Of the French alone and single
handed carried out the scheme to what cannot he
denied was It's logical and natural conclusion IF
tne only intention entertained BY the combined
Il powers was that of exaeting from the Mexican
cutthroats promise of better behavior the exne-
dldon was useless, for single sIoop-ofwar at
vera Cruz or Acapulco could easily have obtained
L tne seqgifea pledges, which had already been d
hundred times given and hundred times forfeited
{ but tae outrages committed by the Mexicans had
Deen 30 fncessant, and their defiance of all inter-
nalonal law 50 lntolerabe, that it was resolved to
no hI1a - a1f.
& TO substitute responsible government Of some.
g KIND or other Tor what, during a long period oF
e years had been nothing but sangufnary and
: hopeless anarchy. The Emperor NapoIeon. there
fore, after the English and Spanish contingents
had been withdrawn, maintained his oecunatioTa.
Of the country and took possession Of the capital
J, AT that period natiEe leader, named Juarez.
:. Of pure Indian blood, had got the upper hand
among the factions contending necessarily for
power. He styled himself constitutional pres-
dent of the Mexican Republic; but the designa-
ton must not be understood as really expressing
any regular or organized government. Tie insti-
tutiOns Of Mexico no doubt, were nominaliy re-
publican; but, except in theory, there was no
president nor constitution, nor republic at all.
Two or more chiefs, representing what had, per-
haps been originally two political parties mus
tered and maintained on their own respective
sides as many brgands and cut-throats as could
be kept together by prospects Of rapine and pill
age, and between these two factions, while all
Ireal authority was in allegiance, the country was
left prey to the rayages of strife for which
civil war would be too dgnifying title In no
part of the Mexican territory was there any
security for life or properly. fForefguers fared
no better than natives. H
A British or French merchant would have been
about as safe in Timhuctoo or Dahoney as in d
Mexican town. On one occasion the chief Of the
: faction opposed to Juarez being himself for the
momentin power, proceeded to the residence of the
British consul, forced open treasure chest, and
stole large sum of money, the property Of Brit
ish subjects deposited for security under the pro
r Election of the British flag. 1t was with such a
state Of things that the Emperor Napoleon had to
deal, and he dealt with it, as the world now knows
4 by driving Juarez into fight and bestowing the
imperial crown on Maximllian, archduke OF Aus
tria-the same prince who, after brief and profit
i, less essay of transatlantic royalty, is now ex-
u pected home again.
It would be of no great advantage, under
present circumstances, to investigate tile history
t. of the failure. All the conditions of the enter
prize turned out more Or less unfavorably to the
is design OF Napoleon Ill, although the prince
Le whom he had selected for the new throne proved
ut by common consent sovereign of excellent in
n tentions and more than average capacity. But q
x sovereign, however wise or however worthy
ne must have some support for his government, es-
t. pecially in a dsorganized country, and vet as
en events showed, there was NO kind of support to
nd be procured in Mexco, and no sufficient support
st to be contributed from without. 1t was Thought
of and we share the impression, that if there were
u such things as public anda public opinion in
es, Mexico they would be attracted to prince who
W. offered, at any rate, government instead of
an anarchy, and law instead of disorder.
ID But either there were not such things or they
by were repelled by foreign dynasty, and Maxi
all milan could reckon for active support on the
French garrison only. It happened, too that the
French people, though so addicted to military
enterprise in general conceived g strong aversion
% % for this expedition. The troops themselves dis
"a % liked the service and their c0unrynen at home
hardly wished for their success If it was to involve
- - the continuance of the unpopular proteetorate
~ Then the United States, though long distracted by
y; their own war, regarded the adventure from the
40 outset with notorious Jealousy which was sure
Is Il to pass ultimately into more active opposition
=; and which ultimately took the form oil menacing
20 20 protests. The American government, in fact at
IL a last forbade the dispatch of any fresh European
n forces to American territory, though SO unprom-
= lsing as well as unpopular had the enterprise
gradually become that the views taken at Wash
he ngton did but coincide with the resolutions already
If adopted in Paris.
IVY irresistible in fair field, but poweress SO pro-
dlglous an extent of territory could do little more
than protect the capital and the highrOads to the
at coast; the old factions at one time almost driven
on across the border, recovered strength and daring
us and, as events brought them greater and greater
dy encouragement, they have closed round the EN-.
ok peror and his guard on every side All this
no while, too, the sinews of war and government
~ have been wanting The French could not be ex,
in pected to find the revenue for an American EN-
sci pre, and the empire could find none for itself al
He with more ancient monarchies, the final catas
'rs trophe Is said to be financial. The emperor mus
quit Mexico, if for no other reason, because hi
cannot steal like his Predecessors, and becaust
no no otherwise he cannot get dollar to live upon.
9 There was possibly, miscalculation at the bot
~ tom of the enterprise itself but as regards thu
ga conduct of 1t, we know of but one fault witt
81 which the Emperor Napoleon be fairly charged
ne When he occupied the capital and assumed tht
he government of Mexico, he did 50 not with an i'm
M partial condemnation of the old factions but witl
ar preference to one of them. He closed with th
Nv party opposed to Juarez, which had at least th
of disadvantage in title and pretensions, and wa
m probably-if precedence was possible betweel
" such candidates-the more worthless faction of thu
IN two Juarez had offered terms, but they were re
% % fused, and SO, driven like more respectable pa
a. triots in exile he at last organized successful re
M sistance to the Invader If he has acquired in the
l. process any such promises beft constitutional
ruler, or any such power necessary to sustain
ed government, we may see an independent Mexico
he in the list of civilized States bnt we not ye
ms acquainted with any facts which could induce
ne belief in such event, and it is far proba
gh bic that an immediate return of confusion ani
or another period Of murderous anarchy will lead ID
ok the disappearance of the country n the United
states. With that result, Europe will have no dis
", position to quarrel.
la |
A GAUTT0N TO TUOSR VINO Pr "A