The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-02
TIE MEXICAN SITUATION.

The last news brought by mail from Europe
indicate that at n very early day the French
Emperor will withdraw all support from MAXI
MILAN and that he will, in all probability, take
his departure for Europe. The-London Times,
which seldom predicts political events unless
advisedly, says: "The year 1866, which has
been so fatal to Germ6nic thrones, will witness
the collapse Of n more modern monarchy In
the New World. 1t is not to be dissembed that
the Mexican enterprise is q hopeless failure,
and that the empire founded in the capital of
the Aztecs by NAPOLEON III. has withcrcd
away without so much rs taking root in the
soil. The Empress arrived in Europe o 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 worthless settlement untenablc
colony, and Mexico will once more be left ut
the disposal of population which has hitherto
exhibited an absolute ncapacity for any form
of self-government."
If the Mexicans have learned during n period
of foreign occupation any of the duties of
civilized men, or have qualified themselves for
becoming the citizens of organized and re-
sponsible State, we shall be ready to hail the
phenomenon of a native government with oil
satisfaction; but in the absence or obscurity OF
any such prospect we cannot but record our re-
grct at the failure of an enterprise which was
calculated to do good to many, and which as
suredly did wrong to none. Four years age
the Emperor of the French commenced the ad
venture which is now drawing to n close III
did not stand alone in his opinion that the con
| dtion of Mexico was scandal to the civilized
world, and that the deeds Of its rulers, if sucl
; they could be called, had provoked the inter
vcntion of European arms in the suppression Q
80 nveterate nuisance. The Times remark
1 that England and Spain were entirely agree
; with France in their estimate of Mexican dc
o serts. We know that both powers actual
joined in the expedition against the country
: but England, with her usual diplomatic trickery
G backed out 80 soon as it became q fixed pul
r pose, and Spain declared herself unwilling
: act as shareholder in the undertaking. So
: remained for the Emperor of the French alon
> and single-handed, to carry out the scheme,
10 what it cannot bc denied was its logical ar
'r natural conclusion If the only intention e,
y tertaincd by the combined powers was that
ID e1acting from the Mexicans a<promise Of bett
Q, behaviour, the expedition was useless, for
ut single sloop-of-war Mt any one of the Me1ici
III seaports, could easily have. obtained the +
lie quired pledges, which had already been hu
Id dred times given, and O hundred times forfeite
to But tho outrages committed by the Me1ica
be had been 80 incessant, and their defiance of
1t, international law so intolerable, thnt it W
ed resolved 10 make On end to the business or
p an1 for oil, and to substitute q responsi1
C. Government of some kind or other, for VIII
zig during q long period of years, had been nothi
cd but sauguinary and hopeless anarchy.
I'D the Emperor NAPOLEON, after the English O
Of Spanish eontingents had been withdrawn, ma
cy tainel his occupation of the country, and t.
an possession OF the capital
,cr It would be of no great advantage, un
nd present circumstances, to investigate the hist
to of the failure of the enterprise. All the C
gh ditions Of il turned out more or less unfavora
md to the design Of NAPOLEON, although the Pri
er- whom he had selected for the new thr
,ri- proved, by common consent, Sovereign
tn excellent intentions and more than average
pacity. But ruler, however wise, or h
c is ever worthy, must have some support for
, in government, especially in disorganizcd co
be try, and yet, as events showed, there wa;
ave kind of support to be procured in Mexico,
not no sufficient support to be contributed Fl
veil without. 1t was thought that if there was 8
the things as n public, and "a public. opinion,
pic, Mexico, they would be attracted to Pri
hat who offered, ut any rate, government instea
in anarchy, and low instead of disorder.
rust either there were not such things or they VI
hey repelled by foreign dynasty, end MAxInII
re- could reckon for active support'on the Ere
fter garrison only.
1t happened, too, that the French peo
icSl though 80 addicted to military enterprise
'ass general, conceived strong aversion for
n to expedition. The troops Themselves disliked
hey service, and their countrymen at home ha,
1eir wished for their success, If It wss TO involve
lin. continuance Of the unpopular protector