The weekly standard. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1865-1867, 1866-02-03
Mexico-Who Is Presldent

There ls some curiosity to know to
whom, as President of the Republic OF
Mexico. ''so-called,' thehewiy appoint,
ed Minister, Lewis d. Campbell, is TO
be accredited. A titular President
there will be. of course. Mexico never
lacks them She has had, on an aver
ace, nearly two year since her poiiti-
cal existence commenced. Sometimes
there has been two or three at once,
With equal share of title. There are
tTo claimants now--Juarez, whose
constitutional term of service has ex-
pired, and who has reappointed him
self, and Gen. Ortega, who claims the
possession by virtue of his nominal
position as Chief Justice of the Su-
preme Court. 10 S ai1
The act by which Juarez prolongs
his power is in direct violatich of the
Constitution under which he assumes
to act. His term of service expired ON
the last day Of November, and no sue
cessor has been elected. The proyii-
SION of the Constitution says: 81
"If, from whatever raason, the cleo
ton of President shall not have been
made and published by the first of De-
cember, upon which the change is to
take place, or il the newly elected is
not able to enter promptly on the dis
charge of his functions, the term of the
preceding President shall nevertheless
reasc, and the supreme executive power
shall be deposited, ad interim, in the
President of the Supreme Court of
Justice 81 isi5.73s 8
This is fatal to the title of Juarcz to
be constitutional President. IfPres-
ident at all, he is President de facto in
spite of the Constitution; therefore
Ssurper. IF recognized as such, it will
be an application of the argument de
facto, which may help to illustrate here
after the views of the State Depart
mcnt on that much provoked topic.
We leave out the inquiry about the
existence ora Government, in fact, at
all The Republic is so unsubstantial
that it is hardly worth while hunting
up place Of jurisdiction for aaphan-
tom President, In law, if there be q
law, the title of Ortega wolN seem to
r. perfect, if he be President of the
Sl rene Court of Justice, as he ap-
pears to be. But there is a fatal flaw
in his title, as we gather from no less
an authority than that of Mr.. Corwin,
who was American Minister in Mexico
at the time when Ortega was made
Chief Justice, and who described the
Transaction in an official dispatch. adj
dressed to Secretary Seward, dated
January 30, 1861: l1svaQ H &
''Gen. Ortega commands the Liberal
forces here in the city. Two days ago
the Congress now in session elected
him Chief Judge of the Supreme Court
This was merely revolutionary move.
ment, as the Constitution gives no au-
thority of the kind to that body, bat
expressly provides that the judges of
that court shall be elected by TIE peo-
pie. This act was done, however, to
pave tho way TO- make Ortega Presi-
dent, as it was supposed Juarez could
be persuaded to resign, and in that
eYent the newly elected Judge would,
by the Constitution take his place"
Mr.. Seward was thus advised by Mr.:
Corwin four years ago, that Ortega s
election,as Chief Justice was an nsur-
patton by Congress, in violation of the
Constitution, and Was part ola plan to
get rid of.Juarez, the newly elected.
Juarez could rot be persuaded to re-
sign then to enable Ortega to come in,
and seesas equally intractable now. Il
does not. however, appear that his title
to hold on is any weaker than that Of
Ortega to come in.2 lsta3 ~ Sd
To which of them, If to either, will
she.neW Minister be accredited? /? &c
Juarez, whose term of Office has ex-
pred, and who reappointed himself in
direct contradiction of the Constitution
Of Mexico. or Gen. Ortega. who has .
title to succession by virtue of simi-
lar violation of another equally posi-
tive clause of the same Constitution
It is a very mnddled affair. Wepre-
dict that the end of twill be that both
will, before long, be quietly put aside
BY the State Department, and the
ds(acto plea conceded to another Gov
ernment that is o fact. is's'.
Milton was asked: "How is it thai
an some counties . king j. allowed &c
take his place on the throne at four