Smyrna times., 1866-04-11
Mexico.

We are known not to take any large amount
of stock either in the Monroe Doctrine" or
in that of Manifest Destiny We favor all
the modern improvements, but cannot realize
that there has been any decided advance in
our Foreign Policy since its general principles
were enunciated in Washington S Farewell Ad-
dress. In short, we believe that, as a general
rule, our Government should mind its own
business and let that of other Governments
alone. Such we understand to be the essence
of the Washington doctrine, which we consider
decidedly preferable to that popularity known
as the Monroe
AS to the Empire of Maximilian, we consid-
er it very great and costly blunder on the
part OF Napoleon I'LL. but we do not think
our Government should intermeddle with it.
1t France can afford to furnish the Thirty to
Forty Million per annum required to keep it
on its legs, we see not why this country should
interfere. Mexico needs Railroads, and all
manner of industrial machinery; she needs Sc
curlty for property; she needs immunity from
incessant revolutions forced loans, guerrilla
outrages, highway robbery, dense ignorance,
degrading superstition, and all that have con-
spired to make her what John Randolph called
her, IA blanketed nation of thieves and har-
lots. And, if Louis Napoleon can constrain
France (sorely against her will) to pay the
heavy cost of the process-which cannot be less
than One Billion of Francs-we cannot advise
that he be interrupted in so doing.
1t our Government should intermeddle with
this matter, and succeed in driving out Maxi
imiian, the civilized world would inevitably
say to us, You have expelled government
which gave promise of peace, unity, authority,
vigor, security, industry: how do you propose
to replace it? If you intend that Mexico shall
retrograde to her endless cycle of prOnuncia-
TtentOs, revolutions, and military relationships,
we protest. You have no right thus to injure
the commerce, the industry of the civilized
world. If you destroy the only government
that gave hope of stability and progress, you
are bound to replace it by better And as
we do not want Mexico-are in no condition to
spend Thirty or Forty Millions per annum upon
it-are utterly opposed to swallowing more
than our digestive organs can dispose Of-we
insist that our Government shall let Mexico
alone, and let France spend all the money there
her ruler can constrain his reluctant legislature
to vote. When France votes this her troops
will be withdrawn; and then the empire must
take its chance. If it shall meantime have
proved a general blessing, it will endure il
not, it will speedily pass away, as it should.
Hence, we deeply regret the decree of Maxi
milan, authorizing the Asiatic Company Of
Colonization" 1t is based on the identical
blunder that cursed Amrrica with Negro Sla-
Very-the same that mlsled Rob Roy into win
ming the beef required by his bare-legged fol
lowers by marrying the Scotch lowlands instead
of buying it in the Glasgow market There is
a Fictitious, immediate convenience in all these
mistakes; but their ultimate retribution is fear
full.
Mexico has to-day about Seven Millions of
people, whereof at least Six Millions must
work for it or steal it. Her urgent need to-day
is such an Organization of Labor as shall prof
fer work and fair recOmpense to every Mexican
shall make it easy and honorable to live and
thrive by honest, useful work, difficult and dis;
graceful to live otherwise. But this proposed
importation of Asiatic Coolies is long, a
fatal stride in the wrong direction. 1t is sys-
tematic Remuneration Of the hope that Mexi
cans can be induced to work. 1t is a virtual
condemnation of the masses to die out, and be
replaced by Asiatic pagans at least as viciou;
and degraded, though not SO indolent and in
effective, as the lowest of the Aztecs. We
trust Maximilian--who seems to be enlighten
ed an humane-will yet be induced to recall
this fatal decree Tribune.