The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-02-06

a. such we hail it as an omen of good. We
trust that it will prove TO be the first step in
inaugurating style of diplomacy more suited
to the character of our institutions, which will
soon supersede the long-winded, circuitous and
unsatisfactory style now in vogue.
The Mexican Question In Europe-What
Will the French Oracle Says
From London to Vienna, according to our
latest European advices, the Mexican question
and the forthcoming speech of Louis Napoleon
on the subject, to his Legislative chambers,
were the absorbing political topics of the day.
The departure from the Italian waters of the
United States squadron, under Admiral Colds
borough, for Lisbon, was Interpreted as pre-
cautionary movement in view Of possible
rupture with France. Our Florence correspon-
dent thus puts it:-aThe Straits Of Gibraltar
are narrow, and Toulon and Brest are tolerably
close at hand, and II would not be impossible
for French iron-clads to close the mouth Of the
bag which held Uncle Sans squadron. As q
precautionary measure, and to remove tempta-
tion, the squadron leaves the bag and finds
more open cruising grounds" 'Thcre was
deal Of talk Cat the Italian capitaD and wise
shaking Of the heads among the ambassadors
when it became certain that the American
squadron was at once to be Withdrawn from
the Mediterranean and rum0r that became
circulated, to the effect that private despatch
had been received announcing that -cen1let
had taken place on the RioGrande, did not
have a tendency to allay the excitement"
Thus, among the diplomatic circles of Flo
renee, there was a lively sensation upon two
important facts which really justified warlike
Interpretation. At Paris there was less excite
ment, but more active speculation upon the
Mexican problem. The mountain was in
labor, the oracle was about TO speak,
and all the ears of Europe were anxiously
awaiting the voice of the oracle. The
22d Of January was the appointed day,
and the oracular utterance may reach MS
at any moment. Meantime the Paris journals
and Paris correspondents Of the leading Lon
don journals were predicting or guessing what
the oracle would probably say. The Presse
had II that from the Tuileries ball of the night
before the report had come that the Emperor
had signi1ed his intention of abandoning Mex
leo during the present year, but thought that
this could not be true, because "orders yet I'M
revoked, and prepared TO be acted upon in
Toulon, prescribe the sending out Of two thou
sand or three thousand more troops" The
Dt6ots (st Marc Girardin) at the same time, in
a leading article, pleaded earnestly for evacua-
ton as the only course of safety left 10 France.
Another Paris journal LA Franco had learned
that dispatches had been received from Wash
ington announcing that General Grant had ma.
tcrially modified his viows In reference TO
Mexico, that "his policy is assimiated to the
peaceful course adopted by President Johnson,
and that serious opposition TO Macmillan will
soon subside." Moreover, Il was thought that
"the death Of Winter Davis, member of Con-
gress, who had made himself conspicuous for
hostility to the new empire" had left "without
leader the party lin Congrcss) ill-disposed
towards the French"
The superior weight Of all this testimony,
such as II Is, justhes the conclusion that as late
as the 10Th ult nothing was known in Paris of
the Emperor's purposes and intentions, but to
the Emperor himself The orders prescribing
the departure Of two or three thousand more
troops for Mexico, however, "do not look like
an evacuation" But this dificulty touching
the abandonment OF this Mexican scheme may.
perhaps, be explained by the Paris CORES
pondent Of the Independence Beige in his state
ment that Macmillan may count for year
longer upon the presence of our (the Frcnch)
troops In his empire, but that France viii make
no engagements beyond thatr One year
longer HLouis Napoleon really entertained
the Idea on the 10th Of January that an an
nouncement that be would only support his
Mexican prottgt one year longer would be ac-
cepted as satisfactory peace offering by the
United States, we hope that before the delivery
Of his legislative speech, on the 22d, be had be-
come a wiser man.
We are not very sanguine Of anything salts
factory from him upon this important subject.
We rather look for the same game to be played
between the United States and Macmillan that
Napoleon has been 80 adrotly playing for some
years past between Italy and the Pope lie
will probably hold ont nothing but the most
shadowy promises on the one hand, while he
continues his substantial protection and sup
port on the other. We therefore anticipate
not 30 much that his speech will clearly define
or determine the Mexican policy Of France, as
that II will determine the course Of the United