Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-09
Jailu ataisn and anlrrifait.
JOHN MTrCHELoN THE FRENCH s
MEXICAN QUESTION.
John Mitchell, in one Of his recent letters
10 the New York Neps. says:

John Mltcnei, ID one OF ms recent lettets
TO the New York Neus, says:
Already both the French Chambers have
resounded with loud debates upon Mexico.
All parties, from the Emperor down TO the
Marquis de Boissy, are eager TO have the
French troops home, and 70 stop the enOr-
NOUS expense Of the expedition. The only
question is, when, and how. and on what
terms the French force can be honorably
Withdrawn. Doubtless you viii have in
New York, by the ordinary channels, the
remarkable speech delivered yesterday by
Marshal Forry, who was FIRST Commander
in-chief Of the Mexican expedition; but lest
you should not, may give an abstract OF 1t
here. It's 10 be promised that the orator
speaks simply as a Senator and Marshal
Of France, and by no means as an organ OF
the Government.
"Let no one believe" say the Marshal,
"tbat the Government which we overthrow
in Mexico. maintained itself there by the
sympathies Of the population no, il main
tanned itself BY terror alone which is the
reason that the presence OF our flag was
alone sufficient TO destroy it. Once delivered
from the GovernmentofJ uarez, the Mexican
people, free in the expression of its votes,
gave itself to the Emperor Macmillan. ]
DO not pretend TO discuss here the letter
written BY Mr.. Seward 10 NJ. de Montholon,
the 9th Of Dec 1865; but may be per-
mitted TO affirm, that it was by no means
through force, under the pressure Of our
army. that popular suffrage was pronounced.
No; Il was the people themselves who,
fatigued by a bloody anarchy, proclaimed
that the Empire was more in harmony with
their wishes and requirements"
The Marshal next combats the idea that
there is any preference for Republican
form Of government in Mexico; and then
proceeds 10 the pressing question: i come
70 the question Of the return of our troops:
At what moment should that take place?
Many men, no doubt sincere, but who seem
to me not sufficiently jealous Of our national
honor, desire an immediate recall. / also
wish for the return Of our troops, if not i'm
mediately, at least as soon as possible; but
we must examine when that step viii be
really possible" The orator then enlarges
upon the habitual and inyeteTate anarchy in
which the Mexicans have always delighted
to live, and insists that the great evil of
Mexican life is terror; not terror of the
French troops, but of the bandits which
would Immediately resume the ascendent,
IL those troops were now withdrawn.
1T must be stated" he says, fear is the
great misery Of Mexico. 1t is that which
has rendered the populations incapable of
defending themselves and Of resisting their
oppressors. l have seen in Mexico villages,
towna, cities, whose inhabitants, being pro-
vided with arms and ammunition, were able
20 resist, and yet suffer themselves to be
pillaged and burnt by bands Of guerrillas,
although they had at stake their fortunes,
-. -. r a. j
children. 1t is thus that populations a
hundred or thousand times more numerous
than their assailants, have allowed themselves
TO be disarmed, pillaged, slaughtered with
out resistance We must leave 10
those populations The time TO recover their
moral by contact with our soldiers and to
acquire, through that intercourse the spirit
Of order, the honesty, the courage which
animate French troops, and to which all are
forced 10 render homage"
As 10 the idea insisted On by some French
men, that after all the Mexican Liberals"
are contending for the independence of their
country-he declares on the contrary that
the real enemies Of that independence were
the followers Of Juarez, and that the French
force is liberating army.
In my opinion there would be the great
est peril in Row recalling our forces. The
Emperor has declared that he went TO Mex
leo 20 protect French interests, and TO defend
our fellow-ceuntrymen. Well, il we now
brought that army away, as the French
residents would be obliged to come with il,
OF else they would be victims OF violence far
more atrocious than any we have yet seen.
Besides, If We have the interests Of our own
countrymen TO defend, there are others also
that we are bound 20 protect. Is il not our
duty 10 protect those populations which re-
ceived US with open arms! who have com
promised themselves for us-who have cried
Niye Macmillan? Is not our honor engaged
in this matter%
In short the Marshal announces his con-
clusion thus: And now, what must we
do 10 complete the work of morslization and
progress which we undertook in Mexico?
The Senate will, perhaps, dissent, but l must
utter my opinion, which is, however, but my
own private opinion--we must, perhaps,
send new troops 10 Mckee. [Sensation.
We must st the least, keep there those which
are there now. We must also, perhaps,
make still further sacrifices of money" New
sensation.
Then comes the peroration, with which
need not trouble. Immediately after the
Marshal sat down, the Minister of State
thought il advisable 10 say that the opinion
of the Government was no way modified by
the language of the honorable Senator who
had himself avowed that he spoke only his
own personal opinion. So
On the whele, the debates in the two
Chambers on the address show the strongest
desire 20 find an honorable retreat from that
position; and / have no doubt it will be
found, provided the Government of the Uni
ted States act in good faith in preventing all
collisions along the frontier. Believe me,
France can be goaded into war with Amer
lea; and the extreme rePhgnance with which
such an event is regarded here proceeds from
a consciousness that such a war would be a
most horrible and bloody one-England
looking on with gloating satisfaction all the