Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-03-03

French Senate-Hfs views or the
InexpcdienCy of Withdrawing the
| French Troops from McxIcO-A Dis.
mai Picture of Mexican Society.
| Correspondence of the London Timesl
It PARIS, Feb. 13.
| If Marshal Forey's speech in the Senate
| on Mexican affairs was prepared with the
cognizance, if not the approval, OF the En-
peror, as some pretend to believe, the return
| Of the French army may not take place as soon
| as e1pected. Marshal FOrey knows the sub
! iect wel-no man better and his state
ments bear the impress oftruth. M. Rouher
| tried to lessen the effect which his words
| might produce out of doors, by affirming
that the opinion of the Government was
not affected by anything the late Comman-
der-in- Chief of the French army in Mexi-
co said that the sentiments expressed In
the speech from the throne were still the
same and that the Marshal gave utter
ance to his own private views, and to those
of no one else. M. Rouher Is Minister OF
State. and, in theory, Prime Minister-but
| it is no more than theory, and M. Rouher
knows it very well. The "oplnion of the
Government" If by Government is meant
the members of the Cabinet only, is, no
! doubt, the same 1t always was; and 1t was
from the outset as much opposed to the eX-
pedition to Mexico as that of the public
generally. But it sometimes occurs that
| the views of the Emperor are different from
those of his Ministers, and they soere aeuer
more so than on this question of Mertco.-
! Nothing shows more clearly the Ignorance
OF the semi-oflicial writers who have
been describing Mexico as now per-
fectly able to take care of herself
than Marshal FOrey's speech. The account
he gives of the country and the disastrous
consequences of the immediate departure of
the French must be correct and known to
| be so by the Emperor. The Marshal COM
plains that the "great idea" developed in
| His Maiesty's letter to the Commander of
the forces is not rightly understood in
France, and he declares it as his deliberate
opinion that it would be highly dangerous
to bring back the troops. 10 speak of ma
| tional spirit existing in Mexico is absurd.
There is no national spirit there, and if
such thing as national spirit ever existed,
| lOng-continued anarchy has annihilated it.
| The moment the army returned from Mex
i:o, the whole of the French residents
would have to return with it, and if they
remained would be exposed to acts of viO-
lence more iniquitous than any yet witness
ed. But it is not French citizens and
French interests only that have to be de-
| III.
population who received her soldiers with
open arms, and who cannot be abandoned
to their enemies. When people say that
those who cried "Viva MaXimilian," should
now defend him, they do not reflect that
the MeXicans have not acquired sufficient
confidence in their own strength, for they
have been utterly demoralzed by those who
oppressed and plundered them. They must
be allowed time to grow into strength and
courage, but FrdRee must continue by their
side, and help them to support the Government
| Meyh hare chosen for themselves. France, sure
ly, would not incur the reproach of not
having fully comprehended the great idea
of the Emperor; but, above all, she cannot
deliver up these populations to the yen-
geance of the Oppressors. At the very first
Intelligence of the retreat of the French,
the promoters of discord would reappear
on the scene. The brigands ,oho are now scat
tered ,oould once more rdlly round the flag Of
.Juarez The Marshal gave as a proof of
what he stated the fact that even at this day
the towns evacuated by the French troops
are at once abandoned by the inhabitants,
so intense is the dread of reprisals from the
partisans of JuareZ. Macmillan is doing
his best to regenerate that unhappy coun-
try. He is organizing the army, the finan-
ces, public instruction, the administration
of Justice. He elstens to the advice of those
sent out to him by the Emperor Napoleon;
and the Mexicans have before their eyes as
model the courage and the discipline of
the French army. With respect to the rela-
tions subsisting between France and the
United States, Marshal Forey observed he
was not competent to say any more than
this-he had too much esteem for the great
American Republic to think that it would
prefer a republic of plunderers and brig
ands in Mexico to monarchy with honor
able men, based on the principles of civili-
zation.
He asked what must now be done to COM
| plete the moral work which France has un-
| dertaken? His deliberate opinion ,cas
that more troops must be sent TO MericO and,
dSthis statement called forth murmurS among The
Senators, he added that If not more troops, at
least those that loere there should remain, and
more sacrifices in money must be nude! 1t
was once said that France was rich enough
TO pay for her glory; and wouldn't it be
glorious to leave imperfect the enterprise
she has commenced in distant land? He
admitted that money had its importance; !;
but ,cds 10 right that for a H?ere sum of money
the realisation of so great design, cOnCeiUed by
the Emperor, should be enddngeredP He did
not think so.
When the Marshal concluded his speech
few Senators said, "Very good; very
| good;" but even these few appiauded him
less because they agreed with him as to the
necessity of fresh sacrifices of men and
money than out of compliment to himself. Still,
however adverse they and Others may be to
| a longer occupation of Mexico, Marshal
Forey's description of those parts of the
country not held by the French is most
probably correct. The inhabitants OF the
| towns are only safe where the French are
there to protect themj and so great is the
terror inspired by the partisans of Juarez,
that they abandon their homes the instant
their protectors begin to march. No man
considers himself safe when the French
eagles are out of sight and the French
drums out OF hearing. 1t has been repeat
ed over and over again that the hOrdes that
SO long oppressed the unhappy Mexicans
we're scattered, demoralized, completely
discouraged, and utterly powerless for evil.
Marshal Forey, whose authority cannot be
called in question, solemnly declares that
the moment the last French soldier quits
the country the same hordes will issue from
their hiding-places and join their former
leaders, and that the great work of pacifi-
cation and regeneration will have to be
commenced again. 1t is now too late to
object that the labor should never have
been undertaken; but as it has been under
taken it cannot be relinquished before it is
halfaccQmplished. Itwould be cruel to aban-
don the Mexicans who welcomed the French
as their hberators, to the vengeance of enc
mics who will on that account show them
less mercy than before, and it would be
strange indeed if the French people left
| their own cOuntrymen to the fate which