The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-02-16

Omcisl Correspondence With France
Relative 70 Mexico.
| We publish in another column several
dispatches between M. Druyn de Lhuys
and Mr.. Bigelow, and from M. Druyn de
Lhuys to the Marquis de Montholon, the
French Minister at Washington, relative to the
representations made by our government
about matters transpiring in Mexico. Mr..
BigelOw, acting under the direction of Mr..
Seward, called the attention of the French gov
eminent last November to certain acts or re-
ported acts of Macmillan in Mexico, such as
that of plan to induce the immigration of ne
groes, and to place them in state of peonage,
that relating to the Yturbide family, and
that regarding the severe penalties against
Mexican prisoners of war. The correspondence
published relates to this. But it appears that
the French government reluctantly laid it
before the great bodies of the State, 1t being
deemed "of nature to prove inconvenient
with regard to the negotiations commenced"
and only did so because the documents had
been called for by our Congress and published
here.
At the time Of the publication Of the d0cu-
ments referred to we commented upon the
captious and irritable language Of the French
Minister to our Minister, Mr.. Bigelow. We
think it was unnecessary and undignided for
the United States to take any official notice of
the reported negro immigration scheme or the
Yturbide family. We should not have meddled
with such matters. But this does not exonerate
the French government from censure for the dis
respectful manner in which it treated the official
communications of the United States. The SUBJ
terfuges of M. Druyn dc Lhuys, by which he
attempts TO shift the responsibility of what was
occurring in Mexico from the French govern
ment to force us to quasi recognition Of Max
imilian, and TO sheer at the assumed absurd p0-
sition we had placed ourselves in by recogniz-
extremely disrespectful, to say the least.
Every new development of this Mexican bust
ness shows that the French government finds
itself in delicate and very annoying situation.
For this it can blame no one but itself, and GER
tainly not our government, which has been pa
tient and cOnsidcrate in the matter.
All the world knows that the only real
government in Mexico since the Intervention,
except the legitimate government Of the
republic was that under Marshal Bazaine;
and however much M. Druyn dc Lhuys may
object to the word planted" Us applied
to the French forcing Macmillan upon the
country, every one knows that he not only
was planted there by French bayonets, but
that he is kept there by them. It was an insult
to our common sense to assume that we did
not understand this. We did not and could not
recognize the imperial assumption Of Maxi
milan, and could go to no other government
than that of France about any matter occurring
in that part of Mexico subjugated by French
arms and kept so by them. The moro the
French government stirs this matter the worse
for ITSELF II it dare not frankly confess the
truth as to the object of its Mexican policy let
II remain silent. But the best and shortest way
to stop discussion and cover up its fault is to
withdraw every French soldier at once, and
leave Macmillan to stand upon his own legs.