The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-02
THE MEXICAN QUESTION.

Fall v. xt OF Marshal FOrey's Speech
The Late 90 OumAndsP-In-ChteI's Opi-
nIOn Of the OOnoitiOn and Prospects Of
Moxic6-Humanity 40 tho Msxicans
and the Conservation of French Inte-
rests Demand the GOntinuRnce. tf mot
the Reinforcement of the French
TrOops-AusIrIan Aid for MaxImiIiam,
Etc. Etc.
From the Paris COHStitutionaeI, February IL.
MI ssIEURS:-Last year you permitted me TO
say couple OF words concerning Mexico. | will
not irespass longer on your time this year.
will perhaps say few words more than then.
YOU know the interest which this Mexican CUES
Ii, n has for me, who commanded the EKped-
tionary corps, and was charged with the duty of
obtaining leparation for the OUT ages of which
our CompatTlots had been the victims. Let it not
be thought that the Government which we over
turned maintained itself IN Mexico by
popular sympathy. No. 1t maintained itself
only by the fear VIII ch it Inspired; and it was
was sufficient to overthrow it; that nag which,
in the beautiful language of the Emperor, every
where represents the cause of the people and of
civilization. Once delivered from the rule of
JuaIez, the Mexican people, free to exercise the
elective franchise, decided for MaXimilian.
have no pretensien of here discussing the letter
written by Mr. Seward to NJ. de Monthoion on
the 9th of December, 1865; but let me say that
the popular suffrage was by no means exercised
under stress of force or under the pressure of
our arms. No. A thousand times, Mo- 1t was
the people themselves, who, fatigued with
sanguinary anarchy, proclaimed that the Empire
was more in harmony with their wishes and
their needs.
One must have a very slight knowledge of
Mexico to believe that republican form of gov
ernment was desired by the population there.
For a long time power had been successfully
confscated by the more audacious, if not by the
more honest. 1t cannot be repeated 100 often.
No, the French army did not go to Mexico to
overturn a Government to which the Mexican
people had accorded, as is pretended by the let
ter have mentioned, their sympathy and sub.
mission. No. We went to Mexico to obtain
Ieparalon Tor spoliations for outrages Of whlch
our tellow-countrymen had been the victims
on the part of the JuareZ Government, and
the Mexican nation seized that occasion TO
throw off an oppressive yoke by oyetturning
the Presidential chair. wherein SO many tyrants
had sat, and erecting monarchical throne,
where there came to sit wise and enlightened
prince, who has already given Mexico useful
and liberal institutions which will lead to the
efficient prosperity of the country. l come to
the question of the return of our troops. At
what time ought they to come back? Many
whom believe sincere, but who do not seem to
me 10 be sufficiently sensitive as to eur national
honor would wish the return immediate. As
to myself, would wish our troops to come back,
ii not immediately, at least as soon as possible;
but still, it must be looked to when this will be
possible | foresee The objection that Will be
made.
You pretend, it will be said, that the Emperor
MAMMALIAN has been spontaneously, unani-
anu ne mas nO
further need OF the support OF our arms TO keep
him on his throne. My answer Will be easy,
and although at first it may appear paradoxical,
IT will at the bottom prove perfectly right. Yes.
The Government of MaXimilian is the expression
of the popular wish. / affirm it; and those who
know Mexico, who have visited 1t, will affirm it
with me, if they are sincere. Yet that Govern
ment has need OF our support, and will explain
myself.
All those who have taken any interest in the
subject know that since the declaration of indie
pendence an innumerable number of Govern
ments have succeeded each other in Mexico, and
as there was no sufficiently strong central power
all of them found their authority disregarded
Anarchy has never ceased TO reign in that un-
happy country. There is nothing astounding in
the fact that that anarchy led to the formation
of troops OF bandits who lived in this disorder
instead of seeking in labor the means OF subsist-
ence, and preferred to rob travellers, pillage
plantations, and oppress and exact tribute from
peaceful, tinid communities who knew not how
to defend themselves.
1t must be SAID that fear is the grand misfor-
tune OF Mexico 1t is this which has rendered
its people incapable OF defending themselves and
OF resisting their oppressors: l have seen In
Mexico villages, towns, and cities, whose inhab-
itants, although provided with arms and ammu-
milton, and able to make O. resistance, suffered
themselves to be robbed and their houses to be
burned by bands OF guerllas, and yet 1t was @
matter which concerned their fortunes and the
lives Of themselves, their wives and their chill
dren. 1t is thus that hundreds OF communities
thousand times more powerful than their as
sailants permit themselves, to be disarmed,
| plundered, and murdered without resist
ance. Are they more to pity than to
blame? / will not say. Yet it should
not be forgotten that the tendency OF anarchy
is to cause honest men to yield too easily. We
do not need to go so far to find examples OF
this weakness. (Applause.) We must allow
| these people time to regenerate their moral
character by contact with our soldiers so that
they may acquire sense OF order, honesty, and
| the courage which amin ates them, and which
all are bound to respect. (Hear, hear) When
| the Emperor undertook the Mexican eXpedt-
| ton he was impelled by grand idea, which
he explained in his memorable letter to the
| officer in command at its outset. When l see
| the impatence with which the sojourn Of our
| troops In Mexico is regarded in France, | ask
| myself whether this grand idea of the Emperor's
| has been well understood by the country, and
whether the people should not have encouraged il
| as they encouraged former undertaking led
| by the Emperor himself-the Italian campaign.
| The object is the same. In the one case a great
| nation was to be restored to the independence
Wrested from 1t by foreign hands. In the present
case it is sought to restore to another people
| their independence, endangered as IL was by
| anarchy. / ask permission to dwell upon this
word independence. 1t has been said that the
| insurgents are fighting for the independence of
| their country. But by whom has this independ-
| ence been compromised II not by the partisans
of Juarez, who has been led to despoiI foreign.
ers and TO plunder the public money, which
| should have been applied to the necessities
| of the Mexican nation, in order to enrich bis
| hired assassns The army OF Juarez, fight
ing for the independence Of Mexico, for
| sooth Those who talk thus do not think it, or
else they are utterly ignorant OF the true state
OF affairs. What was this army of Juarez? With
| the exception OF few officers who had been
| specially educated, who had progressed through
the various grades-sueh. ior instance, As Gene