Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-04-20
Mexico and the South-Captain M. Z
Many

we find a carefully prepared communication
nom the eminent gentleman named above, OF
the subject of emigration to Mexico. Captain
OF. Lieutenant MAuRY, as he is better known Il
the world, is man Of reputation in both hem
ispheres; as much esteemed for his purity o
character as he is admired for his extraOrdina
~ scientific attainments. Not the least Of the
many misfortunes resulting from the late civi
CONFUSION in this country was the Interruption
caused in the prosecution Of his scientific in
vsstigatiOns.
Captain MAURY, in choosing Mexico as bis
future home, may have been impelled by per-
sonal considerations with which we are unac-
quainted, and cannot, therefore, appreciate
No one, perhaps, but himself and his immedi-
ate friends, knows to the full extent the person
al reasons that induced him to abandon the
home of his nativity and the people who hon
ored him as a SauaRt. None but himself aud
his immediate friends know the personal con-
sideratiOns and inducements that determined
his choice Of Mexico as his home, and that still
attach him to the fortunes OF the Emperor
MACMILLAN. He says he ''was kindly re-
ceived" by the Emperor. We all know that
he was, and that he was placed in an official
position Of great prOminence-at the head OF
the bureau of immigration. 1t appears from
his communication to the Standard that MAXI
MILAN, in surveying the wreck ofthe Southern
States, recognized in the fragments the very
materials required to complete and make sta
BILE the Empire which he is founding. Says
Captain MAURY: He determined to have
these materials, and commanded o. me TO
make known not only to the Southern people
but to the immigrants from all countries, ire
spective of nationality, that they would be
kindly received and Hospitality entertained
' in his dOminiOns.'
It would appear that Captain MAURY had in
ducements of an extraordinary character to
make his home in MexicO-such inducements,
indeed, as scarcely any other man from the
Southern States could reasonably count upon.
As SaUGnt, he would be an ornament to the
court of the new Emperor as the most illus
trious, scientific aud practical navy officer now
living, he would be of inestimable advantage
to the Emperor in establishing navy as a
popular, respected and eminent Southern man,
he would be instrumental in attracting to
Mexico that Southern material-and Of the
better class, too, so much coveted by his
Majesty. We have not one word of animad-
version to pass upon Captain MAURY's choice
OF Mexico for his home. The inducements
offered to him were tempting-such, indeed, as
few could resist. But if we could have had
Captain MAURY should remain in his native
country and share its fortunes. We certainly
cannot sympsthze with the efforts he is making
TO draw capital and nnnnlatinn from a. Sui
TO Mexico. He speaks with enthusiasm Of the
Emperor and Of Mexico; calling the Mexicans
what we have never heard them called before,
ga gentle and dOcile race" He should re-
member that there is but one Captain MAURY,
and that the honors and emoluments enjoyed
by him viii be confined to him. Other immi-
grants will not have so much reason to fall in
love with "the Emperor and his dOminiOns."
Captain MAURY tells US, in his communication,
thAt-"I undertook, last spring, after the fall
" of Virginia, the selfimposed mission Of find
=" ing country and homes for my cOmpatriotS
and fellows IN misfortune" Wish this view,
he studied the map of the world. But for its
distance, Australia would have been his Sc
lection. Brazil was rejected for two reasons
because "it is the land Of insect hfe,' abound
ing in flies, mosquitoes, ants, alacrans, cent?
pides, scorpions, snakes, and a thous and
one flying things and crawling creatures Of the
earth, air and water" and because, further,
"it is a slave country"
Having welded his fortunes to Mexico, and
high in the favor and employment of the Impe-
rial Court being, in fact, the Imperial Com
missioner of immigration, it is, inevery point Of
view, greatly TO the interest of Captain MAURY
30 procure immigrants for his adopted country.
We must, therefore, regard him in the light of
not disinterestsd advocate of the immigra-
ZION policy of the AOvereign who employs, pays,
and commands "Nim.
Viewing him in his light, as we are con-
strained to do, we cen understand how he
should find it proper to appreciate and dispar-
age Brazil, the competitor II Mexico. We can
also understand how he shOeld press upon the
people of the Southern Staes the gloomy
views of their future condition md fortunes if
they shall remain at their presentNomes, which
We find in his communication.
Captain MAURY is an experiencedSailo he
knows the importance Of leaving l sinking
ship, and he is too generous and BENEVOLENT to
leave the balance of the crew to perishwith-
out a ssasOnable warning. We but do him
justice when we say we believe that. these Ast
remarks explain his motives and conduct in tn
the first instance. But with all his abilities,
he is man of idiosyneracies, and one Of his
idiosyncracies was not to remain in a conquered
country. He makes the mistake OF sapposing
that others have the same iGiosyncracy, and
take the same gloomy views that ne takes.
Before captain AAURx became an immigration
Pr0pasSnoi''' he ought to have duly considered
Tue IA'' lat, by going to Mexico, he might
acme - IS much, OF more, than he lost by the
DOWNFALL Of the Southern COniederaey, but thai
Others cannot. He lost high position, and lost
II forever, when he sided against the United
States he lost ahigh position, and lost it forever
whenthe Confederacy fell but it is in the powel
of the Emperor MAxINILIAN to bestOw upon hin
quite as much, nay, more than he lost. As for hi
scientific fame, that is his forever. Civil con
WILSON'S cannot deprive him OF 1t. But thOs
whom he appeals to to quit their homes, an
follow him to Mexico, would be different
situated. He tickles their vanity by eallir
them Z" the Southern gentry" He says "ti
professional men of the South, the m
"chAnics, and all that class, whose capital do
" not consist of lands or other material posse
sions, but rather of brains and brawny arm
"who have no money to lose, and who requi
a. little or none to set them up again, ml
manage to live in the South despite II
"grieyous burdens they with have to bear
but "as for your Southern gentleman Al
"a Southern planter, as they were known
former days, their race is rum CAPITA
NAuRY ought to remember that these " SOut
ern gentry are situated differently from hir
sell. They have not lost positions in the Ma,
which are beyond recovery. They have n