Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-18

! 1t is over five years since foreign interven-
tion began its work in Mexico, and nearly
three years since the Archduke Maximilian
Of Austria was proclaimed Emperor by the
" Assembly of Notables" convened in the
city of Mexico. Three years is a very long
/ time for any Mexican Government to sustain
itself in any fashion. 1t is true it has been
upheld by foreign power and mercenary
bayonets, French loans and French manage
ment; and it is true that from the beginning
Juarez and the loyal Republicans have
never ceased to protest against Is by words
and arms. But still the Imperial Govern
ment has gone on nextending and consolidat-
ing itself in remarkable manner. 1t DOM
mates at this time all the more populous
States of the late Republic, and nearly all
Mexican military and political leaders have
given in their adhesion to it. -a4s
I The condition of things in Mexico for the
last half year has been more peaceful than
at any previous time since the intervention.
There has been no fighting anywhere worthy
of being chronicled. Even the numerous
guerrilla skirmishes of which we used to
have accounts by every mail, seem to have
all but come to an end and the robbery of
train now and then is all there is to re-
mind us of the old order of things. Many
OF the best Republicans have evidently given
up in despair. They have seen the ap-
parent hopelessness of their attempts to ex-
pei the imperial power--to regain possession
OF the lost States, cities and strongholds-to |
battle with European troops and foreign |
gold--to gain back their deserted leaders, or
TO re-establish their lost power For long |
time they were Sustained 10 sheir struggles |
by the prospect of aid from the Government |
or people of the United States. They knew |
the strength and vigor of our protests against |
the foreign Intervention; they knew the |
strength of the popular feeling against |
Maximilian they heard with joy the ex-
pressions of our great generals in their be- /
hall, and knew that similar sentiments
animated great portion of our army. /
Their hopes were greatly magnihed whenlast /
summer they saw the concentration of our
troops along the Rio Grande, and when
they saw in command OF the Department of
the Gulf a distinguished officer, who made
no secret of his eagerness to find an opportu-
nifty to draw his sword in favor of Mexican
republicanism. But all hopes based on
these things passed away before the close of
last year. gaa
They discovered that the fixed policy of
our Government was such as to forbid us un-
dertaking war in their behalf and that
though we strongly sympathize with the
cause they represented and the political
principles they uphold, our Government
would have to beallowed to exercise its own
judgment as to the course it should pursue,
and its own discretion as TO the time and
method of pursuing it. Their discourage
ment on this discovery was as great as their
expectations had been previously, and since
then they have done but little in the way
of self-vindication against their too powerful
enemy.
Their future prospects we fear are any
thing but hopeful. They can see, no more
than we can, any way by which they can ex-
teicate Mexico from the foreign yoke. There
is no more prospect of raising an army or
Of raising money next year, than there is
possibility of doing so now; and many are
becoming so much accustomed to the pre-
sent order of things that their action is con-
tinually becoming less energetic and their
protests more feeble