The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-17


IL Mexios Capable Of seIf-Gsvsrsaests
With the close Of the great struggle OF the
Mexican people against foreign Intervention
and Church rule, they throw themselves upon
the charity Of the world and demand that time
be given them for trial Of the great princi-
pies which 50 early as 1888 they inscribed
upon their banners, and which, after the desc
lating wars that followed, took more tangible
form in their great constitution Of 1857. They
claim that their country has reached that posi-
ton whore all the principal elements that
oppose selfgovernment have disappeared,
and that an era Of peace will surely follow the
DOWNFALL of the second attempt at an imperial
government. Mexico to-day stands virtually
where she did at the date Of the French inter-
venti0n. At that time the liberals had just
attained the object Of their long years OF
bloody strife, and were about to apply their
principles of government in place Of the
narrow Church-and-State rule which fettered
the whole land. The Intervention prevented
the trial of the new liberal code, and dealt the
country such staggering blow that to-day
she stands where she did then. Willing as we
are to wait reasonable time, and hoping that
she will succeed in the formation of thriving
nationality, we still fear that our hopes are
chimerical, and that in the great struggle
between Church and State they have held in
allegiance poiicital problems, still pregnant
with revolution, which were in existence at the
date Of Mexican independence, not 10 mention
storm has given birth.
The Mexican constitution and reform laws,
of which the educated people OF that country
may justly be proud, are well fitted to gov
eminent which has already been freed from
the evils which still cling around the Mexican
body polite, and which has by long and
wise preparation of its people shaped them,
Intellectually, to enjoy the great benefits
which such code might confer but to unite
in civil code all the republican wisdom
which the study Of Grecian, Roman and
modern red republicanism could invent, and
then to entangle it in net work woven from
the constitution Of the United States. was, for
Mexico, simply Utopian still more Utopian
when we consider that Mexican statesmen
have to apply those laws to race that can
not understand them.
The master minds Of Mexico have made the
mistake not unfrequently made even in the
most civilized countries Of the world-that Of
trying to ct the people to the laws instead Of
fitting the laws to the people. They are
trying to Lift the rudely mingled Indian races
up to the level 0f the European, and imagine
that nothing but law is necessary, ignoring
entirely the long, practical struggle required
for such hercalen task, and the fact, too,
that the deeply rootsd feeling q ossts 90
ARMY planted BY the Old Spaniards sHllsxists.
This iaAarmcnious coslpound TINS formed.
they try to throw themselves into the orbit Of
American progress, imagining that the printed
edicts of few leaders are the only things
demanded. II no other proof existed Of the
inoapacity Of tho Mexican mind to appreciate
fully the demands which the nineteenth
century makes upon it, this alone would be
enough. The great mistake rasde By nearly
ill the world in considering the Mexican
problem is that the country is Spanish. If
this be, simply applied to the rulers it is true
for some two hundred thousand people of pure
Spanish blood form the great element Of
government, stir the naturally docile and
easily guided Indian races to revolution, and
keep the whole country in turmoil Before
this Indian population can be fitted to the
new conditions which the theoretical MEXICAN
laws confer upon them, practical and radical
changes are necessary, or the machinery Of
Mexican government will not work, and the
whole mass will fall into chaotic confusion
little inferior to the wild phases Of its past
history.