The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-22

still at work among them, the attempt to
tOlonize the Indians would be a total failure.
Place them under Christian influences and
the scheme could not fail of being successful.
what VIII Juarez DOg
From The Tribune.
The latest dispatches from Mexico, of official
character, and coming to us through Senior
Romero the Mexican Minister, indicate that
the Austrian Archduke, who, under the
patronage of the Emperor of the French, en-
tered the city of Mexico and assumed the I'M
peIial crown just three years ago the 18th
of next month, is pretty nearly in the situa-
tion in which General Lee found himself during
the first days of that most eventful of months
in our history, April, 1865. Before this month
of May runs out, it is likely that Macmillan
may have surrendered to the enemy whose
place he has so long usurped Except as to
the exact time, the issue is no longer doubt
full. That which is doubtful, and as to which
our people properly feel much anxiety, is
whether the cOnqueror who has shown so
much fortitude in adversely will act as well in
prosperity. Is Juarez wise and civilized
enough to show clemency in the hour of
victOryH
He has the reputation, among those who
is not, nor ever was, military chief, having
never held other than civil offices, chiefly of
judicial character. His career has been a re-
markable one. Like the lamented Lincoln,
and his successor, Juarez has been a self-made
man. He is not OF Spanish blood too prone
to severity and hot passion, but of that Zapo-
teco race, whose former grandeur is still at
tested by the ruins of those funeral palaces in
which the remains of its ancient sovereigns lie
| entombed. He is a native of the State of
| Oaxaca, in one of the rich valleys of which
| Cortez located the vast estate conferred on
him by his royal master of Spain. The
abode, in ages past, of people advanced
| in civilization, Oaxaca is inhabited now by a
| population hardy, patient, and, after their
fashion, industrious and well disposed. Juarez's
| father was peasant, occupying an adobe
house in deep ravine, near the Indian vii
lage OF lxtlan. AT the age of twelve he was
| still herding his fathers cattle; but seduced
| one day by the report of the glories
| of a village fair, he abandoned his charge, and
| followed the crowd. All night he wandered
| among the booths and stalls amazed that the
world contained so much riches. The next
morning he hired him to muleteer about to
proceed to the city of Oaxaca, capital of the
| State. There, a worthy merchant of moderate
means, named Salanueva, taking fancy to
the boy, adopted and educated him. Juarez
! justified his foster-father's choice. He gradu-
ated, with high honors, at the College of
Oaxaca and, just thirteen years after he stole
| away to that village fair-at the age of twenty
| fve-he was appointed to fill the chair of Ca
nonical Law in the Institute of Oaxaca, hay
| ing previously been elected member of the
| State Legislature. He was appointed success
| sively to various judicial offices in his native
! State, among them those of Attorney General
| and President of the Supreme Court of Jus
tice. AT the age of thirty-seven, he was
1 Il - n
| year Governor OF the State of OaXaca. In his
capacity as Governor, which Office he filled till
| 1852 he evinced good administrative talent,
| and made many reforms, causing schools to be
| established in every village, opening new
roads, and encouraging mining and manufac-
| lures. In 1862, he was Permanent President
of the Institute of Oaxaca.
AT that time, centralized and irresponsible
| Government, sustained by the Church and
the army held, sway. Santa Anna was dicta-
tor. Juarez, having openly avowed himself
| in favor Of constitutional form of govern
ment, came under suspicion. He was exiled;
| resided for time in New Orleans; and did
not return to his country till Alvarez and
ComOnfort raised the standard of a constitu-
| tional party.
In 1866, while serving a second term as
| Governor, he was called to the Cabinet, and
became Secretary of State for the Department
| of Justice and Public Instruction. During
his Secretaryship was issued what was usually
called 'The Juarez Law, !" abolshing military
and ecclesiastical .filerOs and other privileges,
so as to establish for the first time in Mexico,
| equality before the law. The next year She
was again in Congress, participating in the
framing and adoption of the constitution
| of 1857. In the first election under this con-
stitutiOn, Juarez was the candidate for Presi-
dent Of the Progressive party. UnfOrtu-
| nately, COmonfort succeeded against him,
soon proved faithless, attempted dictator
ship and finally fled the country. Meanwhile,
Juarez had been elected Chief-Justice and
became, by virtue of the Office, Vice President.
On the fight of Comonfort, the Presidency
| devOlved on him.
We cannot follow him through his various
acts as President. They were all in the sense
| of constitutional reform. In July, 1859, were
promulgated the celebrated claws of Reform, -
securing religious liberty, establishing indie
pendence between Church and State, legaliz-
ing civil marriage, declaring the immense real