The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-12

whe history OF Foreign 1ntsrvsnt,on a.,
that County.
By HON. HENRY j. RAYMOND.

The project of intervention in Mexico frat
took diplomatic form ON the 31st of October.
1861, when the Convention between England
France, and Spain was signed in London. The
Ostensible reason for the Intervention thus
agreed upon was the decree of the Government
Of Mexico Of July IL, 1861, by which Mexico
suspended payment Of her foreign debt But
TO understand both these events we must 90
back in the history of Mexico, and ascertain
her political condition at the time.
On the 18th of January, 1857, Constitution
was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of
Mexico, in which every State was represented.
In this Constitution (Artice 4l) It was de-
clared to be ''the will of the Mexican people to
constitute themselves representative, demo-
cratic, federal republic, composed of States
free and sovereign in all that concerns their
interior regimen, but united in a federation
established according to the principles of this
fundamental law" This Constitution, on
being submitted to the people, was ratified
and adopted by the popular vote in every
State. The adoption OF this Constitution was
the result of severe and protracted struggle
against the system of pronunciamieBtos by
which Mexico had been governed for forty
years, and was hailed everywhere as the be-
ginning of a new and better era. In accord
ance with Article rs of the Constitution, Gene
raj COmonfort was elected President of the
republic, and December l, 1857 took the oath
of Office and by Article 70 it was declared that
in case of vacancy in the Office of President,
the Chief Justice should be acting President
until a successor had been chosen.
Two laws were passed of great Importance,
both in themselves and by reason of their
bearing on future events-C) one bringing
mortmain property held by the Church into
circulation, indemnity according to the annual
value of the property being made in every
case; and (2) the second subjecting to the
laws those of the clergy and army who had
been previously exempt and responsible only
TO special courts called taerOS which were
abolished.
The clergy and army, thus deprived of their
special privileges, conspired against the new
order of things, and under their influence
Comonfort, the President, December IL, 1857
only sixteen days after taking the oath, in
connection with General Zuloaga, overthrew
the Constitution he had sworn to support, and
declared in favor of a reactionary plan drawn
up by himself and his agents, and known as
the plan of Tacubaya. He arrested Juarez
Chief Justice and threw him into prison, but
being satisfied that he was in this the tool of
others, released him on the 18th of January,
1858, whereupon Juarez Immediately repaired
to Guanajuato, and on the 18th issued an ad-
Dress declaring the treason of Comonfort and
taking possession of the vacant Presidency in
accordance with the Constitution. Cemoufort
virtually abandoned the Presidency and ac-
by ceasing to sign as such but only as Gene
raj. A Government was organized and held
its sittings at Guanauato. On the I'D, three
days after the regular Government began
operations at Guanajuato, the insurgents
under Zuloaga took possession of the vacant
capital. Another contest followed. The in
surreCtion was, however, confined to the cities
of Mexico, Queretaro, and Puebla-all the
rest of the republic, eighteen States in full and
others in part-adhering to the Constitution of
1857 and the Government of Juarez established
under it.
It is not necessary to follow the history of
this contest farther. At the very outset, on
the 23d Of January, representatives of France
and England, the former M. de Gabriac, and
the latter a charge dahaires, Mr. Lettson,
recognized the insurrection, which had been
for the moment, owing to the treason of
Comonfort, triumphant in the capital; but
this recognition gave no rightful authority to
that insurrecton, nor did it affect the supreme
authority of the Constitution of 1857 any
more than the recognition of the Southern
COnfederacy at any time by foreign Ministers
would have Overthrown the Constitution OF the
United States.
But the conspirators had for the moment
possession of power, and they proceeded to
undo the work of the Constitution. First, by
decree, dated January 28, 1858, they abolished
the law respecting the alienation of eccesias-
teal property, and then re-established the
tueroS or privileged tribunals for the clergy
and army. The people rose in arms, the
contest ragged, and the reactionists resorted tC
taxes to supply themselves with funds. BY
decree of May Is, 1858, they imposed tax o
one per cent. on all capital employed in any
industry whatever over $4,000. This aroused
universal execration, and was protested
against by John Forsyth, United States Minis
ter May o. and soon after by merchants
traders, and everybody else, including tn
Ministers of England and France. But tn,
necessities of the Treasury were inexorable
In February, 1859, personal properties o
$1,000 were included in these eXactions. By
decree, May 30, 1859, household property wa
taxed ten per cent; and by another decree
July 10, 1852 by the Peza law, all these take
were made payable year in advance. And
finally, Miramon, who, by a new insurrectioI
in the bosom of the Union party, had been
December 20, 1858, put at the head of tn,
Tacubaya Government, issued decree dated
March ~, 1850 by which fresh taxes wer,
imposed, which raised the rate to four time:
the amount they had been three years before
And these exactions fell upon foreigners with
out discrimination. Meantime the war wa
waged by MiramOn and his troops-the off
securing of Mexico-the most atrocious mas
sacres were perpetrated hospital full of sicl
and wounded being in one instance, at Tacu
baya, April IL, 1855, mercilessly slaughteret
by Marquee, by orders of Miramon, includin
seven surgeons in attendance, one of Whor
was an Englishman, named Duval.
In its extreme distress the Government pul
hshed a decree, October %, 1859, which r,
suited in what is known as the Jecker bon
81 Cryfs