American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-08-07
One or the Other.

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One or the Other.
Secretary Seward's long letter upon the
subject of Santa Annals capture shows
that he does not mean to invent causes
of difficulty with Mexico. Indeed, after
kind of congratuation upon the over
throw of tho empire, he ends his letter
by declaring that only some great nation
al offense would justify the Government
in taking hostile or even unfriendly at
titude toward the Mexican Republic
The theory that Mr.. Seward wished to
make trouble with Mexico comes, there's
fore, very suddenly and exclusively to
the ground. Indeed, to suppose that the
Secretary seriously WISHED war with
Mexico was to suppose that he wished to
make this Government contemplate in
the generous minds of every nation. For
we had just insisted upon the withdraw.
al of France upon the ground that Mex
| leo should be left to work out her own
destiny; and we should in the case sup.
posed, have been deliberately repeating
the role of France in occupying and con-
trolling the country.
The disgraceful proposition Of Mr.
James Brooks, in Congress, and the tone
of very many influential papers in the
country, should serve to admonsh us all
Of a tendency toward a wholly inexcusa-
BILE national conduct For thispurpose,
also, nothing was more timely than the
letter of the Mexican who was incorrect
I -
| ly reported as a member of the Cabinet
of Juarez In that letter he exposed the
preposterous position Of this country to-
ward Mexico; and if it was in conse>
quence of Secretary Stewards blunders,
let the Secretary bear the blame. Here
was a person affecting to be American
Minister in Mexico writing to the Mexi>
can Government from the city Of New
Orleans. This person demonstrated
with the Mexican authorities in regard
to the treatment of Maximiian But
this persons superior ordered him to do
SO at the instance of Austria, the enemy
of Mexico, and Austria, in urging the
remonstrance, spoke of "the right" Of
our Government to demonstrate. Yet
we who claimed to do this from especial
friendship for the Mexican Republic had
hindered its efforts to get arms and aid
upon our soil while we had favored those
of the empire for the same purpose
With proper indignation, therefore, tho
especial claim OF our Government to in
terfere was repudiated.
One fact is indisputable. Except for
us the French Austrian Empire in Mex
leo would have remained and hourished
until to day. But we opposed it upon
the principle of the Monroe doctrine,
which was elaborated in Mr.. Stewards
correspondence with France; and that
doctrine is the right of every country
upon this continent to manage its domes-
tic affairs at its pleasure. That, as we
understand it, is our policy toward Mex
leo and the countries of Central Ameri-
ca and bayond, If they will listen to
our honest advice IN any emergency, very
well if not, we have no cause of com
plant That Mexico is chaotic coun-
try-that Maximlian would have given
it better government than can now be
hoped for-that Juarez is merely par
tisan leader and will be opposed by 9TH
ers of the same kind-that Maximilian's
execution was brutal blunder and crime
that Mexicans are ferecious and inca>
pable half-breeds, and that all these late
horrors would not have happened had
General Scott remained in Mexico, may
be all true statements, but they DO not
touch the case. Mexico has the same
right to manage herself as she pleases, so
far as we are concerned, that we have
ourselves = until Mexico invades our
rights or threatens our safety, when we
may, of course, defend ourselves When
any body proposes that, for the sake of
civil order, humanity, and the protection
of the Mexicans. We should invade and
occupy and regulate the country, we shall
have the same reason offered tor making
war upon neighbor that every invading
power has always urged.
There is no middle ground between
this conduct and the policy Of independ-
ent alliance which we are now pursuing.
Those who demand "a policy" upon the
subject mean that we should bully Mex
leo or deyour it.-Harper's Weekly.
Daniel Hook, Esq, aged 80 years, a
q