New-York tribune., 1867-07-29
PARIS
TIE DEBATE on THE MEXICAN QUEsTION-A
FEELING or UNEASINEss SPREADING
CONFIsCATION on GERMAN PAPERS.

l
FEELING OF UNEASINESS SPREADISG-
CONFIsCATION OF GERMAN PAPERS.
From Our Special Correspondent
PARIS July II. 1861
The fatality of il-lucll is still faithful TO
Napoleon in his Mexican business Just when his
Majesty is in the first period Of mourning for Maxi
milan, which should be more sincere than the usual
crOcodilettant court mourning comes the great
dreaded debate on the Mexican question. If be had
not withdrawn the right of address it would have
come and passed some months ago when public atten-
tion, absorbed by the Luxemburg question, had let
it pass with comparatively small heed Now it has
all the solemn impressiveuess Of a funeral ceremony
TO public whose everyday interest IN the subject is
enhanced by exceptionally and deeply emo
tions. Since the Corps Legislatif has been in for
large part idle session. Government could not have
picked so bad time for this discussion as this very
week. 1t opened Tuesday by Theirs in a
speech of three hours length. wherein, with tho
incest observance Of all the prOpretes" toward the
Hylng Emperor and his victim, he passed in review
sort OF CHASTITY midnight revicw'-with the
calmness and bitterness Of truth the history of tho
Mexican Expedition. Ofthe misconceptions In which
~ was devised OF the mlsmanageMent of its conduct
throughout, OF the Ministerial miscaCrhations and
misrepresentation OF It's progress persisted in even
yet as to its financial and its miserable
predeStincd failure, which be and other Cassandras
all along fOTetOld. He was followed bv Jules Fayre
III bOlder and more aggressive mood charging Gov
ernment openly with not only having kept back the
truth, but with uttering unveractcs respecting il
through the mouths of its speaking Ministers and
the false types OF the N0aiter from year to year.
Then that cunnngest advocate Of bad cases Minis
Ter kOuher rose for the defendant observe that ho
really knOwS-haying all means Of knOwing-sOme-
thing more than the most studious deliver into this
history something of which is still and mys
terous possibly can; that he is. if less eloquent
than fayre less widely learned in history and expe-
rcnCed than aged Theirs an unquestiOnably and
exceptionally able man; that he had six years of
preparation, every help, and all the helpers Govern
ment could put at his disposition, and the strongest
motives as a Jealous servant of the Government and
as being not indeed, officially responsible TO the
House but personally responsible to public opinion
the best he could-dOubtless the best that can be
made Now, here few of the points insisted
on lhe sole primary purpose of the expedition.
Wnen III was yet an AngO-1iSpanO-frenCh COmbna-
uOn, was TO obtain reparatiOn of grievances but the
means frankly ayOwed at the very outset was TO
penetrate to Mexico. compare this with the terms
OF the London Convention and English Foreign
OmGe documents long ago published.l When ROuher's
predecessor Billaut, fouted as rfdiculously false
JuIes EaVTes seml-InterT6gatve charge that there
Wasa plot 10 mOnarchze Mexico, and seat an Austrian
Prince ON ITS throne Billault veTaciously In tbe
right Compare this rhetorical flight with the fact
KAT IN the month OF February Gen. Almonte went to
Gen. Prm and Minister Dunlop TO propose 10 their
acceptance plan OF monarchy already accepted by
the tTeQch Government and with various authentic
now published diplomatic documents of Spanish and
french authorship 70 speak Of no other) some of
them dating from 1859 and 1860 even in which the |
idea Of Mexican monarchy, with an Austrian Prince
AT It's head, was most seriously entertained.1
- The vote of the NOtables," named by Marshal
fofey was al most Immediately followed by an ac-
cS0rdant popular vote confirming Max. his election !
lC0mp9le this but why 60 on with this very able
9gle, Mighty, but essentially lame and ilnpotent |
defense Doubtless the best that could be made, and
Just i9r that better not made. The case is nde-
lenslpe' tne public feels and knows il, and he has
passed verdict accOrdingly1
why does not Napoleon, who must feel and know
IS much, lot Il 60 by default or frankly saw some
hng as nc dld III 1852 after his retreat from before
Tom'the Senate aud Chambers congratulated him on
no magnanimOus generosity with which he had let |
- Austria from the pressure OF his inyincible arm