The national Republican., 1867-07-26
A DEBATE IN THE CORPS LEG.
-r.. I0LATIF.


That distinguished civilian and states
man, M. THEIRS, ventilated in the Corps
Legislatif the other day the conduct Of
the French Government in respect to the
Mexican expedition. Several other par
ties Joined in the discussion, and speeches
were made by M. THEIRS, BoUHER, FAvRE
and GARsER CAssAIGsAc. M. THEIRS goes
back TO the beginning Of the iA-starred
enterprise, and speaks Of the original par
ties which first inaugurated the under
taking, and the withdrawal Of two Of these
parties from the proposed enterprise. He
shows how England and Spain withdrew,
and gives the reason for that withdrawal.
This Mexican expedition was resolved
upon, in the first instance, to collect debts
which were alleged to be due from Mexico
to these several Powers. The world has
long known this fact. M. THEIRS gives a
tabular su.veinent VI Inls lndeDtediiess, as
follows The claim set up by England was
s0,00O,O00 francs; that Of France 6O,O0O,-
600 francs Spain, 10000, 900 francs
There was also what was called the Jecker
claim Of 75,00O,00O francs. M. THEIRS
proclaims what everybody was before
aware Of, that these claims were greatly
exaggerated. England and Spain backed
down, and in thus acting did the wise thing
but France, or rather perhaps we should
say LOUIS NAPOLEON, went on; and 1t is
the history and failure Of this wicked
scheme that M. THEIRS comments on in
his great speech.
This distin guished man proceeds to say,
among other things, that
"In negotiating with Maximilion, We
have estimated the debt due by Meyir
us at 10000, 900 IT,, payable in ps- 80 70
Is really worth only twenty: ;per wnich y,
not more than half that ana q sum OF
taken" expedition was under
t.,,;,, Sill be seen that instead Of col
- & the original debt, much more was
lasted in fruitless endeavors to establish
an empire on the western continent. NJ.
THEIRS speaks in terms not very compli-
mentary Of the course Of the French Min
lister Of Foreign Affairs towards the Uni
ted States, wherein that high functionary
disayows all responsibility, and refers our
Government to MAMMALIAN. He then
proceeds to say: .....
"Those persons who accused the Mexi-
can Government of weakness did not see,
by the side Of the few brigands who might
indeed be infesting the roads, men who
were defending the country and had a
right to do so.
France left this Prince to make last
effort to save his honor, but solely his
honor We went to Mexico to obtain salts.
faction fOr svIno ur vur uuunIrymen-a
few millions would have sufficed-but now
not only are they not reimbursed, but
their number has become wofully multi.
piled. We went there for the benefit of
our commerce and to enhance the esteem
Of France in those regions We went
there to organize the Latin race in oppos
tion to theApglo-Saxon. Well, our com
merce has suffered immensely; France has
withdrawn, and as to the Anglo-Saxon
race, it is triumphant; and we are reduced
to form hopes that it will overrun the Mex.
leo from which we wished to expel il to
avenge what we could not ourselves
avenge."
NJ. RoUHER replied to M. THEIRS on be.
half Of the Government, and these are
some his words in defence of his master,
LOUIS NAPOLEON He said:
"The Government consulted public
opinion, and resigned itself to giving the
order for the evacuation Of Mexico.
"The Emperor Maximilian has fallen
victim to an act OF cowardly treachery,
and when weeks had elapsed, and angry
passions had time to subside, a secret tri-
bnnal was erected, and Juarez assassinated
the emperor whose betrayal he procured
And this Is the act the responsibility of
which Is sought TO be castupon the French
Government. When we were leaving
Mexico. We used every effort to induce
Macmillan TO return TO Europe; but he
would not No one can feel more pro-
ound grief than the French Government.
can affirm this with all the sincerity Of
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