The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-02-26

PORTLAND.
Tuesday Morning, February 20, 1867.
The New Prospect. Of Mexico.


Ten days ago three French transports lay
at Vera Cruz, awaiting the French troops
which had evacuated the Mexican capital a
week before By this time Bazane and his
mercenaries are all on board, and the Mexi-
cans are left to settle their own affairs. Max
lmilan did not leave the city of Mexico
with the French probably on ac-
count of his personal hostility to
Bazaine. Whether he has since left the coun-
try or not is matter of very slight impor-
tance. The conflict henceforth is between the
Liberals and the church party. Whether it
be Maximilian, or Miramon, whoever is set
up to oppose Juarez will be only the puppet
of the organization which since the Latin race
first made its appearance in that unhappy
land in the persons of Cortez and his band Of
adventures, has preyed upon. its resources,
absorbed its wealth, controlled ITS destiny,
cursed it in thousand ways, and maintained
its power with vigorous persistency which
would be admirable if it were not selfish and
hateful. .c T. -d- t.-r .-rE
Under the constitution of 1856 Z, the people of
public affairs. 1t was then that the ancient hat
red of the natives for their Spanish oppressors
first found vent through constitutional chan
nels and took the form of political agitation. In
the country villages, where thepopulation was
mainly native, it had been the practice of
the Weather families to send their sons to
the cities to be educated in letters and espe-
cially III the law. After their education was
completed, these young men returned to their
homes, resumed the simple habits of their an
cestors, and used their acquired powers for
the defence Of their friends and neighbors
against unreasonable exactions under color of
law. These men became naturally the repre-
sentatives of their districts in the Congress
assembled under the new constitution. Jua-
rez belonged to this class, and when Com
monfort was elected first President Juarez
was elected to the office of Supreme Judge,
the second officer in the republic and the one
upon whom in the absence OF the President
the constitution imposes the executive func-
tiOns. The Liberal party in the Congress so
constituted was strong enough to undertake
Whdt bhO Atdudh SoNCfuiuCut SiuCc uOut
Ito decree the secularization of a large por-
ton of the property which had by various
means come into the possession of the Church
1t was indispensable to the welfare OF the ma
ton, to deprive that gigantic corporation of
its i'll gotten and worse used gains; but the
attempt was the signal for war.
The Church party badgered CommOnfort
into resignation early in 1858, and refus-
ed to recognize Juarez as his sue
cessOr, setting up first Zuloaga and then
Miramon as Presidents without the formality
of an election. Juarez maintained his right
by force of arms, drove Miramon out of the
country, entered the capital in triumph, was
elected President In 1861, repudiated the rebel
debt contracted by Miramon, and in May,
1868, ten days before the French troops sent
to collect the debt entered Mexico, was made
Dictator by an act of Congress expressly pro-
vided for in the constitution. He has held
his Office by virtue of that authority ever
since.
Now that the French have withdrawn
Juarez finds himself face to face with Mira
has been studying the art of war during the
period of his absence in Europe; but SO also
has his former and present adversary. Mejia,
the ablest of the native generals in the I'M
perial service, has just gone over to the Lib
erals. The military contest will be BRIEF and
the result OF the political conflict is as little in
doub. The native population of Mexico
constitutes three-fourths of the whole num-
Der of inhabitants. Such, majority, united
by the determined opposition which it has
encountered, must be invincible. The sagaci-
ty, moderation and respect for the constitu-
ton which Juarez has uniformly displayed,
leave no room to doubt that he will embrace
the first opportunity to lay aside his extraordi-
nary powers. 1t is thought that Ortega will
be elected to the Presidency. Under his ad-
miDistration, it is to be hoped that the re-
forms, so long delayed, may be happily con-
sumIpafed .-..... f..r