The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-04-02


The Republic of Mexico has now for It's
two chief officers men whose conduct and
experience give reasons for the hope that
they will maintain peace and order, and
re-establish the credit Of their country.
A nation so long stOTm-t0ssed, the Sport
Of demagOgues and selfish intriguers, ne
Cessarily depends for its re-establishment
more upon the character Of its rulers, than
one which has enjoyed greater stability
and while we believe that the Mexican
people have in them the stuff to make a
free nation, we rejoice that they have the
services of two such men as Juarez and
Romero at this time.
Mr.. Romero was, as is well-knOwn, dur
ing our late war, the Mexican minister at
Washington. It is not 50 generally known,
perhaps, that he displayed some qualities
which showed him to be a man of first
rate ability. He has a clear head, great
patience, indOmitable courage, fine tact in
dealing with men and with circumstances:
and there is reason to believe that he
learned some useful lessons, not only in
finance but in government, during his
long residence in this country. His report
as Secretary of the Mexican treasury will
improve the credit of his country.
As for President Juarez, an anPcdOte o4
him which we have heard from an Ameri-
can who formerly did business in Mexico,
shows a strong point in his character.
When Mr.. Juarez was Chief Justice, the
then President succeeded in putting down
an attempt at revolution, and succeeded
so completely that the two revolutionary
chiefs or leaders fell into his hands. After
the fashion then prevalent in Mexico he
set them at liberty, aud gave them several
thousand dollars "to help them out Of the
country" When Mr.. Juarez was told
what had been done he quietly remarked
to our informant "That is the way we
blHnGer-miud, if ever I am President,
shall pay no rebel chief who falls into
my hands; I shall punish rebellion and
make it hazardOus." IN
1t was in pursuance of that policy, the
only safe one for country so long suffer
ing from revolutions as Mexico, that Pres
dent Juarez caused Maximilian and those
of the ImperiaIist Mexican leaders who
fell into his hands to be shot; and his
country now feels the beneficial results OF
his firmness.
President JuareZ displayed, during his
long contest with Macmillan, infiexible
firmness, the most steadfast courage, and
clear-sighted craftsmanship. He has been
trained in the bitter school of adversely
ne knows that what Mexico needs is
peace, and an orderly administration OF
the laws. There is every reason to believe
that he has the strength of will, the deter
minatien, to maintain peace and order
and to punish disorder promptly and Sc
verely.
Nor is there the least doubt that he has
a great and rich country to redeem. In
spite of her numerous revolutions, Mexico
has enormous wealth. In 1886 govern
ment tables show that there were in the
country thirteen thousand estates, valued
at $720, ,000, 900, and city and town proper
ty was valued $685., 600, 900. The houses OF
Mexico were valued at $4,000, 600, and
those of the other large towns at over $3.50, :
OOO, 900. A Vera Cruz deputy thought the
money in circulation, the mines, and the
movable property of the country should
not be valued at less than S33S, ,750, 900.
SuppOsing the exempt property of the
Church and other privileged institutions
to be equal to $500, 900, 600, q large esti-
mate, the total value of the taxable prop
srty of Mexico in 1856 was 81 ,493, $50, 900.
The cost Of the federal government, now,
NJ. Romero reports, is a little over twelve
millions per anmm-a trihing sum for
such a country to raise. The state govern
ments are also economically administered.
The whole debt of Mexico amounts to be-
tween eighty and ninety millions of dol
lars and the interest is, we are told, not
over three millions. r-.l ... .. -
With order strictly maintained and a
wise and liberal system of taxation, cal
culated to foster trade aud give value to
the products of the country in the markets
of the world and to encourage the produc-
ton Of the staples in which Mexico excels,
the present government can, without
doubt, in a short time re-establish indus
try and consolidate order.-[N. Y. Post.