The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-10
Mexico aud Americn.

From The ~. Y. Times.
The leading British journals join the French
in urging the United States to enter Mexico
forthwith, and there set up stable govern
ment. Indeed, the late rumOrs (Ought we not
rather to say the late "feeler 2') that some-
thing of this sort was contemplated, quif pro
quo, whereby so much 'protection" would be
exchanged for so much anneXatton-instead OF
awakening any suspicion or any sarcasm, has
been hailed by transatlantic journalists with
very remarkable favor. "This must be the
ultimate solution of the problem" says the
London Times, adding that it is simply
dilemma, for the Mexicans, between interven-
tion and anarchy.
On the whole, therefore, we may conclude
that at least the European "Barkis is willin' Z"
not only because it would do nc good for the
European Barkis to be anything else but from
a genuine belief in the wisdom of the proposed
Mexican policy. "There c)uld be nothing
better for the Mexicans or for the world, ~ says
the Times, very strongly, ethan that the cOun-
try should bs absorbed in the American Union."
This is putting the matter quite as boldly as
the EXTREMIST friend of ''manifest destiny"
here would venture to do. Columbia must
seem to be playing the part of a coy damsel,
hesitating to advance toward the dusky suitor
in the Gulf, while her European sisterhood
urge her to hesitate no longer.
Until the Presidential canvass is over, we
Mexico must soon come to the foreground as
a great international subject of discussion.
We stand to Mexico in q different relation, in
the worlds view, from that which we figure
to ourselves. We write, in diplomatic docu-
ments and elsewhere, and so does Mexico, of
'the sister Republics" bat European Govern
ments and peoples consider the relation rather
that of guardian and ward. The truth is that
in national economy as in domestic, there is
no right without correlative duty, no privi-
lege without a responsibility; and our expul-
sion of the French from Mexico was accepted
by European observes as a token of the
voluntary assumption Of those duties toward
that country which we refused to let France
undertake to perform. Now it is doubtful
whether the American people, as a whole,
understood their action precisely in this light
The Mexican problem supervened upon the
outbreak of the Southern question, the nego-
tiations were carried on side by side with the
latter, and with the end of the war ended
MaXimilian's dynasty. Hence, probably, there
was not definite solution of the whole Next
can difficulty in the popular mind, but rather
fixed purpose first to drive out the Austrian
Archduke and his subsidized .bayonets-then,
the rest would follow.
But in Europe it was instantly taken for
granted that in overthrowipg Maximilian we
would establish Juafez, or somebody else
nybody, in fact, whom we should choose.
1t was supposed that we drove the French
poacher off the manor because we proposed to
trespaes ourselves. Hence it is that, so far
from satiriziDg the schmes of protection
and annexation, now dimly rumored, and con-
trastipg them with our jealousy of Mexicos
integrity when it was French protection that
menaced it, the European critics regard this
as the natural corollary of our action during
the war.
And they are satisfied, too, with this solu-
ton. "The Mexicans," says the Tines, care
incapable of seltgovernment," and it adds,
''our own interest can only lie in the restora.
| ton of Mexico to the condition of civilized
State" and that ''there is no power whose
ann for this purpose is SO strong as that OF
America" We are confident that public
opinion has not yet ripened to this point in
America-and certainly it has not in Mexico,
whose wishes on this subject, however, seem
to be regarded as entirely irrelevant by the
European commentators. However, with the
clearing of the Presidential field, Mexico will
enter the theatre as prominent figure; noi
will it long be possible for America to refrain
from taking decided steps to solve the Mexi
can problem.