The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-23
Another Shaking Up of Mexico -General
Grants Policy.

The volcanic republic OF Mexico, always
smoking and rumbling, with frequent dis
charges of gas and scoriR seems to be once
more in state of active eruption. By way
Of Havana-itself in the midst of a revolu-
tionRry ordeal--we have the intelligence from
Vera Cruz that on the 3D. instant General
Negrete (revolutiopist) had captured the
important city of Puebla, and had issued the
usual proclamation5 accompanying such
events, but that on the 9th, with the approach
OF the Government troops, he left, bag and
baggage, taking the road towards Matsmoros
that the revOlutionists of San Martin, on the
9th, had levied forced loan OF two hundred
thousand dollars on the merchants of the
town; that the revolutionary General Isputs,
at Sisal, had flown on being attacked by
General Vargas that revolution was ex-
pected at Guadalajara the Governor having
resigned and the courts having declared their
inability to administer justice; that a revolu-
tiOn had broken out in Flascaa and another
in Nueva Leon, where Quiroga, with twelve
hundred armed men, had pronounced in
favor OF General Santa Anna; that force of
troops on railroad near the city had pro-
nOuDced, and that a pronunciaHient0 had been
issued in Tamauiipas, where the revolution
is increasing.
This is worse than Cuba; and yet, although
the receipt OF all this stirring news made at
first lively sensation in the Mexican capital,
the excitement, we are told, had been 8layed.
They are used TO such things in Mexico, aud
the o't-badgered and plundsred inhabitants of
city, town, and hacienda do not give them
selves much trouble except in the immediate
presence Of a raid. We hear very little of
Juarez; but it would appear that he has a very
considerable army in the field scattered about
il squads from Iucatan up to the Rio Grande
aud thence across to the Pacific Ocean, that
they find abundance OF employment, and that
1t Is no uncommon thing for sqIad here or
there to pronounce in favor of some iDsurgent
leader whom they We're sent to put down.
From Macmillan 10 Juarez the transition of
Mexico has been only the change from foreign
desp0tism 10 domestic anarchy -"Only this,
and nothing more" Napoleon was right in
his opinion that the Mexican people, such as
they are, are incapable of self-gOvernment,
but wrong in his "grand idea" that they
needed the protecting shield and buckler of
| France.
The inquiry, then, still comes back upon
us, wha. is to be done with Mexico? Among
the family of nations she has become trouble
some subject, fit only for the House of Correc-
tion or humane and competent guardian.
Are the immense material resources Of that
| fine country, mineral, agricultural, and manu-
! featuring to continue as so much solid capital
| lying waste because, fOrsOoth, all this is none
| of our business In Mexico we have spec
tacle OF chronic anarchy and its demoraliza-
tions without a parallel-the spectacle OF
new country, with genial climate and mines
and lands yielding the products of every zone,
remaining nearly stationary for fifty years on
a sparse population (some seven or eight mil
| lions), not equal to one tenth of the country's
capabilities. Such a spectacle is a scandal to
the civilized world, and especially to the
| United States, after assuming against Euro
pean protectorates the guardianship over the
country under the Monroe doctrine.
But what is to be done? What can We do
= II. 1T 49,.
ventionS We can do more than we could do
with the Cheyenne and Camanche Indians
under the same fallacy. But we must do
something. Had the policy been adopted
which was suggested by General Sheridan and
very broadly limited at by General Grant
shortly after the collapse of the late Southern
Confederacy, the Mexican problem would
to-day have been reduced to a mere question
of territorial governments for the several
States of the absorbed republic. But Andy
Johnson and his timorous and temporizng
Secretary of State, when they should have
been settling the Mexican problem were dab
bling in the Esquimsux, the icebergs and
white bears of Alaska, and in the combustible
island of st. Thomas. General Scott, too, in
his day, lost fine opportunity in refusing the
offer OF the whole of Mexico as free 5iit with
a million of dollars for his salary as Captain
General; but he had the plausible eXJuse that
under our Constitution of that time the MeXi-
can people cOuld not be fused with ours on
the Mexican basis of equal rights to niggsrs.
Now the coast is clear and the occasion is
evidently Iipening for the trial Of General
Grants policy. IfGeneral Roseorans is doing
nothing it is, no doubt, because his instruc-
tions from the State Department amount to
nothing. But suppose under General Grant
the Mexican difficulty is solved by annexation,
can we stop there? By no means. We can
/ not safely permit any of the isthmus transit
routes from ocean to ocean, between Tehuan-
tepec and Daiien, to fall into the hands oi
England or France. They are all necessary
: to us to secure the command not only OF the
: Pacific Ocean aud the trade of Eastern Asia,
! but of the Gulf of Mexico. Nor is this mere
boastful and noisy blowing OF the American
! trumpet These things are among ths coming
a events foreshsdowed in the rapidly expanding
power and public opinion of the United States
We look to General Grant, therefore, for TIT
comprehensive American policy suggested
, and we are satisfied that, in properly carrying
! out this programme, instead of mourning any
= additions to our national debt we shall gan
: the resources for its easy and early eXnnc
a tion. Such are our reflections upon thl
/ Mexican news aud our conclusions concerning
che pacifcation OF Mexico under GENERA
q | Grants administration.
|
: Congress.
/. IRON he ". Y. Tribune.