New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-15

OF the Chamber of Commerce of New
Orleans.
sTERRE HAUTE, Ind December -, 1872.
JH. ogesby, ESQ, President Of the Chamber O
Commerce, New Orleans
DEAR SIR-Instead of returning to ny
POST of duty by way of New Orleans, as
had inten ded, find, on the eve of my de
Oarture, that important considerations com
bel me 10 go 10y way Of New York. / will
therefore submit, III writing. some hastily
prepared suggestions, in response to your
communication, ID respect 10 the prospects
end methods of establishing and maintain
Bng commercial and mercantile relations
S7ith our sister republic.
Nothing is more common among persons
Svho possess but a superficial knowledge OF
Mexico than the opinion that ITS present
condition is infinitely less prosperous than
before its emancipation from the yoke OF
Spain.
This statement, which first acquired cur
Sency in the United States about the Tune
Gf the Mexican war and which at that time
syas based upon plausible, II ho1 upon coI-
sect reasoning, has obtained such strength
by constant repetition as to have become one
nf the commOnplaces Of the American press,
Sud one of the firmly rooted convictions OF
the American people. And yet, TO those
syho know in what consists the real strength
and prosperity of people, 10 those VINO
can distinguish between the interests OF a
Prnited clsss and those of nation at large,
10 those who understand that the tawdry
linerv of p score Of aTistocrats and the de-
aentive OstentatiOn Of church, endowed
Syitb the spoil5 OF centuries, does not con
stitute national prosperity; to those, IN
short, who have instituted an intelligent
spmparison between the Mexico OF to-day
and the Mexico of the preceding generation.
,stI1 rs Vice
aoys, it is apparent not only that Mexico
has made notable strides along the
pathway of progress, but that she
has passed through the furnace Of political
regeneration, has secured the great con
Guests OF civil and religious liberty, and
has opened wide her doors to the regene-
aating Influences which will make her, in
brief a participant OF the wonderful bless
0ngs which Providence has so lavishly be-
eto wed upon our own favored land.
At the beginning of the present century,
and for MANY years thereafter, Mexico was
che NEST populOus country IN the New
World, and its capital was the largest city
en America. Since that time Mexico has
0early doubled il population, while it has
cost two thirds OF its territory, but the mi
taculous rapidity with which the United
States has advanced, leaving Mexico far
Behind, causes Us to regard her slower
growth as q retrOgression.
The long series Of revolutions OF which
EexicO has been the prey mas given rise to
Che natural opinion IN foreign countries
shat the Mexican people are essentially tur-
Sulent and impossible TO govern. Those who
bold this opinion are not aware of the causes
which have lain at the bottom OF Mexican
connections, and consequently OF the rea-
sons which may be adduced TO show that
the revolutionary epoch in Mexico Is sab
stantialiy closed.
Mexico, at the time of achieving her in
dependence, had absolutely no education in
selfgovernment. The movement of indie |
s,endence commenced in 1910 by the Priest |
llidalgO, was drowned in blood after eight |
wears of irregular warfare, during which |
she insurgents never succeeded IN estab- |
Fishing q regular government. The move |
faent of Iguala which. in 1921, effected the |
separation from Spain, under the guidance |
of Angus tine Iturbide, had in view merely |
Ter independence from the Spanish yoke, |
but without q thought of eftecuDg any |
Ghange in the form Of government.
That Mexico is to-day a republic is pri- |
snarily owing to refusal of the royal family |
ef Spain to send one OF its princes as the |
monarch of Mexico; and secOndarily to |
:he reaction brought about by the Spanish |
PARTY in Mexico who we're unwilling TO see |
native Of the country seated upon the |
Chrome, which they had destined for
Spanish prince. The republic was founded
ia 1924, after the fall Of the ephemeral en-
pire Of Iturbde, not because there was not
Republican party in Mexico, but because |
9hat was the only possible form OF govern
.ant in the absence Of a monarch. the 1rst |
generation Of Mexican presidents and |
cabinet ministers was composed almost ex-
sIusively OF persons who were at heart |
nOnarChists, and il Is easy to divine the
confusion which this fact introduced into all
Ot he adj mi N 81 "a Personal |
9 ambition took the place of administrative |
Salient, and as armed force was the only GER
sain means of satisfying such ambition, none
Gut military leaders for nearly forty years
ever occupied the presidency of Mexico.
Che first constitution, hastily devised lml-
Sation of our Own,GOuld not flourish IN such
coil. The American constitution had Tor its
bhission to unite colonies previously sepa-
gated; the Mexican constitution erected semi
independent States, IN country previously
Suled by centraliZipg system. II was
Eatural that the first generation of the in
dependent existence of Mexico should be
6lled with the complex strife between des-
potic and liberal institutions, between CEN
sralism and federalism, and that the strife
should be the more bloody because largely
made in the interest OF personal ambition.
She most representative man whom Mexico
Ias produced, General Santa Anna, aptly
symbolizes in his manifold career the war
eff ideas from which Mexico has but Just
emerged. Commencing life as a subaltern
81 the Spanish army, in waging war upon
she early insurgents, We see him in 1921 |
acquire the rank of General by cooperating
en- the monarchical revolution OF Iturbide,
20 Oe the first TO pronounce against that I'M
Nappy Emperor in 1872. In the series of
Nearly fifty rulers who have held SWAY in
Mexico since then, Santa Anna has waged
Npen or secret war for or against
every administration but his own. In
bis first Presidency be was elect
she federal constitution. In his second
Germ he again overthrow the existing insti-
buttons in favor of another plan of govern.
tnent. IN his third presidency he restored
che constitution of 1924, and in his last adj
nnistration made himself dictator, with the
Sltle of His Serene Highness." What Santa
Anna did upon grand scale MANY other
military chieftains did upon the lesser the
Stre of the State governments. The ques-
zion OF the form ct gUV.rnmenc could never
S,e said 20 he detinItly solved fOY Mexico
until the adoption in 1857 OF Der .present
constitution, and tina. event. a. - vel.
known, became the signal fog the essen tally
sshgious contest known a. the war of re-
form, which, in It. turn. led To foreign in
3erventiOn and 20 ..s evanesc.nt .mUir. %
The Facts .'oa which che rr.c.ain. 70
'g,gis are founded. 81 che meanc!ol. bis
cory Of Mexico for :. h.l. q century. and il
must be contesse. are quite sufficient 20
lus:ify the popular impression q. y. xIco ss
50 essentially turb.!en. country.
Yet il III. LEA. Of the above cor..iera.
e!ons San il b. -Ord. red az. :ha' il ha. cost
half a century 81 blood :ud sutferin. - con
.'uer the assurance of !: prosperou. future.
SndeV . ge1nlEels ..er.b.ica:. system. a!
government
TITO he or,, n. e.. I..,:. -, .r-.a,