New-York tribune., 1873-12-20
N1POLEONS RETRElT FROM MEXICO

NiPOLEONS RETREIT FROU MANU-.
The German papers print from time to time
scraps of interesting history relating to the
decline and fall of the second Empire, which
show how thorough must have been the rum
maging that was done at Complegne and st.
Cloud. and with what discretion most of the
flankers in spectacles have kept their "finds'
until now. Among the most recent pubca-
tions il the correspondence exchanged between
the Emperor Napoleon and Gen. Castelnau on
the subject of Withdrawing the French troops
from Mexico. Like all the private and conf
Dental letters of the Emperor, this is strongly
characteristic and significant He differed
from most rulers in never saying any
thing worth listening to in public. and
in betraying only in his private correspond
ence all those distinguishing and positive
traits of character and policy which will give
his true measure in history. The present let
ter seems genuine One and shows the spirit
of petty vanity and evasion with which he
conducted the close of that dshonorable and
disastrous campaign. There was no longer
any hope of establishing that Latin Empire OF
which he had written with such vague gran
diloquence to Marshal FOrey few years be-
fore. The war of the rebellion was over, and
the persistent and aggressive attitude Of Mr..
Seward ably seconded in Paris by Mr.. Bige-
low, had left him no option but to fulfill the
engagements which the United States had ex
torted from him. Morny was dead That
audacious and enterprising speculatOr who had
drawn the Emperor into the Mexican business
for the purpose of making an operation in
the Jecker Bonds, had passed away, and left
.I,a nj in, fha TO
infuse the same energy and nerve into the
broken and dreamy roue, with which his
brother Morny had so often sustained him
in critical and questionable affairs. He there
tore saw nothing to do but to remove his
troops from Mexico and give up the enter
prise. He could do this, but he could not
bear to seem to do it, and he had so little
sagacity and knowledge of the world that he
imagined he could accomplish this object
without being caught at it. 81 will not treat
with Juarez,n he writes "at any price,
| because an understanding with him would
"look too much like defeat" He had no
objection TO being kicked down stairs, but he
did not Wish to be kicked down the door
steps He accepts with nervous haste al
the propositions of Castelnau. He charges
him to arrange with Dano and Bazaine
to extOrt an abdication from Macmillan. He
suggests Sehor LerdO de Tejada, or the wide
alternative "anybOdy else." for the figure
head of Provisional Government with which
to treat. The troops are to be embarked i'm.
mediately. He has so little knowledge Of the
SCOPE and nature of the powers of the Amer
lean Executive that he clutches at the rumor
of Gen. Sherman's presence in Mexico as a
possible means by which his army may be ex
tricated. The dread that pursues him con-
stantly is that perhaps he may have to treat
with Juarez after all He therefore charges
Castelnau that even if the Emperor Mari.
milan should enter into negotiations with the
hated Indian, he will not recognize them.
He seemed to feel this resentment against
Juarez much more bitterly than toward the
United States. He appeared to regard the
attitude of our State Department as lust and
reasonable, although he found it 80 incon-
venient. He made no complaint when on ona
occasion the American Minister drove ont 10
st. Cloud and demanded directly from him an
ayowal of his intentions, which the Marou;s
de Moustier had failed to give 1t was in
view of the constant though courteous erac.
tons of our Government that he issued At
last these panic-stricken orders to Castelnau
There was never the slightest tenderness or
consideration in regard to his unfortunate
tool and victim, Macmillan of Austria. AT
the reception at the Tuileries on New Year,
Day he treated the American Minister with cane.
cial kindness and co0lly insulted Gen. Almonte
who had ruined himself to carry out the
NapOleOnic scheme in Mexico. He went into
the expedition to make prestige for his d,-
nasty and money for his friends. WLeu it