National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-10-27
UNPLEASANT FACTS ABOUT MEXICO,

UNPLEASANT FACTS ABOUT MEXICO.
Between the two parties in Mexico, known
as the Liberals, headed by the late Benito
JuareZ, and the Impcrialists, who sustained
Maximilians usurpation, tho long and pro-
tracted struggle resulted In the victory Of the
former. The Liberals have since then not
only accomplished needed reforms 70 per-
petuatc republican form Of government,
but have succeeded In cfIecting total sepa-
ration Of the Church from the State. II was
the most earnest desire Of the Imperiallsts to
retain the cccleslastic influence Of the priest
hood in their support for evident political
reasons; but since the Liberal victory the
Republicans have had full sway, and have
succeeded in making rapid strides In the on
ward path Of advance. Tho indomitablc and
untiripg efforts of President Juarez were ably
seconded by his patriotic adhcrcnts, among
the most prominent Of whom was the present
President Lerdo dc Tejado. His manage
mcnt Of the internal affairs Of the nation has
been such as to bring them to their present
felicitous surroundings surmountlng and
overcoming as he has Internal dlscord, muir
dcrous rcvolts under circumstances which In
cludcd the scarcity of war material, and have
uthahueu hiHhSst li"isS iioih thS ltoHO
Of tue civilized world. This praise and the
consequent natural sympathy Of the people
of the United States for the Liberals induced
our Government to use les active cxcrtions in
behalf Of Juarcz, and subsequently Indirectly
In behalf Of his successor. We have re-
pcatedly alluded to these facts for the purpose
Of showing the obligations to us under which
the Mexican people rest. But thcic were other
acts Of kindness to them, including the fur
nishing Of arms and munitions Of war through
private enterprise, and as the result Of
contracts botwee the officials and the Next
can Government and private citizens of the
| United States. When nearly all the treaty
making Powers Of the world turned their
backs upon Juarcz, the Government of the
United States accepted the responsibility Of
acting as his diplomatic agent, and 1t was
through the agency Of our State Department
that the case Of Mexico was heard in the
diplomatic courts of Europe. No one knows
these facts better than Tcjado himself, and
while he boasts of his ability to control his
people, and Of his separation Of the Church
from the State, the thought rises inyolunta-
rily that common gratitude should compel
him not only to deal fairly and promptly In
the settlement of those contracts, but TO cx-
crt the power of his Administration to pro-
tcct American citizens from outrage within
the borders Of Mexican territory. We know
that he is strong enough to do this, hut up to
this time he has failed to execute the laws in
q single instance wherein Mexican has
been the aggressor and an American the
victim. Lurcd by the apparent fairness Of
the proposals and tho prOffcrcd protection
Of the Mexican Government, thousands Of
our fellow-citizens have left their homes to
seek fortunes in the development OF the coun-
try south of the Rio Grande. Tho records
show that they have paid dearly for their
tcmcrity. They have been murdered and
systematically robbed, with the tacit con-
nivancc Of the Mexican authorities. We are
lmpelled, under these circumstances, to advise
Mr.. President Tcjado that there is limit
even to the friendly endurance of. his imposi-
tions, of which VIC have given such convincing
proofs, and that our patient forbcarancc may
soon be exhausted. The boundary line be.
tween the two countries is sufficiently marked
| TO enable his followers to make the needed
distinction between meunt and teIt,n, and 1t Is
about time that VIC should begin to hear as
much about his success IN keeping the
peace" on the Rio Grandc as VIC hear about
the quiet separation Of the Church from the
State.