Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-14
MEXICAN ANNEXATION.

Some good will grow out Of this Cutting
affair 1t will augment the knowledge of
our people regarding the Mexicans and
their methods, and confirm the belief that
annexation chatter is folly The republic
is our neighbor, it is true but as we I'M
derstand republics it is incomplete, and is
as distant in sentiment from us as if it
were not next to us. The independence Of
the States surpasses that of orr American
States, and cripples the General Govern
ment sadly. The affairs of the nation are
are administered very differently from
| those of the United States. The
| constitution of the population Of
Mexico 50 widely differs from ours that
American methods and systems would be
wholly inapplicable. The elective fran
chise is not the power in Mexico that it is
with us. Elections are almost farcical in
the manner of their manipulation, and
genuine patriotic manifestation of regard
for the republic is exceedingly rare. The
mass Of the people are 50 little attached to
republican institutions that or the slight
est Pretext they plunge into revolutions
There is some loyalty to republican prin-
ciples, some sincere attachment to demo-
cratic forms and truths, but as whole the
republic is not anchored in the hearts of
the people. At this moment its greatest
strength, its cohesion and its vigor is de-
pendent upon the personality in the Elk
ecutive chair, rather than in the convic-
tions of the people regarding free govern
ment. Forty-two per cent. of the population
is of mixed and Indian blood, with no at
tachment, worthy the name, for the repub-
lie Listlessness and shiftlessness prevail
in the rural parts, and lawlessness and a
revolutionary spirit upon the borders
The powers of the Executive and of the
so-called representative bodies more closely
resemble monarchical authority than would
be possible in our own country. The
nation as whole is behind the
age, ridden by old superstitions and
chained to a past that has no particle of
sympathy with the progressive present.
1t Is not such country, or any part of it
We want, for not over 7 per cent. of its citi-
zens would make good Americans.
standing army is maintained as large as
that of the United States, and a PROPOSE
ton is in hand to speedily augment it. Yet
with an army Of the same strength we
maintain free government among fifty mill
ions more people. The majority of the
inhabitants of Mexico are combatiye;
lovers of personal liberty, but unwilling to
accord it to all classes; the slaves of i'm
pulse and the creatures of political inca
pacity and demagogical leaders The bet
ter class of the people are generous, ex-
eeedingly polite, hospitable, warm-hearted
and the friends of education, scientific
progress and pure democracy. But these
unfortunately are in the minority. So
we do not want Mexico, We could
not govern it by our system now, and
century of time would not adapt it. The
idea Of annexing such a country is chimeri-
cal and uneconomic. No matter what the
difficulties that may arise between the two
nations, one thing is certain we donot want
any Mexican territory, or a population
that has no sympathy in common with US
and that entertains for US only hatred,