Year: 1866


structing halfa mile of the road. We had sup
posed the measure shelved forever; but in
these efforts of its friends to keep the thing
alive we see the expiring throes-the last kick
of the gasping humbug. Those legislators
who show their contempt for public opinion
by keeping the concern any longer before the
Legislature should be remembered when the
time for reelection arrives.


The Commercial Aspect OF tho Franco


Mexican Question-Our Commercial Re-


lattOns with France.


The announcement that the French troops
are to leave Mexico will be received with more
satisfaction throughout the country than any
other piece Of European news has been in
great while, for, as the troops 60, no one can
doubt that Macmillan must follow closely, and
that thus we will be entirely rid Of this
European attempt to control the destinies of
an American State. France, in thus withdraw
ing her forces, though hate, acts wisely, and the
more wisely because the only legitimate or
profitable object that she could have in Mexico
can be better secured by the establishment of
more intimate commercial relations with the
United States.


There was but one practical permanent ad-
vantage that France could have hoped to secure
in the appropriation of Mexico. In every re-
spect except . commercial one that colonial
empire would have been burden and an evil;
more burden than Canada is to Great Britain,
and as much an evil TO the French people as
the original possession Of the same country and
of Peru was TO the people of Spain. Mexico
would have made her appearance on the wrong
side of the government accounts annually, and
her mines would have proved delusion
to the people, would have demoralized
the industrious laborers at the loom and
delivers in the vineyard, and would, by caus-
ing a neglect of the proper resources
of France, have caused reduction in her ma
tional wealth greater than all the gold and
silver would supply. But, commercially, the
venture might, perhaps, have been good
one, and more than have restored the
balance. Napoleon points TO the fact that al
ready the commerce between France and
Mexico had been raised from twenty to over
seventy millions of francs. That is, perhaps,
only an indication of the direction that the
change in the commercial relations of the two
countries would take. 1t would have gone a
great deal higher, and France, keeping to her
self the exclusive trade with her extensive and
naturally rich dependency, would have found
in it by that means greater wealth than its
Spanish conquerors ever dreamed Of in their
most golden visions


Indeed there is in the present age no other
tenable purpose for the maintenance OF vast
foreign NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. they are colo
MES in fact or in name-than the extension of
the trade of the mother country. Nations hold
their colonies purely and simply as customers,
and regard their political relations principally
as they entitle them to especial privileges and
favors. And the question Of colonies is as to
whether or no the trade gained by
such peculiar privileges Is sufficient to
pay the necessary expenses that the
mother country In put to. That would
have become . very important question as
between Mexico and France. High as the
trade between the two countries would proba-
bly, have gone, there would always have been,
from many influences, heavy score on the





up trade with Mexico, having always such
heavy possibility against It, when she could
build up better and larger trade, unembar-
rassed by any such doubts or difficulties, but
possessing on the contrary double benefits, and,
while giving market for her own commodi-
ties, supplying her on advantageous terms
with those of which she stands in need. Why
should she seek by difficult and dangerous
paths, and by armies, to open . way for her
merchants in Mexico when she can put them
in relation with richer people, without difh-
Guilty or danger at all, by commercial treaty.
Commerce between France and the United
States, though assurcdly great, has probably
which 1t il capable. The annual gain of
French agriculture, manufactures and business
activity generally reaches In all probability
two thousand million dollars. One quarter
Of this-fve hundred million dollars-is in
wines, cotton, woollen and silk manufactures,
jewelry, bronzcs, porcelain, leather and gloves;
and though all OF these are articles that we
constantly buy from France, and many Of
them that we can get better there than else
where, yet the average annual trade from
France to this country, in all articles together,
ranges below forty millions. OF the peculiar
products Of France we buy very great deal
less than we might be induced to buy, and
great deal less also than there Is demand for
supply in this place only meeting demand by
excessively high and forbidding prices. or
one hundred and sixty million dollars worth Of
wine annually made in France, about three
million dollars worth comes TO the United
States in an active year. II is certain that this
trade alone might be developed with benefit