The Royal Speech announces that orders have been given to
demand, and if necessary to enforce, due reparations for wrongs and indignities which British subjects have sustained at the hands of contending parties in Mexico. Her Majesty's Govern- ment, therefore, is rather before than behind the Government of the United States in the employment of force towards the dege- nerate Spanish Republic. Nor ran we wonder that the guards of civilization, whether they be British, American, French, or even frania, shoritd. interfere to defend the public law outraged in the persons of their own subjects. Any stran- gers in Mexico have been treated by the leaders of the contend- ing parties as so much prey ; the General of each side in turn putting the screw upon an English. or American resident, in order to extort from the pocket of the foreigner those means which the Mexicans 4:Lernselves have entirely squandered away. Three British men-of-war have arrived at Vera Cruz, and more are expected ; it seems probable that the British, therefore, will
/be the first actually to throw aside the formal observance of peace, which has long since been broken in fact by the Mexicans themselves. The truth appears to be, that the several parties have so recklessly carried on the contest, that the majority of their followers are entirely demoralized ; the sense of political as well as personal responsibility has been frittered away ; and the political factions, which in this country are 'discredited if they resort to the extremes of Parliamentary debate, have there de- scended literally to a level with brigands. It is not surprising if respectable statesmen in Mexico, wearied out with this perpetual national disgrace, should long since have contemplated a junc- tion with the great neighbouring Republic as the best mode of securing order even for the Mexican race. It is well known, however, that the President of the United States now in office is opposed to any such annexation ; which would bring within the bounds of the Union alien communities that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to govern according to the essential laws of the Republic. There appears to be something almost incompatible between the idea of our common law, which is the common law of the Union, and Mexican life.
We are, however, not in a position to contradict the report that the Mexican Republic itself, or at least the party in power, desires to get rid of some border responsibility, and at the same time to raise the wind a little, by the sale of Sonora and Chi- huahua to the United States. Of one thing we may be quite sure,—that if political circumstances permit the transfer of the -two provinces, they will, from the moment of their juncture, begin to enjoy the advantage of those natural resources which they possess.
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