The New York Herald Newspaper, October 18, 1859, Page 1

WHOLE NO. 8443. INTERESTING FROM MEXICO, ‘THE WAR IN THAT REPUBLIC. ‘THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY. Division of States and Population Be- tween the Two Contending Parties, ‘SEATS OF THE TW0 GOVERNMENTS. HEADQUARTERS OF THE COMMANDING GENERALS, Our Special Correspondence from Vern Cruz, Tepic San Blas, Monterey and Minatitlan, “Phe Attack on Brownsville by Mexi- can Guerrillas. AMBRICAN CITIZENS KILLED, Rey Rey ker Notwithstanding Mexico is now attracting s0 souch attention, not only in the United States, but also in Great Britain and the rest of Europe, it is truly lamentable to see the erroneous opinions which are brought to light, not only in the public but algo in such an illustrions assembly as the British House of Commons. It isnot our pur- pove here to notice all or any of these false con- -elngions as to the actual state of the country; but we think that a thoroughly comprehensive state- ment, and geographical illustration of the manner in which Mexico is now divided by the present party stroggle, would find favor with the public. Without going into the merita of the different parties, we give above an outline map of Mexico, ymarking upon it the principal grand divisions (States or Departmente) into which the republic is -divided, and separating by a dotted line the terri- tory claimed by one party from that governed by the other. From this illustration it will be seen how very insignificant by comparison the extent of ter- ritory held by the clergy or centralist faction marked with dark lines) is to that indisputably go- verned by the constitutionalist party. The capital and a strip of country in the heart of the republic sre under the rule of the clergy, while all the fron- tier States, and those on the two oceans, are held by the constitutionalists, with the single exception of a strip of territory om the river Santiago, leading posing city of Guadalajara to the port of San But it ia said by the partisans of the clergy that ia the portion under their sway there is the larger nam- der of population. Comparatively speaking, they are . .gorrect; but, as will be seen by a population table appended, a very large majority of the popu- lation is to be found in the territory held by the ‘constitutionalists. It is also argued by the clergy ns that the cities they hold represent the principal wealth of the country. It is very true MORNING EDITION—TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 1859.—TRIPLE SHERT. THE NEW YORK HERALD. ' PRIGE TWO CENTS. MAP OF THE MEXICAN REPUBLIC, Nos.—Headquarters of the constitutionalists are marked witha star,and the headquarters of the church party with a mitre’ of the Gadsden parchase is marked with dotted lines. that Mexico, Guanajuato and Guadalajara have, ia times past, been the principal commercial depots in the country; but these cities cannot flourish with- out the ports, and as thera are twenty-one porta and places for the entry of foreign goods in the country, and as the clergy have but one of these, it is very clear that those heretofore flourishing commercial emporiums must lose their trade or be under obligations to the constitutional- ists, who hold all the important custom houses. Already these cities have suffered the loss of much of the trade which formerly flowed through them, and it isextremely doubtful if it ever again returns tothem. From force of circumstances new depots have been established in the cities near the Texas and Arizona frontiers, and as the facilities are there great for contraband trade, it is very probable the trade already established at those points would continue should peace be established throughout the country to-morrow. It will appear by the map and statistical tables that the extent of territory held by the clergy is as one to ten in comparison to that held by the constitutionalists. That the population stands as one to one and one-fifth in favor of the constitu- tienalists, and also that all the vital points, com- ercially speaking, are in the hands of the latter. We may ask, “Is this the natural state of the country?” So far as we are able to judge it is more or less ao. If any change were to be made it should be to give the whole State of Jalisco, with the city of Guadalajara, to the constitutionalists. In the war, which has now lasted twenty months, the clergy forces have gone as far north as Zaca- tecas, and have again been driven as far south and east as the city of Mexico, with their whole force reduced to the city of Mexico, Puebla and the camp before Vera Crnz. Almost perpetually large bands of constitutionalists are within the territory marked out as belonging to the clergy, and for a great portion of the time daring the war martial law has prevailed in the cities under the dominion of the priesthood. While this atate of things has prevailed in the heart of the country, the Northern States of Sonora, Chihuahuas, Durango, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Sinaloa have enjoyed undisturbed the blessings of civil law under the constitution, The same, with little variation, bas been the case in the Central Ame rican portion of Mexico, and in Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacan, Zacatecas and Tamaulipas. The ques- tion may here arise: “Why has not the great ma- jority of the nation prevailed against the minority?” The answer is: The clergy are richer than the nation. While the best national securities, unguar- anteed by foreign treaties, are selling for from three to eight per cent, the clergy.can borrow on ita paper at the rate of 90 to 95 per cent. ' The clergy are, therefore, more powerful than the nation, and they have made use of their monied power to bribe the army of the country. With this anda liberal use of money in other quanters, they have been able to hold their own in a few of the central walled cities, and by means of shrewd secret agents in foreign countries have ma- naged to blind the eyes of those governments holding relations with Mexico. They have been materially aided in this last work by the criminal stupidity or knavery of resident foreign ministers ay I TF in Mexico, who have allowed themselves to be made their ready tools. It was, perhaps, all for the best that the clergy should have had power sufficient to defeat popular will and plunge the country into anarchy; that foreign ministers should have taken motice of knaves or foola—in fact that all possible calamities should have been heaped upon the country at once: The circumstance has brought MexicoMnto a crisis from which she can hardly escape without levelling all the destroying evils which have obtained such Mammoth growth in this rich and most beantifal portion of America. The civil war in Mexico hes already illustrated to the world how vicious and demoralized are the clergy, and how entirely want- ing is the country in enlightened leading men. This war has demonstrated the absolute necessity for a large infusion into Mexico of liberal, progressive ideas, based upon reason and the spirit of peaceful compromise. It has aroused foreign "governments to the necessity of sending them enlightened men to attend to their affairs, The United States} Oviace. have taken the lead, and England has followed the example by recalling a man who certainly has done nothing for his future position and done no good to the country he represented, except it may be in giving her a very expensive lesson. A ques- tion may yet be entertained as to what France will do. Itis barely possible that that Power mag en- tertain the idea of finally compromising the Mexi- can question in the same manner the Italian ques- tion has been arranged—by securing the supremacy of the church of Rome over the country. But the schemes of France cannot prevail in Mexico, if the United States and England are united, and adopt a decisive policy with regard to it for the purpose of ending the present snarchy and securing peace to the country. We think our illustrations are sufficiently clear to the commonest mind to show the extent of the op- position to the ambitious pretensions of the clergy. They will also show the fatal error of those foreign. governments who still continue to recognise as the government of Mexico a combination of the clergy and army that, notwithstanding the money it bas and the disciplined soldiers of which it boasts, can. not extend ita sway over more than one-tenth part of the republic, every vital interest of the country being either held or controlled by the constita- tionalista. For the perfect understanding of the positions of the clergy forces on our map we will explain: Mar quez holds Guadalajars and the rosd to San Biss; General Velez holds Guanajuato; General Woll is moving constantly with forces from near Guanajue- to to about where the dotted line curves most towards San Lois, but frequently he has been forced to fall back to Guanajuato; Miramon is in Mexico; Robles is hemmed in at Jalapa, and Co- bos has for the last two months been making fruit- less efferts to enter Oaxaca, bat haa not got farther than Yehuscan, on the berders. The city of Puebla and the line aa far as Cordova are held by troops under the ordera of Peres; but there is not a road between any one of these points that is not constantly crossed and recrossed by troops of the other party, The following table will show the population of Mexico a estimated by many native writers; but as no correct census has been taken, it is probable that the actual population is not more than half what it is represented. In this statement we have divided the population between the two parties now at war, giving the full population of five States to the clergy, whereas, in fact, they only hold the cities of those States. The balance of the territory is in the hands of guerrilla bands belong- ing to the other party, and the people ahould pro- perly be credited to them. This would make the entire population of the country as three to one against the clergy:— ESTIMATED POPULATION OF THE REPUBLIC. Clergy. Constitutional. 83 TEUUGEsseaeeeessresssisrernr S3838 $323833113 880, 450, 320, 12, 70, 12, 66, ‘90, 100, 13883823 Total ..4+..++++++ ceseee 8,990,000 Population under constitutional government, Population under clergy gOVernMeENt, ...r00 titory, in square leagues, belonging to each party, and will show ® difference of over 80,000 leagues in favor ofthe constitutional government:— DIVISION OF THE TERRITORY TF SQUARE LEAGUES BETWEEN ARTIBS. THE TWO. Pi Aguascalientes .. ee iihaehassesear \ Coshuila. .. - 7 7,08 = 2598 - 11,616 am 6,744 J peg Guerrero —_ 4,451 Talisco. 8324 ~ Mexico 27 _ ~ 3, Nuevo Leon. - rit} Puebla. 5733 on ) = - 3,014 - 4,000 - 13,040 _ 1n9 Sean = 6,801 ~ 3,862 - 376 - 007 _ 8,487 - 1,142 - ‘304 - 435 99,200 Dibrence in favor of ppnstitutionalists.68,458 With the exception of San Bias, all the custom houses, both gu the coast and the frontier, are in the ) ; j f i ‘ With the Geographical Division of Oountry in the Hands of the Ohurch Party and the Liberals. That portion of territory abaded with dark lines represents the districts over which the clergy now exercise supremacy, all the rest of the country being in the hands of the Juarez party. The boundary hands of the constitutionalists. The subjoined list THE LATEST NEWS FROM MEXIOS- contains the entire number, with their locations:— MARITIME AND FRONTIER CUSTOM HOUSES, ACCORDING TO THE ARANCEL OF 1856. Sisal, Campeche, Tabaseo, Vera Cruz, Tampico, T isal, Campeche, , Vera Cruz, ico, Tu: os, andf sia del Carmen, 8. = sn ON THE PACIFIC COAST AND GULF OF CORTES. Acapulco, San Blas, Manganille, Mazatlan, Guaymas, 5. ON THE FRONTIER. Matamoros, , Mier, Piedras sp sees Monterey, Laredo, Presidio del Norte, and Paso del Norte, 8. Since the publication of the tariff of 1856 (the one now in force), the port of Coatzacoalcos has been declared open to foreign trade. That port,as well as the others, with the single exception of Sen Blas, together with the eight frontier custom houses, are in the hands of the constitutionalists; thus making twenty-one of the custom houses in their hands against one in the posaeasion of the clergy. Mens present division of the custom houses has existed from the beginning of the civil war, more or leas the same. The clergy at one time had three, and again have had not even one. The later dates from Mexico represent some serious difficulties existing between Vidaurri, who isnow deposed, and General Degollado. It appeara thatthe latter, as General-in-Chief of the federal forees, refused to court martial Colonel Quiroga for insubordination against General Zuazua. Also, the appointment by Degollado of other officers to com- mand the frontier forces of the State, the act of which Vidaurri had protested against, and, conse- quently, published a decree recalling the State forces, and at the same time refusing to sustain the constitution. A battle was lately fought at Leon, near Guanay, between Woll, the woman hair shaver, and Gen. Doblado, in which both chiefs claim the victory. Doblado, having 1,200 men, fought Woll, who had 3,000 and twenty pieces of artillery. The official statement of the action is rather ambiguous. It is claimed that Woll drove Doblado past San Luis, and occupied it. : Gen. Degollado-is still at San Luis with @ good and numerous force, and will take the offensive, regardless of the difficulties with Vidaurri,and ia strongly prepared to meet the reactionary forces. No important movements have taken place at Guadalajara. Marquez is still at the last named place, and was recently twice defeated by the liberals near Tepic. Miramon was preparing to attack Vera Cruz, and threatened to bombard it. The constitutionalists generally meantime were on the move, with a view to a deacent on the city of Mexico. ‘Thus stands the position of Mexico up to the pres- ent time. A reference to the map will show at a glance the locations of the different armies, as we have indicated there the headquarters of the sev- ral generale. We have also noted the seats of the two governments claiming supremacy—that of the constitutionalists under the Presidency of Juarez, by ® star,and that of the church party, under the Presidency of Miramon, by # mitre—the former being located at Vera Crus, and the letter at the city of Mexico. That portion of the repub- lic now acknowledging the church party is, we think, sufficiently indicated by the dark space ran- ning from the borders of Vera Crug te Sam Blas on the Pacific coast, The Istest reports from Vera Cras, San Luis Pe- tosi and the city of Mexico only confirm news we- had before received—é. ¢., that everybody was pre- paring for the coming fight. Among the mes6- active was Gen. Degollado, who was still at Sag. Luis Potosi, where he had made the following ap- pointments, some of which will surprise the reader:— Gen, Echeagaray—the same gentleman whe fought a few months ago for the reaction and the church—to be chief of the staf, Gen, Tapia to be chief of = corps of officers, te be formed ont of all unattached officers. Gen. Zaragoza and Traconis to diferent com- mands of the line. Gen. Corona had gone to occupy Tepic. Miramon, it is stated, was not less active; he ‘would take the field in person, leaving in Mexice"s. Vice President to direct the affairs of State. Ther impending danger seems to have anited Miramee.. and Marquez for the present. To judge from ap- pearances, the charch party will be the first in ther field. In the meantime 8 ‘conspiracy against Mirameme has been discovered at the capital. It does not sp~ pear who was the leader, but it is certain some twenty persons, many of them of high standing. have been arrested. ‘The Simeon Hart, from New York, came intet Minatitlan some three weeks ago, with a load ef arms and munitions of war. Considerable curiosi- ty waa manifested there. The captain was directed: by a certain Dr. Smith in New York. to deliver his cargo to the American Consul in Minatitlan. The’ captain did not bring any letters of instraction or letters, indeed, of any kind, only a simple ‘“‘consign- ment” from Dr. Smith tothe Consul. Even the cap- tain could not say for whom these arms were intend~ ed. The custom house officers and other govers- ment officials of course imagined the arms to be for the liberal government, and tried to persusde the American Consul to accept the consigament sud. disembark the arms; but Mr. Allen refused to have anything to do with it, and did not receive the com~ signment. Dr. Smith being strong friend of Walker, many suspicions were abroad that thees arms belong to the latter. The arrival of Dr. Smith at Minatitlan, however, has put as in possession of the facts in reference te the suspicious vessel. The arms snd manitions of war were purchased and are intended for Alvaren, andthe Doctor himself will take ‘the arms across the Isthmus with an escort which be expects frou Tehuantepec. Dr. Smith is direct from Vera Cras, and gives @ deplorable account of the ate of af- fairs in that city and ite government. ~ ‘The steamship Habana arrived at Minatitlan at four o'clock P.M. on the 30th ult, She had the schooner Suffolk, from Mew Orleans, in tow. The Suffolk brought down a load of arms and munitices of war, purchased by Gen. Hernandes in the United _ States. Gen. Castillo, with his brigade, also, has ocoupie/, Jalape, ase base of operations, it is anise ager ot Vera Crus or Alvarado. Castillo waa with /sira- moon in bis lest expedition againat YeraCray . What: anne neem a nat negates!