French Intervention in America, or a Review of La France, Le Mexique, Et Les Etats-Conf?d?r?s (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from French Intervention in America, or a Review of La France, Le Mexique, Et Les Etats-Confdrs

But when it is declared that the intervention in Mexican affairs is for the purpose of establishing an intermediary power to prevent the restoration of the American Union, and check its advance towards the South, we are inevitably made parties to that debate, and to the policy of France in the affairs of this Continent.

This pamphlet relates to France, Mexico, and to the Confederate States. It considers the indisposition of France to colonize and undertake a distant expedition; but the regeneration of French transatlantic commerce, and the resuscitation of the Latin race on this Continent, are the avowed purposes of this French interposition in Mexico. Not long since France only pretended to compel Mexico to keep her public faith, and redress her national grievances; but now she is to establish a permanent government in that unfortunate country, to advance the interests of France, and interrupt the march of the United States. France is to oppose the absorption of this Continent by the Saxon race, and prevent, so far as she may, the United States becoming the distributor of the products of this Continent, and possessing herself of the Gulf of Mexico, and the channels of trade between Europe and Asia. Mexico is the unfortunate but inviting country for the experiment in the affairs of this Continent which is made so promising to French adventure.

The rights of nations and of Mexico find no room for the slightest consideration in this French pamphlet, which glosses over the machinations of France with an appeal to her commercial ambition and her national interest. France is said to be generous and disinterested, but this pamphlet addresses altogether her love of glory and her love of gain. Interest is the moving element of this grand undertaking of France to seize upon Mexico, and to shatter to pieces the solid fabric of the United States. Is it generous and disinterested to thus obtrude in American affairs when the United States, almost the child of France, is in the struggle for her nationality France, under the present Emperor confines not herself to her own affairs, for she too looks after the welfare of other nations, and "France fights only for an idea." But that idea seems a little confused. She saves Turkey from the power of Russia, to preserve the balance of power it may be.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.