classes are in favor of the French usurpation, or anything else which may present itself, provided they can get into office and enjoy with undisturbed voluptuousness the heavenly delights of chocolate drinking. But the mass of the people are opposed to the amiable projects of the new Messiah who, sitting upon his throne in Paris, dispenses his divine light to an admiring and grateful world. The State of Chihuahua being completely nullified with political dissensions will not afford any hearty assistance to President Juarez. General Trias is very much isolated. His efforts to organize forces are fruitless. The Terrazes party working against him day and night. If you bear in mind what I have therefore reported to you about the official course of the leading men of this State you can readily comprehend how it is that a few French soldiers run over and occupy so much of the country almost without military opposition. The usurpations of the State Governors have brought about this great disgrace. They have destroyed the General Government in order to make themselves more important and powerful. They have interposed themselves between the National Government and the people. They have fostered and developed a State feeling at the expense of national patriotism, and the result of such conduct is being felt in the present lamentable degradation of this Republic.

The 16th of September the anniversary of Mexican independence, was celebrated in this city with the customary ceremonies, speeches, balls, &c. But, sir, these people of Chihuahua are politically dead. Dead to all enthusiasm for the Republican, dead to all feeling in favor of the monarch. They resemble the waters of the Dead Sea, over the waves of which no bird flies, and in the depths of which live no fish. A magician wand is needed here, such a one as struck the rock for the salvation of the Israelites. What is the use of all this fussing and speechifying if nobody goes to fight? What is the use of dancing and toasts when the crisis calls for women like those of Carthage, who cut off their hair to make bowstrings for their warriors? But is all Mexico in the same state of apathy as Chihuahua? I think not. Although we hear but little from Southern Mexico, yet that little leads us to believe that they are offering more substantial opposition in that quarter. Our war in the States has had a very potent influence (the wrong way) in Northern Mexico. These people being close to us and seeing our misfortunes lose all confidence in the future. They say, "If so great and enlightened a nation as the United States is coming to so bad an end, what can we poor Mexican hope for?" We have lost our proper influence and it cannot be restored until we shall have first restored the Union. I see that Maximilian is trying to bring over an army of foreigners. This tells the whole tale. He is convinced that he cannot depend upon the Mexicans. He must be secured by mercenaries. But history teaches us that no people bear patiently the presence of this class of troops. The people always understand what their object is, and they feel, with that instinct which is proverbial in the masses, that such men are their enemies. Think of this Austrian proclaiming to the world that he is the choice of this people, and then himself flatly disproving the assertion with the act of importing a lot of foreign adventurers who are going to make the empire strong by crushing the little spirit left in the nation. Time, which slowly unrolls the threads of destiny, will unfold in Mexican history another lesson fit to be remembered by imperial intermeddlers and sycophantic princes.

Chihuahua, October 1, 1864. Last night an express arrived in this city bringing information that a fight occurred between the forces of President Juarez and the French in the vicinity of the city of Durango.