The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-19 00:00:00

THE MEXICAN THRONE.

VIENNA, Aug. 14.
The Presse of to-day publishes a leader, from
which the following are extracts :
"News is current throughout the city to-day that
Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian is upon the point
of accepting the Imperial crown offered to him by
Mexico. We have recently pointed out what ap-
pears to us the danger of this political plan, and we
need, therefore, hardly repeat how greatly one
should regret the confirmation of this intelligence.
To those persons who come before us with an affec-
tation of loyalty, and declare the press has no right
to interfere in the matter, that is a purely private
concern of the Archduke, and that we have no busi-
ness to attempt to restrict his personal freedom, we
reply that they don't know what 'they are talking
about. Independently of the fact that we have not
the presumption to suppose our disapproval will
prevent the Archduke from accepting the crown if
he feels inclined, we are yet unmistakably of opinion
that the personal interest of the Archduke is not
alone concerned in his taking his seat upon the
Mexican throne. We should have to recollect,
under any circumstances, that the ruler of Mexico
was the brother of the Emperor of Austria. Any
misfortune that might overtake him would be a
misfortune for the Imperial family ; insult to the
Emperor of Mexico would be insult to Austria. We
believe that too little is as yet known of the real
foundation upon which this Mexican throne is to be
erected, or there could not possibly be any idea of
its occupation by an Austrian Archduke. Even at
the Tuileries it has not been definitely decided
whether to recognise the Mexican Assembly of Not-
ables, drummed together by Forey, as competent,
or whether to ratify their decision by an appeal to
universal suffrage. The latter course is the most
probable, so that the future possessor of the Mexi-

can throne may feel the leaden weight of French
protective rule as long as possible. Nobody will
convince us that a real election, an honestly
meant nomination of a ruler agreeable to the
chief parties in the land, is intended. The scum
which has hurried to salute the French stan-
dards since the occupations of Vera Cruz does
not even represent a majority of the Mexican
population, far less its active and living elements.
Its utterance cannot, therefore, be regarded as the
view and expression of will of the influential citi-
zens of the 15 States. We have often stated that
Aimonte and his tail—the Generals and Bishops
expelled by Juarez—belong to the Uitramentane
party of an old Conservative minority; that they
and their followers are powerless and destitute of

the prospect of a productive political future. They
are not only incapable of forming the support of a
new throne because they acknowledge High Church
principles and refer with pride and insolence to their
blue Castilian blood, not only because they profess
ideas which we in Europe are accustomed to style
retrogade, for more fanatical elements have esta-
blished new empires ; more than one Royal throne
in the Pyrenean peninsula, more than one Prince-
dom in the Levant has been set up by the outcasts
of the Crusades. Bat their incapacity is due to the
fact that they are foreign in blood and civilization
to the great mass of the inhabitants of the country.
Almonte and Co., the aristocratic ruins of the party
of Santa Anna, the allies of the FrEnch invading
army, are the last remnant of the pure-blooded
Creoles of European descent who after 40 years of
an embittered conflict of races with the natives of

the country, with the highly civilised descendants
of the ancient peoples subdued by the swords of the
conquestravora have finally been obliged to call upon
a stranger for protection and for help
They have received this aid, and now, although a
fast disappearing small minority, not amounting to
a sixteenth part of the population of the country,
although in right of their blue blood, certainly en-
titled to style themselves the Notables, they arro-
gate the right of handling over Mexico to a Regent.
So long as foreign soldiers cross the seas, and, as
in the Spanish time, support the mastery of these
Creoles, they may maintain themselves and the man
of their choice, but not an hour beyond. Were the
question really one of principles, were a greater or
less portion of freedom at stake, compromise might
be possible and final reconciliatio❑ not unlikely.
But the lordship of a foreign Prince will never
strike firm root into this elementary struggle of two
separate races. He would never be forgiven for
belonging to the sons of the pale faces who de-
stroyed the temples and palaces of Mentezuma, and
have rendered desolate the towns and republics of
Anahuac.—Reuter's Express.