The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-23 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23, 1863.

The Archduke MAXIMILIAN, it seems, has, after
all, deliberately and definitively accepted the
Imperial Crown of Mexico recently proffered
to him so unexpectedly by the Emperor-
Maker NAPOLEON 111. This formal acceptance,
at any rate, is quite positively announced
as a fact by the Europe of Frank-on-the-
Maine. And the acceptance is, beyond that, an_
flounced to be, moreover, " at all risks and perils"
—the ARCHDUKE, in assuming the magnificent
title and dignity proffered to him, together
.with their attendant responsibilities, renounc-
ing his own rights and prerogatives as the
Prince nearest collaterally to the inheritance
of the Austrian throne. The acceptance, therefore,
is one full and complete. It is like crossing over
the plank and kicking away the plank afterwards.
It is a manner of accepting the crown of Mexico
kindred in its way to the manner of CESAR'S in-
vasion of Bricain, when after landing the troops
he burnt his ships. Strangely enough, while this
incident is occurring in regard to the Empire of
3lezico in the northern of the
,twin continents
of America, in the southern the companion
Empire, that of Brazil, seems to give promise of
falling to the lot, eventually, of another of the
KAISER'S brothers, in this instance, the youngest !
Stich a contingency being rendered, at any rate, pos-
sible, if not in the highest degree probable, by rea-
son of that youngest brother of His Majesty the
Emperor of AUSTRIA, i.e, the Archduke Louis,
being affianced to the eldest daughter and heiress
of the reigning Emperor of the BRAZILS, PEDRO 11.

Supposing—at whatever date after this marriage
of the Archduke Louis of Austria with the Princess
DONNA ISABELLA CHRlSTlNA—supposing that
Princess to ascend tbelmperial Throne of Brazils as
Empress regnant, the Archduke, as is usual in these
cases with the Consorts of the Bourbon and Haps-
burg Princesses when inheriting a Crown, would
inevitably assume the title and dignity of Emperor.
Such an elevation, if occurring in the lifetime of his
elder brothers—his Imperial majesty FRANCIS
JosErii, and his Imperial Highne,, rather, we
should say now, his Imperial xt
--Ajesty MAXI-
MILIAN—wouId, present to
hira a Conjunction
of circumstances such as certainly never yet has
occurred in the annals of any dynasty.
Three brothers reigning simultaneously over three
separate empires—one in Europe, one in North
America, one in The Emperor
South America.
FRANCIS JOSEPII over the Empire, of Austria.
The Emperor MAXIMILIAN over the Empire of
Alexia), The Emperor Louis, through his wife's
iolteritance, over the Empire of Brazil.
xnowing the poss;Li/tty cf this combination of
circumstances being actually and eventually
and that, moreover, by the natural
brought about,
course of events,. and upon no mere wild

anticipation ; knowing that two out of the
three incidents imagined as posible to be-
come, a while later, contemporaneous—know-
ing, we say, that two out of the three have
already been realised, tiat the Emperor FRANCIS
Josarn not only reigning still as he has been
reigning now for fourteen years past over Austria,
and that the Archduke MAxpiILIAN has virtually.
become Emperor of MEXICO—it is peculiarly
worthy of consideration that a family called to
such lofty and resplendent destinies as the
House of HAPSBURG should so very rzcently,
10 Tery signally, and, be it added, quite

unmistakeably committed themselves to the cause,
to the principles, to the policy known as that of
purely Constitutional Government.

As certainly as. according to a famous and most
felicitous phrase of LAMARTINE'S, the slope of Russia
is towards the East, so surely, so unmistakeably may
it now be said that the slope of Austria is towards
Constitutional Government. It is from Despotism
and towards so much of Democracy as may be
implied under the term of Constitutional Go-
vernment. To this course the Emperor of
AUSTRIA is now pledged: not reluctantly but
spontaneously. The enthusiasm awakened, to
all appearance, at the time, to superficial observers
at least so very prematurely in the heart of Mr.
ROEBUCK by reason of his early recognition of what
all Europe has since then come to recognise—that
strange and, at the time, bewildering enthusiasm of
Mr. ltoEsucK's for Austria, for the Austrian EM•
PEROR, for the Austrian Government, has, of late,
been to the full justified. The Austrian EMPE-
ROR has not only given ample assurances of his
good intentions in the way of, so to speak,
constituting his hitherto purely arbitrary
Government, but, as one pledged to this
course, he has very recently held aloft the banner
of advance, of reform, of improvement, to the whole
Germanic Confederation. His brother MAXIMILIAN,
now about to ascend the Imperial Throne of Mexico,
will carry out there with him that predilection for
Constitutional Government,inevitable in some sort, in
a Prince who is younger brother to FRAN CIS JOSEPH,
son-in-law of LEOPOLD, and the friend (shall we not
say, also, the protegee ?) of that NAPOLEON 111. who
has affeeted at any rate so to admire Constitutional
Government that his avowed policy is to prepare
France for it ! That NAroLßox 111., one of whose
latest and most remarkable speeches was an elo-
quent panegyric upon the liberties assured to us
here in England under the aegis of our Constitu•
tional Government ! Predilections of a similar
kind, we may rest assured, would, in all hu-
man likelihood, be taken out with him by
the Archduke Louls of Austria to South America,
should that Prince, in his turn, be called :o ascend
an imperial throne in the Brazils. It is from an
appreciation of all this, that we can regard with
complacency, that we can regard without any sense
whatever of solicitude, the wonderful development
of late of the already lofty fortunes of the Imperial
House of Hapsburg.

Nothing can be more unsatisfactory than the
course which our Government are pursuing to-
wards the Southern States of America. Earl
RUSSELL seems resolved to do all in his power to
work against them, and the last result of his arbi-
trary actions and unwise proceedings is, that Mr.
MASON has been ordered to withdraw. He yester-
day sent to Lord RUSSELL a notification that he
has been instructed by the Confederate Government
at Richmond to withdraw from this country. He
will proceed to Paris. This proves how much has
been done to annoy and irritate the Confederates
by all the strange plans and novel modes of proce-
dure that Lord RUSSELL has adopted during the
last few months. In the first place, it was a great
error to respect the blockade at all. It has caused
great loss and irreparable injury to many of our
people ; but this is nothing in comparison with the
way in which the honour of England has been
called in question by the recent arrangements with
the Federal Government. In order to suit their
notions all trade with Matamoras has been stopped.
This entails a heavy loss on many of our merchants,
and is a most extraordinary thing for any Minister
to allow, The fact is, that a very convenient
excuse is trumped up about conveying arms,
&c., and thus the trade is monopolised by
the Americans themselves. Again, they insist
on searching ships, and arrogate to themselves the
right of deciding whether or not the documents are
genuine that are found in the confiscated vessels.
In the case of the Peterhoff, for example, they
averred that the papers were simulated, but took
no pains to prove the veracity of the assertion.
Earl RUSSELL was appealed to again and again by
various owners of vessels about to start for Ame-
rica, or to places in that direction, but no protection
would he afford to those claimants for his assist-
ance. In one case ho ordered the mail-bags to be
taken from the vessel, instead of insuring it a safe
convoy under his declaration that all was right.
This was very unworthy conduct on the part of the
Foreign Minister of a great country ; it was a course
of proceeding originally calculated to give rise to
impertinence and assumption on the part of oppo-
nents. So it has certainly proved in regard to this
affair, for the United States Government have been
more sedulous than ever lately in interposing vexa-
tious hindrances to our commerce, and in insulting
our vessels at every opportunity. The last report
is, that a vessel was seized by the Americans on the
pretence of its being destined to run the blockade ;
but here, fortunately, retribution overtook the
assailers, for the captain and his men rose against
the prize crew and succeeded in making their
escape. This is very satisfactory, if true; but, of
course, it is only a chance that such a fortuitous
circumstance occurs. It is really scandalous that
such interference with English subjects, in English
vessels, on the high seas is allowed; it would not
have been tolerated in past days, when the affairs
of the coantry were represented by statesmen of
more spirit. Then England, was the mistress of the
deep, and no one in vain claimed protection beneath
her flag. Now, unhappily, our ancient prestige is
fast departing, and all our old ideas of honour are
to be cast away to suit the dogmas and conform to
the creeds of the Manchester school of politicians.
These DANIELS come to judgment are apparently
resolved to revolutionise all things, but it is a pity
that they do not confine their efforts and limit their
attempts to home matters, where, if mistakes were
made, they could be rectified afterwards. In foreign
affairs a false step is not easily retraced, and it is
too much for those who have the interest and
integrity of the country at heart to endure
tamely that on so many vital points everything
should be allowed to go by default, and no check
put upon the overweening insolence and unblush-
ing effrontery of other nations. Earl RUSSELL is
making a lamentable mistake in his present course.
He is penning the reputation of a long political
career, and tarnishing the lustre of a once mighty
name in politics. How changed is he from the time
when, as Prime Minister, he defended the conduct
of Lord PALMERSTON, then Foreign Secretary.
He based his argument on the solid ground of
nationality. He said that the noble lord was not
the Minister of France or of Russia, but of Eng-
land. Now, in the same piece, is be fulfilling the
same lofty mission, and acting worthy of his proud
vocation ? Is he a right or fitting representative of
the majesty of England before the nations of the
world ? It seems as if nothing could influence him
otherwise. In Parliament there have been frequent
debates, and both sides of the House have concurred
in lamenting the state of affairs in regard to foreign
legislation. Many important individuals in various
departments of trade and commerce have joined
their entreaties, but all to no purpose. Before next
session Earl RUSSELL will have disgusted or dis
appointed bath sides in the America contest, so
that when they separate, as moat like y will be the
case, into two great States, neither will be amicably
disposed toward us. Besides this, in all probability ,