The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-17 00:00:00

Mexican Republic. France does not wait for op-
portunities in the sense suggested, and the Re-
public in Mexico was banished by the Mexicans
themselves. They chose their own form of go-
vernment, and they elected their Emperor. But
this, it is said, was contrary to the Monroe doc-
trine, was all done in defiance of the United
States, and in opposition to the policy of the so-
vereign American Republic. We are not con-
cerned to dispute about anything so transparently
absurd. Still, the policy of every country must
conform to the general laws which regulate the
policy of all countries, or--for there is no alterna-
tive—the country that does purely and simply
what seems right in, its own eyes must abide by
the consequences its separate action and isolated
position may entail. We do not, however, believe
that the United States will adopt the Monroe doc-
trine as its platform ; and although that which is
immediately impossible may be preserved, laid up
in lavender, and brought out periodically to make
political capital in an election, there is no real
substance in it. The Washington Government
can refuse to recognise the Mexican Empire, just
as Austria objects to acknowledge the existence of
the Kingdom of Italy, but it is by no means cer-
tain that such a state of things would conduce to
the security of the public. It must not be forgot-
ten that, if Mexico is still agitated by an orga-
nised system of brigandage, the neighbour who is
talking so loud to her across the Rio 'Grande has a
tremendously difficult problem to solve at home.
Only a few months ago the Southern States of the
Republic would have rallied under the French
flag, and even as it is their spirit is unbroken.
The South is defeated, but not dismayed, and
the restoration of the Union on anything like a
permanent footing depends on the will of the
conquered people. They may be coerced, and their
property may be confiscated, but tyranny only
makes men long the more for freedom, and the vi-
cinity of a well-governed Empire, protected by
France, could not fail to inspire hopes which, by
rash act, the North might confirm for ever. The
Government of the United States, if the truth must
be spoken, has failed to command the respect and
deference of the world, and it is certainly not in a
position, morally or politically, to instruct other
countries. If the Mexicans were oppressed and held
in bondage by the Freneh—if, in short, their condi-
tion was as deplorable as it actually is auspicious—
the great American Republic would not be entitled
to interfere until it had plucked the beam out of its
own eye. Invited to render homage to the majesty
of the restored Union, we must be permitted to ob-
serve that in so far as the work of restoration has
has gone there is not much calling for admiration.
We cannot find it in our hearts to admire a nation
that has taken " yee victis !" for its motto. The war
which was carried on to " plough the South with
shot and shell," and not to leave food or refuge for
the crow that flew over the once fertile plantations
of Virginia, was at least intelligible. There was hard
reason in its barbarity. But to aggravate the hor-
rors of such a contest in the persecution of a sub-
jected people is not to be justified even by the
tyrant's plea of necessity. There is not only no
need for it, but every motive, save that of revenue,
points in a diametrically opposite direction. When
the American Republic has itself admitted the equity
of things, when it has tempered justice with mercy,
when it has become a law-governed State, and when
the negro difficulty is arranged, as it must be to re-
lieve the professors of philanthropy from reproach,
then it will be time enough to prescribe the Monroe
panacea. But while constitutional liberty in the
United States exists in name only, we must think
that the Mexicans exercised a sound discretion in
discarding republican institutions. Nor is it at all
probable that their decision will be disturbed. The
sentiments said to be expressed by Gen. Sheridan
may be popular in New York, but at Washington,
it will be remembered, that if " the advent of Maxi-
milian was a portion of the rebellion," it is quite
possible that an attempt to revive the Republic
which the Emperor superseded would eventuate in
a further departure from the doctrine expounded by
Mr. Monroe. War with Mexico means war with
France, and the Government of the United States
is not, we are satisfied, ready to take upon itself
the heavy responsibility that that proceeding would
involve.