The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-29 00:00:00

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his Th. -one. It was a manifest mistake, since the
Throne was artificially constructed, and had its
origin n either in the traditions of the country nor
the wish of the people. No one could have
reproaches I him with cowardice for abandoning a
forlorn hop e, ar.d all that could have been done to
restore big fellr.en fortunes and to tranquillise the
country MA.' KIMILIAN had already endeavoured to
do. \Vhatei .-er may be thought of the manner in
which the M exican Empire was founded, there can
be no que ition of the liberality, the courage,
and the fidelity with which MAXIMILIAN
endeavor rea' to discharge his duties to his
adopted co Intry. But the circumstances of the
MC were: desperate, and when the French troops
were witl drawn all dispassionate observers could
sec that the- days of the Mexican Empire were num-
bered. The,. rest was only a question of time, and
however re: elute the stand made by the unfortunate
Prince, it was from the first evident that it must be
fruitless. Had the Mexicans been a different people
he might, indeed, have rallied round him a con-
siderable form; in the party favourable to the
maintenance of peace and order and indif-
ferent to politics. In other countries the in-
fluence exerted by this party has often pre-
vailed in maintaining a tottering dynasty or
an unpopular individual. But in Mexico peace and
order, security to life and property, individual
rights, and the authority of civil law, were things
unknown. MAXIMILIAN, indeed, did his best to
restore them ; but those very efforts probably made
him unwelcome to the turbulent spirits who profit
by disorder and pillage. 'Civil war and revolution
had long been words of course in Mexican ears, and
though this very fact afforded, so far, a justification
of foreign interference, it rendered the task of
establishing an alien form of government, under
a strange prince unacquainted with the habits, the
character, the wishes of the people, an almost
hopeless one from the first. Had the sudden ter-
mination of the American war been foreseen the
French EmrEiton might have acted differently, but
in those days the wisest diplomatist failed to pro-
phesy that the United States Government would
so soon be free to throw the whole weight of their
influence into the scale against the new EMPEROR.
The people of the States, notwithstanding their
attachment to the MONROE doctrine, are half in-
clined to regret what they have done. Much
sympathy is expressed for MAXIMILIAN, while
the condition of disorder and desolation to which
Mexico is rapidly becoming reduced presses pain-
fully upon the public attention. Mexico, there is
but too much reason to fear, will again present us
with such a picture of bloodshed, and riot, and law-
lessness, as to call for the interference of the civilised
Powers to check a general disgrace. Whether the
United States will endeavour to incorporate it, or
whether there will be some joint endeavour to
establish a Republican form of Government
by two or three Powers, remains to be
The Americans have incurred the
greatest share of responsibility from their recent
interference in the matter, and after the experience
of the Empire few European Powers will care to
dispute the question. But. Mexico, rich and fertile
as it is, and great and powerful as it may hereafter
become, will be at present a source of weakness
rather than strength to any nation that attempts
to influence its destinies ; and it may be doubted
whether America is in a position to undertake so
troublesome a responsibility. The mail from New
York gives us anything but a settled picture
of the American interior. Riots and
political disturbances are common, and more than
once the civil authorities have found it necessary to
appeal to the military for assistance. It is a fact
worthy of notice th3t the negroc3 who usually take
a prominent part in these turmoils are generally
found to be armed. The amended Mississippi peti-
tion to the Supreme Court for an injunction to re-
strain the carrying out of the Reconstruction Act,
has been finally dismissed, the court declaring
that it had no jurisdiction in the matter.
A truer answer would have been that the Chief
Justice had no desire to entangle himself in the
affair as to embroil himself with the Radicals. The
task of maintaining law and order cannot be a very
easy one under existing circumstances, for we find
that Judge STARKEY is endeavouring to procure an
indictment against General ORD for treason against
the State of Mississippi. It is well that the Ame-
ricans are accustomed to self-government and the
observance of law, but it is a dangerous symptom
when public authorities disagree among themselves.