The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-20 00:00:00

policy. If some time-honoured names in the Cit
have been somewhat tarnished, let the melancholy

truth be openly avowed. At all events, if such be
the opinion of the highest tribunal in the realm, it
is grievously unjust to those eminent men who, re- •
luctantly as they themselves admit, have pronounced
a verdict of condemnation, to conceal their opinions,
or to attempt to diminish their effect by misunder-
standing them. No man can doubt that the tone
of public morality must be seriously affected by the
opinions thus solemnly expressed, and the best ser-
vice which can be rendered by the press is neither to
" extenuate" nor to suppress them, but to give them
the widest publicity.
TIIE "WESTMINSTER GAZETTE" ON ROME, MAXIMI-
LIAN, AND REVOLUTIONARY LIBERALISM.—By the
murder of Maximilian Revolutionary Liberalism
has got a bad name in Europe. Such a crime will
lessen its influence over its disciples and dupes ;
for men who praised theories and principles, the
effects of which they never clearly realized, shrink
back in horror at results such as Mexico now wit-
nesses. How to do away with such an evil effect
is the aim of the leaders of Liberalism. The plan
they have hit upon is characteristic ; it is to make
out that the Church is, in reality, guilty of the
blood of Maximilian. It will be a real triumph if
they can manage, by hook or by crook, to shift the
odium from their own shoulders to those of the
clergy. It is curious to note how the public is
being prepared for such an attempt. Paris, of
course, is the head-quarters of this conspiracy.
The first sign of activity was the appearance of an
anonymous pamphlet " On the Relations between
the Court of Rome and the Mexican Empire,"
from which, even before-its publication, extracts
appeared in the Independence Beige. It begins
by imputing " to the Holy Father a share in the
responsibility in the melancholy catastrophe of the
Mexican Empire," and ends by insinuating that
it was the' Court of Rome that killed Maximilian."
Out of such audacious statements and unfounded
insinuations the Liberal press in France and Bel-
gium are making political capital, with the view*
of diverting from their party in Mexico the uni-
versal reprobation which the assassination of
Maximilian has excited. The writer of this anony-
mous pamphlet has had access to privileged sources
of information. He has had possession of docu-
ments referring to religious matters in Mexico
—to a confidential letter of the Empress Charlotte
—and to a private and detailed account by the
Emperor Maximilian of the military position of
Mexico in 1865. But it is well known that there
are, in the same quarter whence these emanated,
various other important documents which throw
conside-able light on the Mexican expedition, on
the obstacles it had to encounter, and on the state
of the country. But why are not these also pro-
duced ? What is the motive of this conceal-
ment, which amounts to no less than a deliberate
mutilation of the truth? "Why," asks the tinkers
—in an article on this subject, which we shall give
in our next week's " Foreign Opinion"—" out of
these numerous documents was so arbitrary and
incomplete a choice made ?" Did the writer not
know anything of those confidential documents
exchanged from 1865 to 1867, between Maximilian
and Marshal Bazaine—between the Mexican and
the French Governments ?" It is evident even
from these documents, incomplete and inexact as
they are, that no blame attaches to Rome in this
unfortunate Mexican matter. The Holy Father did
everything in his power to keep Maximilian in the
right path, but could not yield to demands which
amounted almost to threats. Even the Journal des
Debats, commenting on this attempt to throw the
blame of the Mexican failure on the Church, says
—" We always considered the Church to have been
inthe right ; it could not but regard the conduct
of the Emperor whom it created as a treason, for
it is quite clear that the Church did not send hint
to Mexico to continue and to complete the seen-
larization of the property of the clergy." The
Univers remarks that " the Journal des Debats
cannot be ignorant that the Mexican Empire was
the work of the French Government, and that
Maximilian, in spite of the Pope's most earnest
admonitions, chose to follow other counsels." It i 5
but too true that he did not scruple to raise 1113
hand against the religious orders, to interfere with
ecclesiastical discipline, and to attack the funds'
mental rights of the Church. How, then, is the
Church to blame for the failure of Maximilian to
establish a sound Government in Mexico ? The
difficulties which he had to contend against were,
enormous, if not insurmountable, but he did neY,
lessen them by hearkening to he voice of al!
counsellors, by endeavouring at the expense el
principle and of justice to conciliate the Liberals
by attacking the Church, thus throwing away the
only chance of saving and regenerating a countrY
so long a prey to the worst species of Liberalism!
It is not, as this writer of the anonymous pamphlet
pretends, the Catholic Church in Mexico—not the
Court of Rome,' which are responsible for the
failure of the Mexican expedition, and for the death
of Maximilian. Napoleon and Mexican Liberalist°
and its upholders in Europe must share between
them the blame and the guilt. This specious
attempt to shift the blame on other shoulders-00
conspiracy to involve the Church in a share of tho
guilt of the blood which has been shed by 11111,1***
derous hands, is one evidence the more of the reel'.-
less and unscrupulous character of Revolutionari
Liberalism.