The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-11 00:00:00

711 E AMERICAN CRIMEA.

The New Monthly Magazine for July betrays in
an article on MAXIMILIAN in Mexico the secret
spring which moved the ruling minority of the
Western Powers of Europe to regard almost with

hostility the Government of Washington while
engaged in the war for the preservation of the Union.
According to that authority, the United States is

the Russia of the West, and Mexico is its " sick
man." The Mexican question is of greater interest
than that of Turkey, and the American Republic
is a greater colossus than the Muscovite empire.
Viewed in this light, the magazine says " it will be
understood how any suppert given by Europe to
MAXIMILIAN'S Empire would have become the
means of averting a future Crimean war upon a
vast scale, and of postponing that war in the New
World, and that formidable struggle for supremacy
at sea, which must inevitably one day arise between
the New and the Old Worlds, and which at present
the timidity and irresolution of European Govern-
ments rather serve to hurry on than to postpone to
an indefinite period." There were many who held
while the struggle between the North and South
was progressing that it would have been a wise
policy on the part of France and England to inter-
fere, so as to secure, if possible, the severance of
the Republic. They hoped to see America break
up into fragments, having hostile interests to each
other, that might hereafter be used as a balance to
ueutr,dise the growing power of any portion of the
States, and secure in the future their own ascendancy.
They dreaded the inevitable fight between the New
and the Old World, that formidable truggle for the
supremacy at sea. There were many who urged on
both the European Governments the policy of inter-
vention—of doing harm that good might come of it.
It is in vain that history unfolds the chapters of
errors which make up the lives of nearly all states-
men. The very Crimean War, to which the maga-
zine alludes, when it predicts for America another,
was a gross blunder, which at a frightful ex-
penditure attained absolutely no beneficial result.
We believe that the mission of Russia in Northern
Asia is a mission of good ; beneficial alike to the
native tribes and to the world. We believe that
the mission of the United St rtes in North America
is a mission of still greater good ; not only benefi-
cial to that continent, but of unspeakable utility to
mankind. With the example of the itrring na-
tionalities and tongues of Europe before them, the

,ir,tatn of the Atneric,in ;S.—the sovereignty of the
I excited. Ile freely risked his life in war ; he freely
continent, under one people. LA any man try to share,l bith the dangers and
privations of the
realise this idea, and he obtains a glimpse of a meanest of his soldiers ; ha fought not only with
truly grand destiny. It may, in truth, never be
the ehanccs of the battle fled:!, but also with
realised practically, for the wickedness of mankind the fate overhanging him that if taken he would be
arty foil the wisest schen' !s of the greatest executed. Though MAXIMILIAN appeals to have
statesmen. But few will deny that it is a thing known this, it was dialellt for people in Europe to
worth striving fur, and that it is no mere hallu- i believe that such an intention could have been
ciliation of the Lritia, bat a future in the highest I carried into effect. Free from the passions of the
degree practicable. Even the writer in the New contest we may be too apt to argue the question
Monthly will allow that this is the American's vision, from a connuoa-sense point of view. The folly of
and he will concede that there is no sin in the the deed was here transparently apparent, but the
nation's ambition. But, he will add, when the vindictive feelings which urged its perpetration were
Republic spreads from Panama to the icy regions, hidden. With the fall of Queretaro and the cap-
and contains more than one hundred millions of the ture of MaximimaN fell the empire. The Arch-
most energetic race, its power will overshadow the duke had only remained after Marshal BAZAINE
world, and it will use that power unscrupulously to bad left, to satisfy his honour. He was prepared to
dictate and to domineer. He takes it for granted accept the decision of the sword, renouncing all
that the nation will act the bully's part, and basing claim to the throne of Mexico, and thus recovering,
his policy on this axiom, he contends that it would what was of greater value, the rights he had re-
have been wise to have aided the South in the war, linquished for it, as next Agnate of Austria, to
or, failing that, to have transferred the contest to which he was restored by a decree of a council of
Mexico, and have upheld the EMPEROR at the the Imperial family. The war was ended—the
bayonet's point. Most of those stupendous blun- question of the Empire was settled the Re-
ders which exercise so pernicious an influence are public was restore]. There was then no political
worked out from premises altogether false, though object,
no necessity either by way of example or of
unhesitatingly taken as altogether true. Whether terror to perpetrate this crime. On the other hand,
America, when her power has grown to such thereasons for treating witliMaxtmlLTANanddismiss-
unequalled might, will use it, or rather abuse ing him from Mexico were overwhelmingly strong.
it—as her enemies take it for granted she will All Europe joined in the application. The civilised
do—time only can show. The probabilities are • world was interested to a degree which JUAREZ and
against the assertion. Generosity is coupled with his followers may perhaps hereafter estimate. It
strength. The Republic never bullies the weak. may be that they chose in the plenitude of their
Where she feels inclined to fight, it is with her arrogance and folly to set the verdict of mankind
equals. Where she assumes a haughty tone, it is at defiance. Here was the first great question before
towards those with whom she stands on a par ; but the restored Republic—that which attracted the
in no case with her inferiors. Touchy and scrupu- attention of all nations, and by which they would
lows as America is with Great Britain and France, judge of its fitness to rule. It was but a simple
there is no Power more generous, forbearing, and act of common expediency, a concession to Chris-
forgiving when brought into disagreeable con- tendom, involving a mere sacrifice of cruelty and
tact with the weak. When the contem- revenge that the world asked of this noble Republic
plated destiny of the Republic is fulfilled, in sparing the life of a fallen enemy. JUAREZ and
all nations will then be weak to her ; and 1 his party solved all doubts and settled all disputed
we cannot see why she, alone, on a pinnacle, I points by not only shooting MAXIMILIAN, but by
with none to dispute her place, should descend to I refusing to surrender, even the gratification that
pick a quarrel, to bully those manifestly unable to such low natures can derive, of heaping indignities
defend themselves against her. We believe that the on the corpse. If such things as JUAREZ were not
influence that America will then exercise will be so despicable, they would injure the
great came of
used impartially in the right, and be productive of i Liberty and Republicanism. But all parties agree
great good on earth. We can understand the at- lin putting out of pale the acts
wofthhesienvionlovne,rneol
tempt of France to establish in Mexico a Latin
savages, asdictated by the lowest feelings of jealousy,
balance to the dominant power of the Anglo-Saxon : cupidity, revenge, and cruelty, hie
race. But we cannot see why this object should be i principles. Were it not for a
grand question
aided by England, the cradle of that race. We the miserable race that inhabits Mexico would sink
believe the policy of the writer in the New into utter obscurity, and be left unnoticed to wreck
Monthly, and those that agree with him, to be lon each other the punishment they deserve. But
founded on a false theory—to be paltry and narrow- I the singular infatuation whieb has led to this crime
minded, and wholly opposed to sound policy. If we is the strangest part of-the story. It is said that it
thought less of this little island of Britain and more ', is the intention of the United States to absorb
of the great race to which we belong, we would see Mexico. That the JUAREZ party dread this is quite
the future through a brighter medium ; and while ' evident. The United States would act in this mat-
the c.mtracted ideas of the former tend to vast ter only on a basis of reason and legality. So long
evils, by making the two great sections of as a Republic existed in Mexico, governing so as not
our race antagonistic, the those of latter, in to bring disgrace on the institutions which it is the
recognising and preserving their unity, 'conserve I mission of the United States to uphold and perpe-
the
ends of peace and progress. But the truth is tuate, the Great Republic could not have moved in
that the writer and the party to which he belongs I the matter. It was necessary for the Liberal party
lose sight of these magnificent aims in their paltry to bring the intervention on themselves, and this
political jealousies. Class interest with them is they could have avoided by simply abstaining from
paramount. A republic erected on the equal rightsof needless folly and cruelty. But so to abstain ap-
all militatesagainst theircherished notions, and every pears to be an itnpossibility
opportunity lost of strangling the American monster that rule in Mexico. No sooner had the Great Re-
is great chance thrown away. We rejoice to public raised tne JuallEz. party from the mire into
a with the ignoble class
think that America begins clearly to understand which they had been hurltd, and removed every
who the people are who hate her, and why—an Ito obstacle from their path, than the ingrati-
-of the English people and partizan chiefs who seizeitself inseparable from such
from the general designs
power, as robbers
separate the enmity of the class and the motives, tune
_showed
Nothing could be more grossly absurd, seize an isolated dwelling, to tyrannise and plunder,
The earnest request of the
more suicidal in
its folly, than the prediction of that but for au hour.
r the supremacy at sea which Government of W• 1 -
formidable struggle fur a. angton,
the writer declares to be inevitable. It would, of was not only unheeded, but purposely
country
set at de-
as his pre- fiance. Insolent speeches were made by the
course, be inevitable if such notions
of the Liberal leaders, threat •march on Washing-
vaned. But why should the two sections threatening a
to spare MAximILIAN.
Auglo-Saxon race set to work to cut each other's ton, and the recovery of provinces
wrung by
being throats for a mere idea ? the supremacy treachery or necessity from Mexico. 'These poor
surely awarded to the nation of greatest resources creatures who could make no head against a few
which uses its resources to the best advantage, battalions of the French army, and were only
It is industry and commerce, not war, that decide enabled by the forge of bribery to overthrow
this question, and if the supremacy did pass into MAximILIANI had the audacity to assume this tone
the hands of cur kindred, what injury would to the nation at
whose breath they exist. The
accrue to the English section of the race if United States had made them, and the United
the seas were covevid with the American flag. States can unmake. When is the only question for
While the tone of the article is so hostile to the the council at Washington. The world knows that
United States, the writer almost inadvertently fur- Mexicans are wholly unfit to develop° the resources
• nishes an instance of the enormous benefits that bestowed by nature on their country, and the
\ follow to the region incorporated into the Great universal voice of
mankind seems agreed on this

that the sooner the United States move in the
matter the better.

It is not always that we agree with our great
contemporary the Times, but we hold with it in its
leading article of yesterday, when it says We
cannot but believe that after so many years of
anarchy and political vengeance the cup of Mexican
evil-doing is well-nigh full, and that the time ap-
proaches when the land must be possessed by an
abler, a nobler, and a better race."—Anglo- A merican
Times.