The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-05 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

fins DAY.—Morning, 4h. 12m.—Afternoon, 411. 40w.
To-Monnow.-Morning, sh. orn.—Afternoon, sh. 25m.

Sun,

LONDON, FRIDAY, JULY 5, 1867.

At last the full confirmation has been received of
the alarming rumours respecting the fate of MAXI-
MILIAN in Mexico. The Atlantic Cable brings us
the official intelligence from New York, July 3d ;
and in the House of Commons last evening the
Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that in
consequence of the receipt of official infor-
mation of the execution of the EMPEROR,
her MAJESTY would be unable to attend the
review in Hyde Park this day, and that it
would accordingly be postponed for a short time.
The news has produced a deep and painful impres-
sion in all directions. The feeling of the House
has been plainly manifested by the repeated
inquii ies addressed to the Ministers, and the post-
ponement of the festivities of the day, though
occasioning some disappointment, will only express
the popular :sentiment. England, indeed, does not
feel directly implicated in the troubles which have
had so sad an ending as France and America both
in some degree must do, but she has watched the
career of the unfortunate Prince with deep interest,
and since his cause has become hopeless his courage
and resolution have evoked her warmest sympathies.
The sad aflliction which had already befallen his
young
Empress had awakened a general feeling of
regret, more especially among those who remember
her when, as the Princess CHARLOTTE, in licr fair
and happy girlhood, she was a frequent visitor at
our own Court. Everywhere there will be an una-
nimous feeling of sorrow and of indignation ; sorrow

at the abrupt and tragical termination to a car( yet
which might have been as prosperous as brilliarrt,
and indignation at the cowardly and cruel murder
of a royal prisoner of war. The Mexicans can plead.
'no excuse for their dastardly conduct. Their crime
is also a blunder, for they have by it not
only excited a strong feeling against them in Eng-
land, France, and Germany, but they have alien aced
the sympathies of their most powerful allies, the
people of the United States. They have left tl tem-
selves without a friend, as well as put theme elves
beyond the pale of civilised Governments. They
may answer that such acts have been common
enough in Mexico. for more than half a century ;
but this argument only proves that JUAREZ is ur fit
to be a ruler, and that the old state of violence
and lawlessness is to be maintained. Already has the
condition of Mexico occasioned the interventiost of
the European Powers, and it is likely enough that -the
murder of the EMPEROR may produce a similar re-
sult. It can hardly fail, at all events, to elicit so
loud and unanimous an outcry as to shake a ranch
firmer seat than that of the new ruler of Mexico.
MAXIMILIAN himself could have had little hope
of a fortunate issue when he decided to abide by
his few remaining adherents. The chances of suc-
cess banished with the last of the French troops,
and, although there would be little glory or satis-
faction in occupying a throne propped up by foreign
bayonets, yet there might have been a possibility
of his eventually being accepted by the people.
Some surprise has been latterly expressed, in review-
ing his history, that MAXIMILIAN should have been
willing to abandon his safe and honourable position
at the Austrian Court for the dangerous and uncer-
, tain dignities of Maim But he was an ambitious
and able man ; he possessed undoubtedly the capa-
cities of a wise and liberal ruler, and was generally
popular among those with whom he had
mingled. The career opened before him in
the New World no doubt attracted him as
much by the scope which it offered for his
powers and energies as it allured him by its
brilliancy, and there is no doubt that he and his
consort exerted themselves to the utmost to establish
a firm but liberal and tolerant administration. In
another country their efforts might have been suc-
cessful, but MAXIMILIAN had not sufficiently taken
into account the chronic turbulence of Mexico. It
may be questioned whether any man could reduce
the people to subjection, could fuse the parties
into one, could crush his rivals and main-
tain law and order, so long as he only repre-
sented one of the dominant factions. The sad
progress of the story we are all familiar
with. The Americans resented the presence of
foreign troops in their vicinity and the mainten-
ance of a monarchical form of government.
They insisted upon the withdrawal of the French
troops. Prudence would have dictated that
MAXIMILIAN should leave the country with them,
since JuasEz and his party were every day gaining
strength. But there was still a large body of
Mexicans who had consistently supported him,
and who felt themselves hopelessly compromised
with the Republican party, from whom they
could expect nothing but pitiless slaughter.
They implored MAXIMILIAN to make a last effort
for them and for himself, and he yielded to their
entreaties, though he must have known he was
playing a desperate game. The last act of the
tragedy was expedited by one of those dastardly
acts of treachery which have so often stained similar
records. A bribe induced one of the EMPEROR'S
trusted associates to betray the city, and Maxtut-
' LIAN himself and his associates fell into the hands
of the Republicans on the 19th of June. They
; were executed, and the mourning relations
of the Austrian Priuce have at least the satisfaction
of knowing that he has sacrificed his life to his
honour. It is better for the house of Harsnusa
to lament the loss of one of its most promising
members than to receive him as a deserter from the
post of duty. It was better for MAXIMILIAN to
fall beneath the bullets of the savage soldiery than
to listen in the security of a European palace
to details of the slaughter of the followers
he had abandoned. His name adds another to
the list of those princes whose life in prosperity
and ease may never attain distinction, but who
when placed in situations of danger and despair
at once rise to an elevation of character which
commands the admiration, while it awakens the
sympathies of their fellows.

We are not surprised that Mr. DISRAELI Fhould
have endeavoured to make some change so as to
expedite the progress of the Reform Bill through the
House of Commons, and although his suggestion
was not agreed to as to taking the revision of the
schedules at once and leaving the consideration of
the amendments stiil in the notice-book until a
later period, this might not have been very de-
sirable in all respects, but it is fortunate
that the proposition was made, because
it evidently produced some satisfactory re-
sults, and brought hon. members to their senses
concerning the character of their amendments.
Mr. BRIGHT, who evidently desires that the ques-
tion of Reform should be settled as soon as possible,
said that he agreed with the Chancellor of the
Exchequer ss to the advisability of adopting some
scheme of this sort that be suggested. Hon.
members might, he observed, go on for weeks in
this desultory fashion, and put in clause after
clause, so that much time would be lost. There
was a good deal of truth in what Mr. DISRAELI said
as to the time required by the other House to dis-
cuss the merits of the bill, and no one can deny
the time is running short ; besides, the sense en-
tertained of the period of the Session arrived at will
prevent some from giving that due consideration
which the question demands and deserves. There
seems, however, good reason to hope that the
plan of Mr. DISRAELI will not fail in producing
its effect, although it may not be carried out in its
original style. It is true that a great many dissen-
tients appeared, but their words were more formid-
able than their acts. Mr. LOWE was perhaps the
most formidable, and he declared that he would not
relinquish his
proposal for cumulative voting, which,
he thought, was the last chance of mitigating the
evils of the measure.

At a subsequent period of the evening the right
hon. gentleman brought on Lis proposal for the
cumulative vote, but the matter was not settled, as
progress was reported.' It was not very well received
by the committee, for great confusion prevailed
after Mr. LowE's speech was concluded. The right
hon. gentleman spoke very fairly on the subject, and
urged the committee not to adopt the proposal, but
to give it a fair and candid consideration. Mr.
LIDDELL proposed that progress should be reported,
in order that due time might be given to the matter,
and that it might be properly discussed. In so doing he
made a little diversion by declaring that the hon.
member for Birmingham exhibited extraordinary
Toryism in some respects, and had given an in-
stance of it in the question now before the House.
Although the proposal of the lion. member was
rejected, the llouse soon after agreed to it, and
'the Chancellor of the Exchequer wisely coming to
the conclusion that it would be inexpedient to pro-
ceed when the tone of feeling exhibited was so
adverse to careful consideration, It will be satin.

tuctory if the question is settled one way or the
other to-day, because it stands in the way of the
measure; but we should think Mr. LOWE'S chance
of success was doubtful, unless he succeeds in per-
suading Mr. GLADSTONE to come to his support, that
right hon. gentleman having expressed a wish to
have the question argued. No doubt it surprised
the Committee a good deal to find that the time
had come for the discussion of the cumulative vote
last night, but the progress that was made was really
surprising, and no doubt it was, in a great measure,
due to the evident determination of the Government
to get on as fast as possible. Thus Mr. HIBBERT'S
amendment was carried, which prohibited the pay-
ment of travelling expenses with a few desirable
exceptions. The use of voting papers for the Uni-
versity of London was agreed to, and two other
propositions were lost. These were Sir R. VERNEY'S
concerning officers of the Revenue and their disa-
bility to vote, and Sir T. LLOYD'S clause to prevent
the meeting of candidate committees at hotels and
public-houses. This was discussed for two
hours, a loss of time which formed the exception
to the speed exhibited during the rest of the even-
ing's debates and decisions. It was finally rejected
by ninety-nine, and, as it would no doubt have
produced considerable confusion if carried into
effect, the result is not to be regretted ; but it
might have been better to have disposed of it more
summarily.

It is to be hoped that the same expedition will be
used by the committee to-day as was done, on the
whole, yesterday ; and, if so, there will be nothing to
complain of, but to effect this desirable end it will
be necessary for some sacrifices to be made. So
long as a subject of this kind is before the House it
will be impossible that divers opinions should not
prevail, and that many should not be desirous of
speaking; but the importance of coming to a settle-
ment should prevail with those who have the inte-
rests of the cause at heart. There will be
some exceptions of course, but we trust
that the majority of the Committee will
show themselves true friends to Reform, and so
arrange matters that no unnecessary time be wasted
in frivolous discussion and idle recrimination. A
little reflection must show the significance of the
situation, and prove the importance of putting aside
all discussions that are not imperatively called for.
In some respects it may be considered that the com-
mittee made a start yesterday in the right direction,
and we hope that the advantage thus gained will
be followed up.