The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-05-10
Complicity 81 Belgium I'm the InvAsior

Complicity ~ Belgium I'm the Invasion
XIII ss~ga n OF Mexico. ssrn s. INV
The relations between Belgium and the re-
public Of Mexico-and also the United States
have been always Of the most friendly and cor
dial character. No questions Of difference or
causes Of complaint have ever arisen between
the two countries. s ai
In 1861 the King Of Belgium accredited .
minister to the government Of President Juarez
and in 1852 treaty Of the most liberal charac-
ter, and based upon the most advantageous
terms, was concluded Nothing up to that time
had occurred on the part Of the people or the
government of Mexico to give the slightest
cause Of offence TO the people or 10 the King Of
Belgium; nor has anything been done since
that time by the people or the government Of
Mexico to change those relations
Yet to-day we witness the fact that armed
forces, openly enlisted and despatched without
hindrance from Belgium, composed Of officers
who still bold their rank and position in the
Belgian army, and Of soldiers who still retain
their citizenship as Belgian subjects, are now
in Mexico engaged in making war upon the
legitimate and rightful government of that
country-recognized and h6nored as such by
the United States-and in shedding the blood
Of a people whose only offence is that they are
defending the free institutions and the indie
pendencc of their native land Stripped of all
sophistry, this is to-day the position Belgium
occupies towards Mexico, and, we have right
to add, towards the United States.
If Belgium has no oause ofcomplaint against
Mexico, what right has she 10 make war upon
that country? And, in any case, what right has
she to interfere in the civil war now in progress
there! The position of Maximiiian, as the SON.
in-law of the King of belgium, confers no
right, at least in this age ofkhe world. Wars
are not now made for the benefit of individuals;
It is the interest Of the people that is to be con-
suited. Nor is there any excuse for this inter
ventjon to be found in the interests Of Belgium.
on the contrary, Belgium has been supposed to
be Power whose interests clearly dictated
policy of uniform neutrality. We do not i'm
agine THAT King Leopold can contemplate an ex-
ception 10 this rule In case where the United
States may possibly be drawn in to be party,
or that he can desire that Belgium should as
sumo the position Of chief defender of Maxi
milan in Mexico, particularly after the United
States has successfully emerged from vital
struggle in which no principle has been found
to be more necessary part Of its foreign
policy than that no European Intervention can
be permitted in the civil wars On this con-
tinent
1t is, therefore, source Of the greatest sur
prise that so prudent a people as the Belgians
should have allowed themselves, simply on
account Of private relationships personal TO
the King alone, to have been drawn into
position which may prove not only very en-
barrassing, but even dangerous. We pub
lish this morning some official correspon-
dence between the Mexican Minister and
his governments, in which the feelings of the
Mexican government with regard to this matter
are shown, and which also shows that the SUBJ
ject has excited grave debate in the Belgian
legislative chambers, and is the source OF
serious apprehensions in the minds of intelli-
gent writer's in that country Should President
Juarcz, little later, choose to rctalate, he
will have it in his power, perhaps. to infiict as
serious damage upon Belgian commerce as has
been inflicted upon that of the United States by
the privaieers which have been fitted out in Eng
land, only in this case President Juarez will
have the advantage that his privaeers viii be
those of a lawful, Legitimate and recognized
governments.
In fact the only cafe course for foreign
nations is to withdraw their forces entirely
from Mexico. The principle upon which they
are there is unsound; and If Maximiliao cannot
safely rely upon his own subjects, the Mexicans,
for support, then IL Ii the best evidence In the
world that the people Of Mexico desire neither
TO adopt an imperial form Of government, nor
to have an Austrian 70 rule over them.