Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-06-11
A CHAPTER IN HRxIoAN BIS.

Austrians, recently brought TO the notice
of the people Of this country by a cores
pondence between Mr.. Seward and Nh.
Romero, the Mexican Minister, is a mat
ter that should receive more attention
from our people, and more Straightforward
and emphatic condemnation BY our Gov
eminent, than have yet been bestowed
upon it. With reference to the execution
Of General Artega, mentioned in Mr.. Sc
wards letter, we know nothing more than
is set forth in the correspondence, but as
to the manner in which the Imperialists
carry out Maximilian's decree. ordering
the execution Of all Mexicans found in
arms for the liberties Of their country. we
have authentic intelligence. The barbar-
Gus policy Of shooting leading and infu-
entail Mexican citizens has been in opera
ton for a long period, and very little is
ever known about it beyond the limits OF
the State where those atrocities are COM
mitted. When the French and other Eu-
ropean troops march into the interior OF
Mexican State, it is the practice OF the
commanding officer to seize upon the
prominent and well-known Liberals, even
although they have not been lately in
rms and these are taken out and shot,
with little or no form Of trial. In max
ing selections for these sacrifices there is
an effort to take such men as have the
capacity, either on account Of Influence,
ability or patriotism, to be leaders Of the
people. or course, the execution Of such
a programme involves some very great
cruelties. In the State of Zacatecas some,
of the Mexicans who are non-combatants
have kept lists Of the executions, and in
March last the victims Of Maximilian's
policy thus bu,chered' in cold blood. IN
this State alone, amounted to nearly twelve
hundred. We have it upon good authority
that in some parts Of the Republic there is
scarcely a man left Of the kind from which
a people choose their military leaders ;
and this may be the fate Of every part Of
Mexico, unless the United States or some
civilized nation interferes in q way to
check the bar6arous policy. We have
been slow to believe that even an Austrian
Archduke could resort to such measures
to support an usurped throne; but the
information so direct and from so
good q source that we are obliged to give
it credit. This is the grave matter that
stands behind Mr.. Stewards recent letter,
but which is not directly mentioned in it
The people Of the United States should
know how the case stands, for these pro-
ceedings Of the French and 'Austrians are
deserving Of universal execration.
And while upon n branch Of the SUBJ
jecs it may be well to refer to another.
S,udious efforts have been made to spread
the belief that the greater part Of the
Mexican people have given in their adhe-
sion to the Empire. Our people could
fall into no more serious error about any
matter pertaining to foreign affairs. The
resort to such cruelties as those. above re-
ferred to should be alone sufficient to
refute that view of the case. Some other
facts, however, may be stated that will
show how feo of the Mexican people are
well affected towards Msximilian's gov
eminent. 1t is with the utmost difficulty
that a sufficient number Of native Mexi-
cans can be induced to take the local Of
fees under Imperial commission, and it
has been found necessary to compel them
to act under penalty Of imprisonment. In
some cases persons appointed to admins
ter these local Offices have suffered this
Imprisonment rather than acknowledge
the Austrian government, even by q
forced acceptance of Office, and the ex-
ample set by these resolute patriots was
spreading to such an extent that resort
was had to the expedient of combining
educated and refined citizens in the same
dungeons with the worst and lowest
malefactors, in order to coerce them into
compliance. ...
With such a condition Of affairs well
authenticated, it is out Of all character for
the French and Austrian agents to claim
tina, Mexico accepts Msximilian's govern
ment. The truth is, that nine in every
ten of the people hold no other sentiment
towards the usurping government than
that Of hatred. which would break out
into hostility if they had the means. But
they are to a large extent powerless. At
the outset of the French intervention, the
Mexicans assembled ar army, but it was
q mere aggregation Of men, with obsolete
arms-old muskets, the condemned ma
terial Of their own and other governments,
made up their armament. With these the
Mexicans made q ~resolute stand at Puebla;
but, after a long siege, they fell before the
finely disciplined aud superbly armed
French forces. Then the country was
left almost without arms, and such is
their condition to-day, or neither Max.
imilian nor the French would be able to
stay there.
"LAMsoS."-This .enterprising indiyid-