Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-06-07
The News from MexicO-The Fall Of
MAMMALIAN.


Macmillan with his army has surrendered
Internationally and the Imperial Govern
ment is at all end. We quote at length
from the New York Times the following in-
teresting summary of facts connected with
the downfall of the Archduke:
Macmillan has at last fallen into the
hands of his enemies. The news is official.
and undoubtedly authentic. Though we
have heretofore been justified in the doubts
we have frequently expressed about the ac-
curacy and authenticity of n large portion
of our Mexican news, there is no reason
whatever to dispute the truth of the dis
patch from President Juarez announcing
the fall of Glueretaro and the capture of the
Emperor and his principal Generals on the
18th instant. The source of the dispatch,
as we'll as its form aud character, place it
above suspicion. If confirmation we're
needed, we have it in the latter dispatch
| from the Commander of the Liberal army
to the Mexican Minister of War. Escobe-
DO reiterates, in detail, the statement of
President Juarez, and gives the additional
information that Maximilian, lis Generals
and his army surrendered uncondition-
ally"
The statement that Juarez had ordered
Macmillan and his Generals" to be shot
comes less directly and with less show of
authenticity. It is attributed to Escobedo,
but does not come over his signature, aud
is not incorporated in the dispatch which
emanated from Linn some days after the
Imperial capture At all events, we shall
discredit this part of the news until we
have further light thrown upon it 10y Off
cial or trustworthy dispatches.
The assertion chat the Imperial surren-
der was unconditional is of the highest inn
portance in many respects. LII itself it is
calculated to give credibility to the report
of Maximilians execution. AS We showed
recently, Macmillan has been fighting for
three months past not with the hope of es
tablishing his imperial dynasty in Mexico,
but with the view merely of securing better
terms than had been held out to him by his
adversaries All that was offered to him
and his Ulcers WAS Cletnb, whether they
made voluntary surrender or were cap
tured in the straits of war. He entered
into negotiations again with the object of
altering this, and we have it on good au-
thority that he has been ready to capitdlatc
at any time since the French left, on the
simple condition that his officers and him
self should receive honorable terms" from
President Juarcz. 1t was impossible, how
ever, for Macmillan to obtain favorable
reply to any of these propositions. AS re-
CARDS the imperalist Generals, Miramou,
Mejia and others, who are reported to
have met the fate which their fellow-in
perialist prisoners recently met a Puebla,
the Mexican President positively refused
to concede them honorable terms, or any
other terms than such as are due to trait
ors. And as regards Macmillan himself,
we understand that Juarez WAS not willing
to give his word even to our Government
that he would be treated as simple prls-
oner of war. The rage of the Liberals
against the whole of the imperalist leaders
was uncomfortable, and the only prospect
held out to them was that they should be
dealt with as assassins and pirates, and
should, in turn, furnish illustrations
of the bloody policy which the French
army recently enforced against the
Republicans. The feeling against the
Emperor personally ran high, prlncl-
pally because he continued what was be-
lieved to be frultless war after the French
left. These facts and circumstances, taken
ity to the report that Macmillan himself
met the same doom at Queretaro which, we
have no doubt, was dealt out to those of
his officers who fell into the hands of Es-
| cobedo. Our only reason for INDUCING Ill
doubt as to mis- reported fate-aside from
the circumstance that this particular Incl
dent comes to us indirectly and unofficlally
arises from our belief that, though QUAR-
ez would not give positive pledge to save
the Emperor's life, he was yet anxious to
demonstrate his regard for the desire and
| request of our Government in the matter.
If the news of the execution turns out to
be true, the tragic fate of the unhappy adj
venturer will furnish striking CONNIE ntary
OH the remark he made three months ago,
when deserted by the French and driven
mad by the insults of Bazaine, "They are
placing me, exclaimed he, ''between dis
honor and death-my selection is made. 5"
He chose death rather than what he con-
sidered the dishonor of abandoning his
cause and his friends. Probably he had
very little idea at that moment how quick
ly the realization of his choice might be
reached.
Maximilian has undoubtedly held out to
the last hour possible He has not only
seen his army dwindle, but he has seen it
become greatly demoraliZed. He has not
only been without money or means for
months, but he has latterly seen his troops
on the point of starvation, with limited IA
tons of horseiesh or dogmeat. He has not
only endured g long siege at Queretaro, but
he has remained there until the only other
TWO places where his nag WaNCu-lne zap
ital and Vera Cruz--were III like man
ner besieged 10y forces four times greater
than those which defended them
When he succumbed, there was not gljm-
mer of hope left for him; and though we
have no doubt the {" Church party, or re.
dictionary party, will quickly turn up
again under some other leader, it will be
disconnected from the associations which
have made Imperialism obnoxious to all
Mexicaps.
Il will be three years next month since
Macmillan and Carlotta entered the Mex
lean capital as Emperor and Empress, with
degree of pomp and circumstance never
before witnessed in Mexico. They have
been three years of struggle and storm for
him, as terrible as ever fell to the fortune
of any ruler. His destruction will be a
memorable warning to European Powers
never again to attempt domination on any
part of the American continent
Napoleon LII at Waterloo.
A Paris letter contains the following GU.
rious paragraph:
"They say that the present Emperor's
experience of Solferino would prevent his
| taking q personal share in any warlike ex.