Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-07-19
The Execution of Macmillan


tablish a monarchy, with himself at
the head of it, in our neighborlng
country, Mexico, is one of the most
notable events that have ever taken
place on this continent. 1t has sig
nifcance that is likely to make it take
a high position in the histories to be
written of governments in America.
Just now nearly all that is said of it
comes from a superficial view, regar-
ding it as the fruit of angry savage
vengeance, excited by personal bitter
ness and love of revenge. We no.
tice that nearly all our papers speak
Of it in this light, and most unanim-
ously those city papers that have some
circulation in Europe, and rather more
than the average American estimation
of the dignity and worth of royal
blood and birth. To these writers
the death of the usurper was a cruel
ty- barbarity, blot on human ma
ture, an insult to every nation that
made efforts to save him; an act as
bloody and causeleSs as the killing
and eating of a civilized traveller by
some cannibal tribes of Fejee.
Now we suppose that all of us may
feel sympathy for the unfortunate
prince, his grief crushed wife and his
kindred, and even sort Of sympathy
for those crowned heads in Europe
that encouraged him to come over the
ocean and set up his royal housekeep-
ing among US republicans. This is
natural. We shrink from the sight
or thought of human blood, however
justly it may be shed, unless we hap
pen to have our passion up to the
boiling point against the bleeding vic
tim. Cool judgment of what justice
and the rights of men and nations de-
mand, has little or nothing to do with
this sympathy. And so when the pas
sions cool of, when the relations and
results of this transaction are looked
upon with calmness and from the stand
point Of its bearing on the principles
of government prevalent on this con
tinent, we think the death of Maxim
ilian will be found to occupy a natu.
raj and necessary place, not as an act
of excuseless, isolated passion, but as
an important link in the sequence of
national progress in government.
When historians come to look upon
the event without the presence of keen
sympathy for the personal fate of al
accomplished and amiable prince, and
the terrible sorrow of his wife and
kindred, the grand features of the
case will simply be these: America
from the first of her civilized exist
ence has been intolerant of rulers who
claim any right to rule on account of
blood or birth. North Americans fol
long time had banished all roya
houses. Under the purest republi
canism the United States had grown
so rapidly in power and wealth as t.
excite the apprehensions of European
monarchs. They showed unmistaka
bic signs of pleasure at the huge re
bellion that threatened to break il
pieces our government. On the dark
est day Of our trial they seized tn
occasion of having some unsettled &C
counts with our Heighbor, and bande,
together, three great monarchies, t.
send an army over to compel the pay
ment of a few millions of nationa
debt due to individuals. Though thi
army was broken up and portions o
it withdrawn, other portions went o
with the appreciation of nearly all Ell
rope, and through this armed proteC
ton this Austrian prince, with the az
vice or consent of nearly all the reign
ing families in Europe, with most O
whom he was connected by blood {
marriage, proclaimed himself emperc
of MeXico-over a disturbed natio
it is true, but nation that had owe
and oyer declared for republicanisn
and uttered its protest against mo-
archy. The attempt beyond all que
ton was to take the moment of OIL
weakness to enter wedge against Il
prevalent form of government on tn
continent. We had protested again
it by the world renowned Monroe do
trine. So that the whole movemel
was an insult to US offered by unite
counsels of royal Europe. 1t was Il
same to Mexico, and more because
aimed directly at her own life.
Now we know that treason, in O
law books, stands as the highest GRIN
an effort to break up or change t
form of government by force and arm
This Macmillan attempted in Mexic
And, in reason, his crime is only G
HANGED by the fact of his foreign birt
and his never having been a citizen
the country whose government
would overthrow. He had no gri
ance TO complain Of no wrongs
,.bk n, H. 1901