Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-08-01
rhe Reign OF Terror in Mexico.

The Reign OF Terror In Mexico.
From the New York Tribune, 2Ith.
Hard task as the Mexican Republicans
found it to resist the French and over
throw the Empire, we fear there is one
harder before them. The expulsion OF
the invaders gains little for Mexico un-
less tho nation makes worthy use Of its
victory, and it was easier, perhaps, for
Juarez to maintain unequal war foryears,
to fight battles without armies, than 1t
will be to organize order and re-estab-
lish upon true principles the Republic.
Mexico is unaware, probably, how far
behind the civilization of other countries
she has drifted. The world has sped on,
and Mexico, for twenty years, has been
motionless. Foreign aggression aroused
the patriotism of the people, and that
was gain; butit has also excited feroc-
ity and revenge that are loss. Hitherto
i'm the history of Mexico the sequel of
every victory has been the birth of q
new struggle; war has arisen out of war.
If we may trust the recent news, the
victors are now without the least desire
to establish true peace; enough blood
has not been shed to make Mexico free (;
| her new Government, like the Palaces
of the Fills, must be builtupon the bones
of human victims, or the foundations
will be insecure. Mexico scorns the SYM
pathy so freely given by the American
J people she resents as an insult our plea
| for mercy to her conquered foes; but this
should not lessen our profound regret
that the triumph. of Republicanism
! should also be the triumph of Barbarism,
and that the first act of the Liberals
should be the proclamation of Reign
of Terror throughout the unhappy land.
| A reign of terror it has been since the
Empire fell. What were the executions
of Macmillan, of Mejia, of Miramon,
but terrorism They were justified upon
the ground that it was necessary to teach
European usurpers n stern lesson. France
was to he frightened, Austria humbled.
That justice demanded these executions
was an after-thought, and whether the
cruelties of Maximilian be true or false,
it was not for them that he was shot
He was killed i'm the rage of a semi-bar-
barrie people. Mexico said to Napoleon,
"You sent us an Emperor we return
what remains of the Empire" and threw
the copse of Macmillan at the foot of
the throne. This was an act of absolute
terrorism. So it was with the executions
of Miramon and Mejia, intended not as
pure acts of justice, but as threats to
other ambitious MeXicans who might
dare to become the rivals of the victors.
Precisely such terrorism was employed
ny 4NuIoItoh WhClt IL VIZ '''I
d'etot, his troops poured volleys of death
into crowds of innocent citizens in the
streets of Paris. 1t was his policy to
strike such blow as would appal France,
and he succeeded. But it Is not certain
that Mexico will succeed, for though a
despotism may be based on a policy OF
murder and fear, republic must rest
upon principles of magnanimity and
justice; and if success should be thus OBJ
tanned, it will be like that of Napoleon
but for time. The Liberals intend
to crush the Church power, as the ally
of the foreigner, and the traitor to the
nation, and here again is the Reign OF
Terror. TO destroy the political intlu-
ence of the priests, they desecrate the
churches because ii is necessary to make
the State free, they destroy the converts
and assault the nuns. Everywhere the
strong, rough hand undiscriminating
revenge; the frantic rule of terror, in,
stead of the calm, inexorable sway OF
Justice. But we may rest assured that
those who would succeed by the making
others fear, tremble themselves, and the
moral is one which Mexico might profit.
ably study.
Mexico has shot Macmillan, and chills
; forever the ambition of European Arch.
dukes and Emperors she may shoot
Santa Anna as she did Miramon, and
silencefor time domestic faction; she
may massacre her nuns and priests, and
so break the political power OF the
Church. The Reign of Terror may ex'
tend thus far; but we submit that it can
not Eeach the United States. 1t may be
true that Escobedo has raised the cry OF
death to all strangers" and predicted
that the time will come when Ameri-
cans will be begging for their own heads,
instead of for the lives of Austrians, but
we do not shudder ut the announcement.
We know that the civilized and Chris
tian sentiment of the United States is re-
sented by the McXicans, and that all the
moral and diplomatic aid we gave the
Republic Is considered worthless COM
pared with our horrible effrontery in
asking for the life of Maximilian. This
unexpected return from a people to whom
our warmest sympathies were given does
not lessen but increases our wishes for
the success of the Republic, yet it adds
to our doubt of its success. We do not
believe that one threat of Escobedo will
be carried out; for were such policy
adopted, there is danger that those who
first began 1t would longer feel it; but its
mere suggestion shows what dangers
Mexico must meet. The Republic has
begun badly; it has already lost the re-
spect of Christian nations, and threatens
to challenge their enmity. Liberalism
is no sooner triumphant than it assumes
the form of tyranny; the Republic be.
comes despotism; the victory of the
nation is the defeat of its civilization
Peace, after along struggle, Is won, and
behold, it Is established as revengeful
and barbaric war. Fer the Republic thus
begun the future is dark, and unless wiser
counsels than those of Escobedo are to
govern, there Is grave reason to fear that
Mexico will forfeit every advantage she
has gained, and will renew those fratri
cidal wars, those disgraceful rivalries
which, in the past, made her nationality
a mockery.
THE able argument of George William
Curtis In the New York constitutional
Convention In favor of female suffrage
was met by concise assertions that the
bestowal of the ballot upon women would
| laUroln them IN the leyal Of mnaculint