The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-10
THE EXECUTION or THE ARCH
-DURE~ ~MAXIAfLLIAN


Latter from PFOfo ssOr Mahan.
To the EDITORS Of the Bveatng, Post.-The
Sosi,n0 of Intense excitement and Indignation
Mas aroused among all GLASSES upon the Ans
Sondeement OF The execution In Mexico of the
Iate ArcSduke MAMMALIAN, the so-entitled EN-
neror OF Mexico. This was but natural and to
Be looked for there S t1e UasIt
marriage with almost every crowned head
there, was alone sufficient TO have called forth
hdivinity" which, we are told, doth hedge a
king.D and at each one made, well may kings
An3 pni IY how is It with ourselves branch of the
American people9 Even here like cry has
rome up from many. Upon what grounds,
Ehen we look at the essence OF the matter, it is
hard TO say, except that OF an uncomfortable
svmpsthy which causes one human being to
i9SnSb or Srv when he sees several others doing
se. although be may not know yhe exact cause
oftheir mirth or grief
quarters IL has been sought to put upon it, has
always seemed to me very simple one a
legitimate; de Joco goverDftb of tbe woTd as
tempted to be subverted by traitoTous faction
at home, whose leaders, 20 aS hnno mem tea
invest with a sol. diSdnt imperial power, and
thus endeavor to secure themselves under the
aonage accepts all the responsibilities of his
position. He makes himself part and parcel OF
those who have invited him to participate in
their traitorous plots. He claims to be a Next
can, and bequeaths, IL appears, In his Will, this
claim TO poslerity. In this capacity, and this
alone does b. attempt to overthrow the existing
G0vernment What let us ask. lis mis- vans
said, let US dlvest the matter of Its mere trap.
pings and surroundings, The royal lineage of
the actor. the imperial paraphernalia tue he cts
what does IL amount TO? The crime of Lese
SnGeste against Mexico. If we doubt it, let us
suppose ourselves but short time back 70 =
been placed In IKE condition with Mexico
Would we have looked upon our sovereign
powers to have been estopped by such adventi-
tious circumstances
the French Senate chamber, and has called for
Judgment both against Mexico and the United
states for this exercise Qf sovereign power by
the former. He Dears an itt,nAIrlous natue tnat
of one .. Inc greatest lawyers and jurtsts OF
France. The mantle of this lasts exclamation
may have fallen upon his snoulders' puI ntte
II is at best but sad business TO write or
speak about But as mems pens and mouths
are busy with IL, 1t Is well TO look at IL on All
sides. for the like has occurred before and may
again in the course of nations. IL is In every
aspect most sad event WhaS WY woe nSs Nemass nie
seems 10 follow close upon them, WIN stroke
upon stroke reminding US Oh tnPse iaoeo m ian6- ,
mortal This, indeed. is SAD, TOO sad 10 oWeL
upon. :. ,oo.+ ,,hotovarN NJ Drnin
may say or think, has done all IL could to avert
this catastrophe II could not have done less
than it did In interposing its good offices with
Mexico in behalf of Maximllian, at the urgent
request of friendly power; the more Sc, as
what was asked fer in his case was only in ac-
cordance with our own acts at home. We
might have hoped that this lntercesslon would
have availed i'll procuring eemency; as TO US,
present Government OF Mexico Indebted for
relief from its greatest peril But having done
this, here our functions ceased. To protest
against contemplated action of Mexico in the
case, still more TO have threatened her in any
way tor nSs haag 70 t Segbt 20 of odf
maladroitness. 1t would have amounted to
putting in a bar to the exercise OF our sove
reign Will in O like case,
Mexico has in this exercised but an un.
doubted right of sovereignty whether in
another question. But it is one of which she
must be left to judge. IL Is all very well 10 shlit
the question from its true merits, and call this
execution of Macmillan murder. DO we
know that any local form of Mexican or mar
tial law was not complied with in the sentence
and execution? II is all very well to call her q
semi barbarian aggregation Of half-breeds,
and therefore to be taught better manners to-
wards princes who would usurp her powers,
and in conspiling with home traitors would try
TO destroy her national existence. Unhapplly,
for the most part, she is VIII all other people
have been made who have been trodden down
by despotlsm whether monarchical, ollgarchi-
cal, or pseudo republican; whether by Roman
Puritan, Mormon, or Brahminical Church
when claiming infalibility, with power to en-
force It's dogmas. She is whatwe see in modern
Greece, in Poland, in Ireland, and wherever Gh'
degradation of slavery has once been stamped
on humanity But in this act she has dom
nothing more than other governments hav
done in like condition Before we ostracize he
for this act, let us call up history and lnterro
lar past, but OF to-day. Napoleon I, the grand
est name of modern times, seized the Duk
d'Enghein on foreign territory, and had hiI
tried and shot at Paris for conspiring agains
France He had Mallet and others executed 10
similar attempts; What was done under bi
sanction in Spain Russia subjected noble
and noble ladies to the knout, and worse, If po
sible, to Siberian chains and darkness. Aui
tria But In her present woe let the unSparln
voice of history keep silence!
Before we call Mexico names and give vent
q clamor of Indignation against her, let
define who are seml-barbarians and who al
not. and what constitutes the one or the othe
England hung her Irish rebels, and amor
them young Emmet-a man claiming ol
sympathies for every manly quality as mut
as Macmillan does. France has had her da,
Of the guillotines, the mitratllades, the Noz
des, all within the memory of men now livin
Are they semi-barbarians? Does the livil
another life from our own constitute peop
semi-barbarians2
am no advocate for the shedding OF NUNS
blood, and thank God that He has not put
into the hearts of our people to demand IL
their Government, But rulers have nothing
do with magnanimity. They are but the eS
cutors OF the law, except SO far as clothed wi
olemency for the public good, and not to 81
way to private feelings i could have wish
that no tone OF rejoicing over the late fearl
event should have been uttered by the people
Mexico. 1t was enough for the outraged nat
10 have demanded the life of the chief conspiI
tor in expiation of the offenses The execute
OF human being, whatever the crime, is
reignty, An error committed here is beyo
recall. no after act can repair IL. Mexico shoU
have looked upon this act with the dignlh
attitude OF sternness that bettted the occasiC
n in her right, 1t was great act, which
world was invited to challenge, and 1t should
have been felt by her. Upon this pedestal
Tight and upon this alone, can she sta
nrondlv defiant of the taunts and sneers OF In