The Portland daily press., 1867-07-08

trying to enforce monarchy upon neonla
whose attachment to republican form of gov.
ernment is quite as strong as ours 1t is natu-
raj that the soft-hearted philosopher who pit
led the inconvenience TO which JEFF Davis was
subjected in the airy quarters at Fortress Mon
roe for no other crime than an unsuccessful
revolution, should bewail the fate of another
unsuccessful revolutionist-taken out in the
early morning and shot.
The execution of the defeated emperor
seems to have been the deliberate act of the
nation in its sovereign capacity, carried
trough under the forms of military law as
sanctioned by the code and practice of M.
tions, and approved by the press and people Of
Mexico with almost entire unanimity.
The question of what to do with Maximiliau
was purely Mexican question. In decidipp
it the Mexican people had right to regard
the feelings and wishes of other nations, ours
among the number, but they had right to
disregard them. Perhaps we should not have
decided it just as Mexico has. She is less aG-
vanced than we in refinement and general civ
iz.ton. In the absence of wars our peonle
have crown humane. Mexico has been nsed
to war, and afflicted with frequent changes If
government accompanied by abuses of admin
istra ton, that have made property and life nm
safe She cannot be much blamed if she takes
the obvious methods of meeting violence with
bloody repression, and retaliating murders
and massacres with executions.
But let us consider moment, whether from
our position even the capital punishment of the
Austrian prince is no justifable. A military
usu1per coming to his own power by treachery
and massacre, and holding it by military force
plots in his cabinet the rape OF distant Re-
public, with which he has no political and few
commercial relations. Under false pretence
that his expedition is a mere demonstration to
enforce the payment of just claims, he secures
the alliance of Spain who has an old grudge to
revenge, and (shame on herD of England who
has been ready enough to aid any raid upon a
feeble people in the interest of despotism. He
bribes the acquiescence of the IN ore despotic
sovereigns of Europe by promising the crown
of the plundered province to prince of their
lineage. He seizes his opportunity when the
only power that can effectually counteract his
enterprise is in the agony of civil war, which
he judges will be fatal to its integrity if not to
its existence. A more unjustifiable and afro
cious robbery has not been planned and at
tempted in history since the Gotbs and Huns
set about the ravaging of the Roman empire
Ii was an insult to Democracy in the old as
well as the new world. 1t was high treason
against the comfy of nations, the rights of es-
tablished nationalities and the interests of self
government 1t was the great crime of the 10Th
century.
Napoleon was the principal in this crime
Macmillan was the accomplice and tool The
MeXicans punish the accomplice, whom they
have caught, because they cannot lay their
hands on the bigger villain, who has abscond-
ed;-just as Washington hung Andre, the
agent, in default of Arnold, the principal trail
tor, who had made good his escape.
Without pretence of popular support, back
ed by the lent troops of France, Austria and
Belgium, Macmillan has been trying to force
the penderons and expensive machinery of an
imperial government upon the Impoverished
people of Mexico by civil war, wherein the
foreign invaders had the monstrous effrontery
to style the natives of the country fighting fol
their property, their homes, their chosen gov
ernment, traitors, and to execute them when
taken prisoners of war as bandits. More
than six months ago Macmillan had fair no.
tice by the withdrawal of the FreAch troops
that the plot to carve kingdom for him with
the sword had ceased to be considered feasible
by the crowned rascal who had contrived it.
Then he held the great part of the country
and all the great lines of communication. He
mad ample means to make his escape with
honor, and without exasperating his enemies.
But he chose fanatically to persevere in bis
Quixotian scheme and rallied his soldiery of
Belglans, Austrians, fugitive Confederates and
renegade Mexicans to fght it out on that line.
He was taken .aagrante 6e1o heading the de-
FENCES OF military stronghold he believed i'm
pregnable, and Mexico the capital was actual
ly held by his forces till after his death.
The situation may be understood if we sup
pose that Grant had struck across North Caro-
lima effected a junction with Sherman and talk
en- jeff. Davis within the lines of Joe John
ston defending Columbia, while Lee relieved
from Grant, had possessed himself of Wash
lngton. Would not the execution of Davis if
tried by military court have been justifiable? ?
Would not his trial and execution when taken
In actual war as he aods have been infinitely
more satisfactory to ourselves and the world,
than the soldering piece of work we have
made Gift?
AS an example the execution of the Austri-
an Prince will be most wholesome. It will
vindlcate the Monroe doctrine as a library of
Mr. Stewards eloquent diplomatic correspond
ence could not. As Boswell Senior said of
CROMWELL 1t aoM kings let know then hare a
Joint an their necks. 1t will be pretty we'll un-
derstood hereafter in court circles in Europe
that it is premature to undertake the adminis-
tration of the affairs Of liUe people One of the
risks which seedy second sons of distinguished
and royal houses, who propose to yote them
seloes empires on this side of the ocean will be
understood to run, will be the risk of being
shot.
The example has little squinting our yay
winch perhaps is the reason why Mr.. Greeley
don't like it, nor Mr.. Seward, who proposes.
if we will warrant him thirty years more of
life to buy steal for us the rest of the conti-
nent. 1t is a pretty decided token that the
Mexicans intend to deal ungeatly with .aibus-
tiers, whether of the monarchical ordemocratic
persuasion. TheseSpanish people have fashion
of whistling mans life away in hurry that
gives no opportunity for arguing. They carro-
ted Lopez, and shot Walker with so yerv little
preliminary, talk, or for that matter, time 70
talk, that we can't help noticing that they evil
IDENTIFY believe that though there may be more
refined modes of dealing with ali5usters, there
are none SO efectual as killing them
A grim picture might be made by Mr.. Punch
of Napoleon and other crowned heads, survey
ing from distance with looks of horror, the
youthful and handsome prince standing in his
manliness to receive the volley of Mexican
soldiers, while brother Jonathan, well known
to have designs of intervening himself in a
democratic way on Mexican politics, comes ur
with asolemn face and inquires ''I say, mister
aohdts your name, amt you carryin this thing a
little too tdr9" .u..
The Power of Conscience.
| AN EXTRACT FROM THE ADDRESS OF ATToR-
| NEY-GENERAL FRYE TO THE JURY IN
| THE CASE STATE VS.. vERRILL.
tOnly abstracts of the addresses to the jury