The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-23
European Sorrow for Mo1lmIlan.

Inc cOplOuS OuJpOurlnB OF c0mmlseratlOn
for the fate of Maximilian and the attendant
execrations of Mexico seem likely to appease
themselves by expression, and to be followed
by no immediate political consequences. AS,
in point of law, no nation had a right to inter
pose to arrest, so none has right to interpose
to punish, this piece of ruthless barbarity.
This is evident from the fact that none of the
powers that sought to avert Maximilian's death
presented demands in the name of justice, but
only petitions in the name OF humanity. The
right to avenge must be founded on a previous
right to prevent, and as no nation claimed the
latter none can consistently exercise the former.
1t is no wonder that the fate of that amiable
Prince has opened the deepest fountains of
European sympathy. Nothing has occurred
in our time which appeals so touchingly to
humane sympathes, and invests a public
transaction with so many surroundings of
romance. The ancient descent and princely
expectations of this young man in his own
land; the adventurous nature of his under
taking, when, after a soft nurture in courts,
he resigns his hereditary claims and goes to a
distant hemisphere to found an empire over
factious and half-civilized people; the benig-
nant sway he sought to exercise the unaf-
fected and kindly openness of his manners; his
diligence in public duties the tenderness and
sanity of his smitten consort crushed by the
very thought of the impending ruin; the de-
sertion OF his imperial patron; his subsequent
self-relanoe and final resignation to his fate,
make, taken all together, history as affect
ing as most of those which writers of fiction
have embellished in their scenes or their mar
ratives. When the civilization of this conti-
nent shall have become old, and something of
the dimness of a remote past shall have
gathered over this extraordinary age, there is
nothing i'll all its transactions, and nothing
which has as yet occurred in the history of the
New World, which will afford such touching
materials for the tragic muse as the adven-
lures and death of MaXimilian.
Although the indignation against Mexico
which prevails in Europe will have no i'm
mediate political consequences, it is not void
of political importance. 1t reconciles all the
great powers of the world to the absorp-
tion OF Mexico by the Uuited States 1t
has caused a universal verdict to be pro-
nounced against that anarchical country that
it is unfit to be a member of the COM
munity of nations. If we should seize her
tomorrow, or next year, or five years hence,
no voice of protest would be raised in any
quarter of the world. 1t is unfortunate for
a nation thus to cut itself off from all human
sympathy, to be by universal public opinion
branded as an outlaw unworthy to live, and
to be foredoomed, in all intelligent public
thought, to become the appanage and posses
sion of powerful neighbor. 1t removes all
moral obstacles to her subjugation, and de-
prives her of those advantages of trade, inter
course and credit needed for her development
and prosperity.
We trust that our Government will exhibit
more forbearance and magnanimity than any
nation in the world seems to expect of it. 1t
is always polite to be just; and we have no
| just claim to seize and appropriate Mexico
We must not commit an act of dishonor be-
cause the whole world stands ready to con-
nive at and approve of it. 1t is no part for us
to act to become the executioner of European
vengeance to punish deed which sympa-
thizing royalty in Europe only deplores. Nor
is it consistent with the friendship we have all
along professed for Mexico to judge her with
greater rigor than do the nations which abet-
ted her subiugation. After the ordeal she has
gone through during our civil war, and in
consequence of it, she is entitled to a fair op-
portunity to test that capacity for selfgovern-
ment which she has asserted in expelling her
invaders.