The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-29

century that Of the French in Mexico has been
the greatest, not only as regards the number
Of troops employed, but also with reference to
the vast sums Of money which have been
drained from the French people to support the
movement As long since we SOretold In the
HERALD, Mexico has at length become the
Moscow Of the second Napoleon. The late
bloody events which have been telegraphed to
US, and which are undoubtedly authentic, will
create in France such revulsion against the
Emperor that 1t Is doubtful II the result does
not shake his throne to the overtarning Of the
Bonaparte dynasty. Despite the fact that
Macmillan landed upon the shores Of Mexico
and proclaimed that all the Ne xicans who would
not join his standard were bandits and outlaws,
subject to the penalty Of death, the world,
animated by the natural love which mankind
has for bold action and desperate deeds, has
watched the late action Of the royal adventurer
with something Of admiration, and, in con-
formity with the tendencies Of the age, has
been disposed to set aside his crimes, to such
an extent that there has been an almost unani-
nanus demand that his life should be spared.
HAS our kilograms state, Macmillan Is to be
shot, the Mexican people, on the score Of policy,
will make great mistake. The capture Of
the Archduke gave them splendid oppor-
tunity to place themselves before the world in
such light as would have drawn from
Chrstendom the highest praise for magma
nimity which in no case the imperialists have
shown towards the republic. 1t would have
GvaJ ok fho III
to occupy in the estimation of nations, and
would have proved that she is entitled to that
consideration demanded by her long warfare
against retrogression and the curses of her
Catholic Church corruptons. The civilized
world would then have waited for her to restore
her shattered elements Of government, and aid,
not opposition to a constitutional Power which
has had Its birth upon such sanguinary tide,
would have been given wherever republican
feeling controls nation. If, however, the
news that Macmillan is to be shot should be
confirmed, the demand Of the European nations
upon the United States for in tervention will
largely influence our government; and, not
withstanding our sympathies for people who
have been driven to desperation by the evils
against which they had been combating since
1910, and which by 1862 they had conquered
only to see reinstated under the imperial
shadow, we shall be obliged to take very
serious action with reference to Mexican affairs.
If Macmillan should be shot more blame
will be attached to our State Department
than to the Mexicans themselves. Secretary
Seward has, with Mexico, played fast and
loose policy, first wavering upon recognition
of the empire, for which purpose he brought all
his influence to bear upon Mr.. Lincoln, next
playing into the hands Of the republic and
giving q shadowy aid to government that
lily conceded with his monarchical tendencies,
and finally, in most undiplomatic and insult
ing communication to the Juarez government,
through Mr. Campbell, resident at New Orleans,
forwarding . demand for the life of the
Austrian prince. The Mexicans are full Of
pride and very jealous Of foreign interference
their jealousy, too, was rendered doubly sensi-
tive by the pragmatic Intervention of Spain,
France and England in their internal affairs.
They, therefore, felt that they should have been
left entirely alone to settle their questions as
best suited the demands of the case and the
feelings Of their people. For foreign Power,
Of which they are more jealous than of any
other nation, to step in and intermeddle at the
very last moment, and that too, when it had
refused to give aid at the proper time, very
naturally caused the republican government to
say, " If we recognize this demand Of our pow
erful neighbor we shall stand, in the eyes Of the
world, as q nation which lives only in the
shadow Of the United States and which we vir-
tually recognize as the force which has, with
out effort on our part, driven the vampire from
our territory-that Mr.. Stewards jesuitical pen
has done the work, and not our own suffering
people," The laundering demand Of our gov
eminent placed them, therefore, in a very awk-
ward position; and we feel certain that If Maxi
milan is to-day In his grave the Mexican peo-
pie, excited by our interference, have forced
the execution, and that to Mr.. Stewards lack
Of craftsmanship Europe Is indebted for the
burial Of an archduke.
Since our civil war our management Of Mexi-
can affairs has been going on from bad to
worse. Had we, at the close OF the contest,
sent our victorious troops across the Rio Grande
to whip out the Mexican part Of our rebellion,
as Grant and Sheridan wished to, and as their
soldierly and statesmanlike ideas suggested
was necessary, we might have finished the
French Intervention in manner becoming
the great republic against which II was
principally aimed. Instead Of that we
let the glorious moment slip, and for that
reason we to-day occupy in Europe position
/ fsr holoxv that xvhich xvo rn0ht have occnn MAD
had we loosed the dogs Of war and closed our
great struggle in . manner worthy the Ameri-
can people. Our influence then in Mexico
would have been what it should be, but what
now IL Ia not Sister nations in q common
republicanism, might have marched together,
and Mexican revolutionary troubles, under our