New-York tribune., 1867-07-24


IL TO resist the French and overthrow the En-
pire, we fear there is one harder before them.
The expulsion of the invaders gains little for
Mexico, unless the nation makes worthy use OF
its victory and it was easier, perhaps for Juarez
to maintain unequal war for years, to fight
battles without armies, than il will be to organize
order and reestablish upon tuo 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 but it has
also excited ferocity and revenge that are loss.
Hitherto in the history of Mexico the sequel
of every victory has been the birth of a 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 a true
peace; enough blood has not been shed to
make Mexico free; her new Government, like
the Palaces Of the FUis, must be built upon
the bones of human victims or the foundations
will be insecure. Mexico scOrns the sympathy
so freely given by the American 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 Repub-
licanism should also be the triumph of Bar
barism, and that the first act Of the Liberals
should be the proclamation of q Reign of Ter
ror throughout the unhappy land
A reign of terror it has been since the En-
pire fen. What were the executions of Maxi
milan, of Mejia, of Miramon, but terrorism
They were justified upon the ground that it
was necessary to teach European usurpers
stern lesson. France was to be frightened,
Austria humbled That justice demanded
these executions was an after thought, and
whether the cruelties of Macmillan be true or
false, it was not for them that he was shot.
He was killed in tho rage of a semi-barbaric
people. Mexico said to Napoleon, :" You sent
Gus an Emperor; we return what remains OF
"the Empire" and threw the corpse of Maxi
milan 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 by
Louis Napoleon when, in the coup detat, his
troops poured volleys of death into crowds of
innocent citizens in the streets of Paris. IL was
his policy to strike such blow "a would appal
France, and he succeeded. But it is not certain
that Mexico will succeed, for though des-
potsm may be based on a policy of murder
and fear, q republic must rest upon prlnci-
pies of magnanimity and justice; and If
success should be thus obtained, it will be
like that of Napoleon-but for a 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 Ter
ror To destroy the political influence of the
priests, they desecrate the churches; because
it is necessary to make the State free. they de-
stroy tho converts, and assault the nuns.
Everywhere the strong rough hand; undiscrim-
mating 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 MeM-
co might proftably study.
Mexico has shot Maximilian, and chills for
ever the ambition of European krchdukes and
Emperors; she may shoot Santa Anna as she
did Miramon, and silence for time domestic
faction she may massacre her nuns and priests,
and so break the political power of the Church.
The Reign of Terror may extend thus far; but
we submit that it cannot reach 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
Americans will be begging for their own heads,
instead of for the lives of Austrians but we
do not shudder at the announcement. We
know that the civilized and Christian
sentiment of the United States is resented by
the Mexicans, and that all the moral and diplo
matte aid we gave the Republic is considered
worthless compared with our horrible effrontery
in asking for the life of Macmillan. This un-
expected 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 sue
cess. We do not believe that one threat of
EscobedO will be carried out; for were such q
policy adopted, there is danger that those who
first began it would longest feel it; but its mere
suggestion shows what dangers Mexico must
meet. The Republic has begun badly; it hasa
ready lost the respect of Christian nations and
threatens to challenge their enmity. Liberal
ism is no sooner triumphant than 1t assumes the
form of tyranny the Republic becomes des-
potsm the victory Of the nation is the defeat
of its civilization; Peace, after long struggle,
is won, and, behold. it is established as re-
vengeful and barbaric war. For the Republic
thus begun the future is dark, and unless
wiser eounsels than those of Escobedo are 10
govern, there Ia grave reason to fear that
Mexico win forfeit every advantage she has
gained, and will renew those fratricidal wars,
there dispsceful rivalries, which, in the past,
made her nationality q mockery.
Mr. Johnson's plan of calling the five Dis
trict Commanders together in Washington and
4ho,o h.