The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-07-13
Macmillan.

variance in relation. to the rightful
ness of the execution of poor Max
The Times is fiercely ~ferocious to.
wards the Mexican authorities fol-
shooting him. The Herald takes a
sensational view of the question, and
insists that General Sheridan shall
be ordered forthwith to invade Mexi-
CO at the head Of 1OO,0 900 troops and
conquer and annex the country. The
|1ssAsM denounces the Juarez Gov
eminent ass bloodthirsty.V and utters
maledictions againstit. On the other
hand the Independent, looking at
the question from a benevolent and
Christian point Of view, comes to the
following grave conclusions:
1.-THE death penalty is the prevailing
law in the United States and Mexico.
This being the case, on what criminals
shall this law be executed? Shall OBJ
scure culprits taste the bitterness of a
bitter fate, and Ilustrious offenders
90 free. Shall a great nation. lin
melting out the punishment of death.
say to all the world,-@Fhe murderer of
a man shall be hung; but the assassin
of a nation shall be pardoned?"
1.-The two greatest criminals of the
b fssR s sna MI| h 4 beg Rhs @' sas zee
s soassly Fl th t's s { q is ss ! + ais s Ssa
an alien people. IF it is very justiG-,
able to punish any criminal with
death, the American Governnlent
ought to haze executed Jefferson
Davis, as thee Mexiean Government
has executed Maximilian, The only,
vindication possible to the American
Governmentforuits release of Jeffef-a
son Davis is a consistent policy by the
m ment Of dl any and sff efininsis BY death.
The escapeaofr Jefferson Davis ouEht
Up 50 facto, 4oab1lish the death pen
atty forever from the republic. Since
the greatest Of TAnerican criminals
has gone free, then hereafter, while
time shall last, let no other and1esser
wretch ever suffer death-rt IN zsas1
I'VE deprecate in Mexico, as in
America, theintakingi OF life by the
State. WeI1asbelieYe THAT, 10 morally
speaking, no government on earth has
a right to stretch a,efnan''s neck from
cross-beam or to shoot at his heart in
a public square. But such being the
law of Mexico, if any man under it
has entitled himselfitoo feel its edge,
that man was Maximilian. IF the
Mexicans were justified in hanging
or shooting any criminal, they are JUS
titled in the execution of Maxfmil-
ian. Not a villain now lying in any
dungeon in Vera Cruz, for whom the
laws halter is now waiting, could ever
be Justly hung In Mexico, If Maximil-
ian had been pardoned.
This ambitious foreigner was no
doubt an accomplished and amiable
gentlemen; but he was not shot for
being a gentleman; he was shot for
being a brigand, aaillibuster, a pirate,
a usurper, a despot. He was an alien
who entered Mexico with an invading
army, and sought Herewith to over
threw the Mexican Republic, and on
its ruins to erect an Empire. The
crime which he committed against
Mexico was just as beinous as if he
had attempted it against the United
States or Canada We admit that, if
his villainy bad been perpetrated
against Government, be would
probably haze. been bdi2ed; but if it
u~aueDSeu dgalHSC tdnaua ne WOutd
probably have been blown, like a Sc
poy, from the mouth Off gun.
IF General Washington had any
rightlto hang Major Andre, the Mex
lean Government had ten thousand
times more right TO shoot Macmillan.
THE crack of the ten rifles which
utteredthis Austrian's death-warrant.
anG Which{ we hope, has forever put
an cod to the divine right oe kings
on this continentslis a needful procIaz7
matlonto the Old World that crowned
heads are intruders on North Ameri-
can soil land that foreign, bayonets.
pointed against a North American
people, shall be thrust back in. the
bosoms of those, who bearthem hither.
10'The army of MaximiIan deserved
defeat; and its leaders deserved death.
M COM 7aS7. f1yr<rsa e1e y 'tU n.y.