Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-07-10
Foreign Indignation at the Death of
Macmillan.

The cable informs us that all the courts of
Europe have gone into mourning at the death
of Macmillan. The English government
postponed, at the news, a grand review in
Hyde Park, and seriously proposes to sus-
pend diplomatic relations with Mexico. In
France the execution is denounced crime
against civilization, and orders have been
sent out suspending from their functions all
French consuls in the Mexican Republic.
All festivities in Paris have ceased, and the
preparations for forthcoming fetes have been
abandoned.
What an amazing difference it makes with
these foreign potentates whether it is their
or that is gored, or only the Liberals in
Mexico who come to grief When Maxi
milan was trying by court martial and shoot
ing the leaders of the Mexican Republic it
was all comfortable in the courts of Europe
and Paris was as gay as ever. But when
| the invader and subverter of the government
Of Mexico meets the same fate he has so often
prepared for others, the crowned heads are
shaken with fierce indignation. 1t is quite
time these foreign freebooters were taught
the salutary lesson, that their lives are not
more sacred than the lives of the people
whose countries they take fancy to invade,
and whose treasures they plumber.
Quite the coolest suggestion we have seen
is contained in speech of Baron Dupin, in
the French Senate, previous to the execution
of Macmillan. That orator, waxing warm
in his Indignation, said
1t is of Importance that from our higher
Chamber word should go forth expressing
a wish that great crime should not be per-
petrated, which would be an indelibe stigma
on the barbarians who might commit it.
Hope must be entertained that the voice of
humanity will be powerful enough to prevent
it. Let as trust that the United States ,ciLl
strire to the last to prerent a misfortune like
this; because 1t as upon that government ADORE
all, that the responsibility Of it arould rest.
The President of the Senate approved the
Baron's speech, and said the Senate and all
France shared his emotion and his feelings.
This is touching But do our readers see
the train of reasoning from which the noble
Baron comes to the conclusion that the
United States will be responsible for Maxi
milian's death? Dupin is confident of hi.
opinion, but he doesn't vouchsafe reason.
1t can not be because we invited Maximil-
ian to Mexico. On the contrary, we pro-
tested against it. This country has never
promised him or Napoleon a safe deliverance
out of Mexico, but it has pretty distinctly
intimated to them that they couldn't stay
there safely. Macmillan went to Mexico,
not only against the protest of our govern
ment, but because we had too large rebel
lion on our hands to oppose him. We do
not see any logical connection between these
facts and Dupin's conclusion, but astute
Frenchman may see what is invisible to
American comprehension. According to the
international code of the French Senate, il
burglar breaks into a house, and is shot
while plundering the premises, the respon-
sibility of his death will justly rest upon
such of the neighbors as have protested
against burglary. That code may be in force
in civilized France, but we are happy in the
belief that it is MT recognized in this coun-
try.