Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-07-24
From wilkes Spirit Of the Times.
The Execution Of O PrInce-.-IncOHs0-
liable Grief Of the Modern DemOc-

Facy.
The event which This paper has constantly pre-
dicted for the last three years in connection will
the political affairs Of Mexico was fulfilled a
Sueretaro on the 18th Of last month On the morn
ing OIL that day Macmillan Of Hapsburg, who hsC
conspired with Louis Napoleon 10 supplant repub
hcanism on lage portion Of this continent, wa
solemnly executd BY order Of Bento Juarez, tn
President Of the nation whose territories he had
wantonly invaded
We believe that this event, about which, at pres
emit deal Of weak sentimentality prevails, IS one
Of the most fortunate that ever happened for thu
continent; and we further believe, that it is des
tined soon TO be recognized such, by every intel
hgent and liberal mind on earth. For the first tins
in its history Mexico-defamed. villifed uncom.
pretended Mexico-stands forth TO the observation
Of The world, looking entirely man. Undisturbed
by the united protests Of European monarehies un.
swerved by the artful theories Of their literary
parasites and undivided by the insidious interven
ton Of our own State department, Mexico has
shown that it comprehends itself and is fully equal
to the great responsibility put upon it Gas one Of the
guardians Of the integrity of this continent) of vim
dcating republican institutions in the common in
terest of man.
If ever a man forfeited bis life to the outraged
laws Of country-including the general laws Of
humanity and war--that man was Macmillan II
ever ruler, acting under joint sense of justice and
the public welfare found clemency impossible that
ruler Is Bento Juarez and, If there ever was ma
ton which should support another in an act of Jus
tce and spurn the spurious sentiment manufactured
by their common enemies, that nation is the United
States, IN its bearings toward Mexico The Aus
trisn Archduke Macmillan, yielding to the tempta-
ton Of ambition, and misunderstanding the repub-
lean progress Of the age confederated with Louis
Napoleon TO implant monarchy in North America.
They selected for the field Of their joint operations
that magnificent area Of country which adjoined
our Southern States and which States were then
/ IN Ia
the Influences Of a political organization, which,
singularly enough claims to be called the Demo-
attic party. These prncelv invaders regarded this
seditious section of our country their natural
ally, AID every encouragement which it was posi-
bic for them safely to mpart to its treason was IN
hesitatingly given Indeed, they were the practi-
cal allies Of the Southern rebellion in its whole pur
pose and il is matter of historical fact that Louis
Napoleon who was the leader in the invading
scheme endeavored to induce Great Britain to unite
with them in proclaiming the independence of the
South. IL also curious to note, IN this connection,
that Mr. Seward (who has been more than suspect
ed OF hankering after monarchy favored the enter
prise Of Macmillan, by telling our Minister in
Mexico, in answer 10 his warnings, that no such en-
terprise Mexican empire under Macmillan
was ever contemplated; and next, by permitting
Maximilian's army TO purchase war material in the
open markets Of the United States, the same priv
ilege being denied to the Mexican republic.
But to pass by Mr.. Stewards action, we find Max
imilian and his foreign soldiery waging war Of
unparalleled al rocity against the Mexican people,
and even down TO the period when he had discover
ed, by bitter experience, that the great body Of
that people were irreconcilably opposed to him. he
issued DEGREES of which It is not enough 10 say that
they were disgrace 20 The civilization Of the age,
for their demonc spirit seems TO have had its birth
in hell itself.
The most memorable of these ferocious edcts is
that which is known as the decree Of the Sd Of Oc-
tober, 1865 and in which, over his own signature,
this unexpected monster formally proclaimed that
the "reign of clemency had ceased /" nay that
whoever should thenceforth be found fighting for
hIs country against the imperial cause should sum-
marily be shot. This was idle threat used for
the mere purpose of terror, for a large number of
the loyal villages were soon afterward rsnsscked
and laid waste; while in the town of Santa Anna
Amatlan, soon after this decree, the distinguished
generals, Arteagh and Salszer, and some sixty of
their Subordinate officers (all of whom OF the
regular army, and captured in regular battle, were
butzhered in cold blood under this imperial edct.
So shocking was this act and SO frghttul The cruel
mnhsacres that followed. that cur Congress sprang
10 is feet with indignation and Mr. Seward, under
the pressure Of its public resolutions forced TO
call the attention Of the French Government to the
horrors that were perPetrtted in its name France
shifted the responsibility TO Macmillan by saying
that il mas business and not hers, and that the
United States having much authority TO stop the
scandal as any other nation, should not apply to
France. The French Government, however, dis
gugted with these massacres, and recognizing the
hopelessness ofany further attempt TO subugate the
Mexican people TO mOnarohical rule, withdrew from
Mexico, and gave MACMILLAN an opportunity to
retira st the same time
he should have availed himself of the occasion
and gone away. be had then an opportunity TO
get safely of with his life and it was his duty TO
Mexico as well as TO himself to embrace it. He had
outraged her sufficiently in pushing his experiment
whila il had any chance; but now that it was an
hppana a
and unmitigated crime He knew perfectly we'll he
could not succeed after the French legons had re-
tired but he piqued at his imperial partner and
angry at Bazaine, and for the poor and unworthy
purpose Of personal eclGt he remained to harass
Mexico Of her quiet and uselessly deprive her of
hundreds OF more lives. What other fate could he
expect than DEATH who thus wantonly strewed death
around him And what an impudant challenge TO
the good sense of the world is it not for the mon
arches Of Europe to ssy, that his execution was
barbarism unworthy Of the civilization of the age?
Have they forgotten The united exultation they ex
pressed at the execution Of Lopez and William
Walker 2 Will IL be pretended that if any Ameri-
can adventurer should attempt to establish repub
lican government in Belgium, the monsrchs of Eu-
rope viii unite in protest against his execution in
case Of ais eAptureY How unworthy, then, is it not,
for Americans 70 express sickly solitude for Max
imihan and for American journals 70 swell the art
fully constructed cry that his execution is MURDER
and the Mexicanss per consequences, barbsrians
But the sirangest Circumstance Of all is the atti-
tude which the Democratic party is getting itself
into on this subject. Whenever we take up one of
its organs or wherever we hear any Of its members
talk, We discover that the whole Democratic party
Is plunged into an nconsoable grief at the exeeu-
ton Of a Prince What is the matter? What has
come over the spirit Of The Democratic dream
This was not the wont Of the sturdy Democracy of
the olden timel They cared nothing for princes.
They rather dishked them than otherwisei and if
one Of them, in Jsckson's time, had been caught
invading any portion Of this continent in violation
OF the Monroe doctrine and of putting whole VII
lages 60 the sword because the Inhabitants would not
allure rspubhcanism for monarchy, we should have
found them no. only olamSring for his life, but de-
manding an army with which to 60 and take H.
We certainly should not have seen them all biub-
bering at the untimely fate of such an elegant
gentleman = a. Macmillan, and ready to unite win
the weeping courts Of Europe in declaring that our
sister republic of Mexico Is deserving Of excommu-
nicaiion from the family of nations OF truth'
something strange has come over the spirit OF the
old Democracy Following the misleading srlstoe-
racy Of the South constantly gets further and fur
/ Their away from its old texts. Emasculated Of its
original yigor, Il goes pulling about like e9nuch
OF the blessedness Of peace, and stands ready to
make the miseres Of princes a theme for its sub
sequent campaigns. II is marvel that the old rank
and Clio do not occasionally shake themselves to-
getber and touch their minds with thu reflection of
What an eiieminate tribe they may become But
there seeEls 10 be spell upon them and after what
has happened we should hardly be surprised at see
ing the masses Of the once "unterrifed apply for
admission 10 the aristooracy, through the imposing
/ formula Of the blue veil.
| But The most Notifying and un-Amercan fea-
ture Of this whole Macmillan matter is that which
proceeds from She action Of our Government IN re-
gard 10 the Austrian request that We would inter-
nose 70 save the Archdukes life That business
promptly managed BY Mr. Seward, might have pre-
vented Maximilian's execution, bad such thing
been really desirable bat handled IS It was i strip
ped from the Archduke the only chance he mad
/ Had Mr. Seward been statesman, he woulc nave
replied 70 the Austrian note which asked our ileI
ference that the President deeply regretted thatthe
nereditary policy Of the United States forbade It's
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