The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-05-31

THE FATE OF MAMnHLIAH.

~ NR - N ~ oE HA Akm& - Ae
Our Government, officials and the public,
seem much concerned in regard TO the fate Of
the Imperial Usurper of Mexico. We are
not specially disposed to sympathize with
this feeling, and must confess very great
Indifference and special lack of sympathy in
the premises. We find no ground for SYM
patty in the antecedents Of the royal usurper,
nor in his own career, while occupying the
throne of Mexico, and ruling, as military
despot, sustained by foreign bsyonets, over
the unhappy people of thst country.
By means of conspiracy Of the aristo-
Gratis of Mexico, and the monarchists of Eu>
rope, Of which the Emperor. of the French
mansged 10 place himself at the head, while
Mexico was distracted with internal factions,
and the civil war in the United States de-
pryed the friends Of free institutions there
of aid and comfort from our country, this
banded conspiracy of monarchists, supported
by a powerful army, succeeded in penetrate
ing Mexico, and taking and holding posses.
sion of her Capital, in spite of the hostility
of the people.
Macmillan proved himself selfish, mar.
row-minded and vindictive tyrant, in his
military domination over the people, and was
in the habit, under his own published de-
crees, OF ordering those taken in arms and
fighting for the liberties and independence of
the country, to bloody execution. In spite
of the foreign army at his back, and the
powerful aid Of European monarchies,
by ( their potent influence and pecu-
mary contributions, the Republi.
cans of Mexico, unaided and
alone, with courageous hearts and persever-
ing devotion to the cause of their country,
rallied in arms and resisted to the death in
every section of the country and after FIVE
years Of desperate struggle and sacrifice Of
life and property, have succeeded in gaining
victory, and capturing the usurper. And
now comes in the Government of the United
States, which furnished them no aid in their
struggle; which never interfered to prevent
the execution of Republicans taken in arms
sgsinst the usurper, and protests against his
punishment. His record is that of a foreign
usurpstion, achieved and sustained over tn
liberties of an independent people, by the aid
the crowned heads of Europe, and an ar.
my supported by military exactions on the.
people, whose institutions he had oyerthrown
and whose liberties be had destroyed. And
the record OF his tyranical rule well sustsins
that of his lawless and bloody usurpation OF
power.
Now let the people of Mexico, who
have at last yindicated their liberty,
and the independence of their coun.
try, AFTER long and bloody war
deal with their captive tyrant in their
own way. Let not the Republican Govern,
ment of the United States join with France
and Austria, in an attempt to overawe and
browbeat, the champions Of the liberty, aud
independence of their country, to surrender
their Royal prisoner 10 gladden., by his pres
ence, the courts of European Monarchs, and
TO organize another conspiracy amongst the
crowned heads. to restore and perpetuate his
Imperial rule, in the Republic Of Mexico.
de is without excuse or justification, in
reason or in law. He had no right TO rule
the people of Mexico. They did not know
him, had never SO much as heard Of him.
His only claim to usurp the liberties of Mex
leo, and rule its people was, that be was
member of Royal Family in Europe.
Had he been common marsuder, or pirate
OF the sea or the land, our Government would
neverhave attempted to interfere with the adj
ministration of justice in his case, by the
people Of Mexico. Why, then, interfere in
behalf Of this scion of tyranny, who traces
his genealogy through line of tyrants for a
thousand years of oppression9 Why insist
that he and his hackers shall be justified in
their attempts to overthrow the liberties Of
distant people, and when they fail in the ef
fort, suffer them to escape with impuuity,
that they may be encouraged to repeat it?
Because our Administration has been false
to its dusy TO the people, and suffered the
Chief of rebellious conspiracy, which
drenched the land with blood, and burdened
it with debt, to 60 unwhipt of justice. must
it also interpose its good offices in favor of
foreign usurper, who, during the same Pc
Rod, was seeking the overthrow of the Free
Institutions Of Mexico, by like bloody
means. Must we ever cover, as q Govern.
ment and a people, before our aristocracy at
home, and the monarchists of Europe?
Since our own Government has become
fnnkeyized, aud shrsnk from its high duties
10 tue ie and the cause of Free Institu-
tons, = satished with its own dis
grace, and hot seek to overswe Mexico, and
TO constrsin Jusrez to Johnsonize.
Tyrants, Usurpers, Traitors need now, in
this latter half of the Nineteenth Century, a
terrible lesson, to impress the world tina,
the rights and liberties, the property and
lives, of the people, are not TO be made mere
footballs, for the qualification of a lawless
and domineering ambition.