The Sun. — 1866-12-03 (London, England)

THE FUTUEE OF MEXIV.  The Post, in an article on the abdication of the Emperor Maximilian, expresses an opinion that in the interests of the Mexican nation every one must regret this melancholy fiasco. Whatever may have been the special motives which induced the Emperor of the French to send an army to Mexico, and at a later period to instal an Austrian archduke as Emperor of that country, there can be no doubt that he would have rendered a real service to the Mexican people if he had succeeded. Mexico is one of the richest countries in North America, and only needs an honest Government to become also one of the most prosperous. Her industrial resources have never been developed, and never will be, so long as the only objects of statecraft are to commit indiscriminate pillage and plunder. It is thought probable that the Government of the United States will take care that under the new regime some semblance of decency will be maintained. It is doubtful, however, if the Cabinet of Washington will pass to the lengths of actual intervention. They have quite enough to do to set their own house in order without undertaking a similar task for others. The Mexicans have rejected a Government which would have made them great and respected, and they must now submit as best they can to all the evils of the misrule which they have restored. The Times, referring to the abdication of the Emperor Maximilian, remarks that this step, if there were no now party in the quarrel, would simply replace Mexico in that condition of anarchy and barbarism from which the European expedition had rescued her for a time. But we are told that the United States will now adopt the party of Juarez, just as the French adopted that of his adversaries ; that they will assume the protectorate which the French vacate, and re-enact the scenes of the last three years with this simple change in the characters of the piece. The French took up Miramon and fought Juarez ; the Americans will take up Juarez and fight Miramon. We have not yet any sufficient authority for the fact, but it is not improbable nor in-any way to be deprecated. Either the Mexicans must be left to rob and murder as before, or some strong Power must interfere to take up one faction and put down the other. The Americans can, and probably will, do what the French both could and would have done under more favourable circumstances. They will have this advantage, too, in their proceedings—they will seem less like invaders than their predecessors ; they will preserve the name and form of a Mexican republic, and probably leave a native Mexican as its ostensible head. But the measure itself will be the same as before. It will be identical with that which all Europe saw to be inevitable at the period of the expedition which we ourselves declined to prosecute, but which France adopted, and Spain was ready to adopt. It will be intervention for the government of a people who have proved utterly incapable of governing themselves. It will be the establishment of a foreign protectorate in the place of a native Administration, nominally independent, but expressing only anarchy and violence ; and as this will be for the advantage of the world at large, the Times wishes the Americans a cheap bargain and speedy success.  "