26 SEPTEMBER 1863, Page 2

The French semi-official papers affirm that the British Government has

agreed to recognize the Archduke Maximi- lian at once. We sincerely trust the report is, at present, premature. If the Mexicans like to have an Emperor, or France to have a colony in Mexico, England can have no objection to recognize those facts, however much she may regret the means by which they have been accomplished. But let them be accomplished first. The Archduke is not Emperor in any political sense until he has entered Mexico, and received the submission of at least some portion of the country. Recog- nizing Emperors in partibue is very dangerous work, only less dangerous than the obligation of guaranteeing their powers. The latter we have happily escaped, and the former may well be postponed.