CHAPTER XX.
French Pecuniary Claims enforced—Forcible Proceedings at Vera Cruz—Customhouse Difficulties in the City of Mexico—Arbitrary Conduct of the French—The Mexican Minister's Protest—Discord in the French Camp—Marshal Bazaine's Painful Position—French Intrigues with the Rebels—Decisive Telegram to General Castelnau—Maximilian's Difficulties increase—His Generous Resolve as to Foreign Soldiers—Letter from the Empress Eugenie—The Clerical Plans fail—Imperial Disasters—Maximilian's Interview with Marshal Bazaine—Plain Statement by the Latter—The Junta in Mexico—Marshal Bazaine attends it—The Marshal's Declaration—The Junta decides for the Empire—Sale of the French Cavalry Horses—Exchange of Prisoners—Honourable Conduct of the Liberals—Appeals to French Honour—The Austrian Farewell.
THE Mexican government, as may be well imagined, felt but little disposed to exhaust its treasury, poor enough already, to satisfy the requirements of the convention of July 30. The recall of the legion had definitively torn up all the conventions which bound the two parties; and, in our opinion, Maximilian was justified in seeking to free himself from the French claims. The very evening Maximilian arrived at Orizaba, our head-quarters had begged him to give orders to the customs' authorities at Vera Cruz, as a notification made on this subject by M. Dano before the court left Mexico had not met with a reply. The emperor replied by telegraph that he would see to the matter without delay. On November 1, the day on which the convention was to come into force, no measures had yet been taken; the ministers were seeking to gain time, and required that the convention which had already been approved of should now be ratified. M. Dano directed the financial agents at
