against the United States. He was then appointed minister to France, but did not go there,[1] and it has been charged against him that he never accounted for $20,000 that had been advanced to him.[2]
During the war with the United States Almonte served part of the time as secretary of war, and performed other important work in defence of the country, but does not seem to have done anything on the battle-field. His name figured at one time as a candidate for the presidency. He had some disagreement with Santa Anna, and resigned. His candidature for the executive office was again brought forward in 1849, to be defeated. Presidential aspirations became a passion with him; disappointment soured him, and every opponent was looked on as an enemy.[3] During Santa Anna's last dictatorship Almonte took no part in political affairs. After its overthrow, President Comonfort sent him in 1856 as minister plenipotentiary to London, where, neglecting his proper duties, he devoted himself to the promotion of foreign intervention and monarchial schemes. His course was such that upon Comonfort's downfall he was accredited by the succeeding conservative administrations as minister in Paris, and later also in Madrid. His participation in the European schemes has been partly alluded to elsewhere, and the rest will appear in the course of this history. Almonte was the first to write a treatise on the geography of Mexico.
Archbishop Labastida was born in the city of Zamora and state of Michoacan on the 21st of March,
- ↑ Arrived at Habana, he found Santa Anna was on the point of returning to Mexico, and came back with him.
- ↑ The fact appeared in a manuscript record of 197 pages found in Maximilian's private office. The notes to the manuscript are in French, many of them in the handwriting of Félix Eloin. The document was later lodged in the foreign office of Mexico. Lefévre, Doc. Maximiliano, i. 318; Traidores pintados por sí mismos, in Libro Secreto de Maximil., 1-2.
- ↑ It has been said against Almonte that he denied recognition to his mother, and never offered her any assistance though she lived by alms. Cabezút, Los Tres Malditos, in La Estrella de Occid., Dec. 25, 1863.
