sacred institutions, on feeble women and defenceless prisoners; and reminded that as the Spanish armies had been driven from the soil, so could the less numerous French forces — already humbled by their inglorious defeat at Puebla.[1]
Among the first acts of the regency was to appoint a commission under the presidency of José María Gutierrez de Estrada,[2] to convey to Maximilian the resolution of the assembly, and offer him the crown. This was formally done at Miramare, on October 3, 1863; the archduke replying that, flattered as he felt by the predilection of the Mexicans for his house, descended from Charles V., yet he recognized that "the monarchy can be reëstablished on a legitimate and solid basis only by a confirmatory vote of the entire nation freely expressed. On the result of this general vote of the country must therefore depend the acceptance of the proffered throne. . .In case the election of the noble Mexican people, as a whole, falls upon my name, I shall be ready, with consent of the august chief of my family, and with reliance on the aid of the Almighty, to accept the crown."[3]
- ↑ See proclamations and despatches in Méx., Col. Leyes, 1863-7, i. 53-67, datel July 221 and 25th. Governors of states issued similar or additional appeals. Among other acts of Juarez were the withdrawal of Mexican consuls from France, and the order for French agents to leave Mexico. Several other consuls fell under temporary or perpetual ban. Governor Tapia of Michoacan issued, July 12th, a decree confiscating the property of all adherents of the empire, in case the regency did so with republican followers.
- ↑ Who had figured as minister of state and envoy, like several of his colleagues. The others were Velazquez de Leon, ex-minister of fomento and director of the mining college; Ignacio Aguilar y Marocho, and Francisco J. Miranda, ex ministers of justice; Gen. Woll, a prominen military man; José Hidalgo, ex-chargé d'affaires; Suarez Perido, conde del Valle and José Londa, landed proprietors; Antonio Escandon, banker; and Angel Iglesias y Dominguez, secretary of the commission, a descendant of the famous corregidor of Querétaro. Estrada, Discurso, l. Zamacois adds Tomás Murphy, and Domenech omits two of the names. Estrada and three others, then in Europe, were joined there by the rest, who left Vera Cruz Aug. 18th, the party reaching Trieste on Oct. 1st.
- ↑ He concluded by promising to follow the example of his brother by opening to the country the wide road of progress, under a constitutional régime, based on order and morality, and guided by equity. Parties must forget their quarrels, and unite to place Mexico in the eminent position among nations for which she is destined. He alluded to the glorious initiative of the French emperor that had made this regeneration possible. The full text, delivered
