entered upon.[1] Such might, indeed, have been the result[2] but for the firm stand taken by the empress,[3] who undertook to plead with Napoleon in person; for neither she nor her consort at this time regarded the attitude of the United States with the same fears as France. She took with her a letter from Maximilian, presenting an elaborate answer to the last peremptory note. It assumed that Napoleon stood compromised to found a strong government in Mexico. This could be done only after establishing the peace needful for creating resources. So far the loans and revenue had been absorbed mainly by the army, to the sacrifice of other interests and projects, proof enough that every possible effort had been made to fulfil the convention of Miramare. Maximilian could not be blamed for the state of the finances. They had always been in disorder, and the task of reform had all this time been intrusted to French officials. So far only a portion of the country had been brought under the empire by the French commander-in-chief. The very condition of placing all the imperial forces at his disposal implied an obligation for him, the representative of France, to effect the subjugation; instead of doing this, he had, by inaction and disregard for Maximilian's remonstrances, lost to a great extent the results achieved by costly campaigns. In short, both military and financial failures were charged to the French.[4]
- ↑ Saillard had declared, on his return, that an empire under Maximilian was impossible.
- ↑ L'abdication devait avoir lieu le 7 juillet,' writes Détroyat, L'Interven., 246. 'Am 7 Juli ergriff er in der That die Feder, um den Fall der Monarchie zu unterzeichnen,'adds another witness. Kaiser, Max., 146; and so Arrangoiz; but among the officials were those who believed differently. They bethought themselves of his obstinacy, which would be affirmed by the prospect of increasing the trouble for France. Niox, Expéd du Mex., 584. Kératry declares that Maximilian spoke to his friends of a formal agreement with Napoleon for retaining the French troops till the end of 1868, without which he would never have accepted the throne; but he must have depended on rumor, and reveals weakness in his own statements.
- ↑ The moment for abdication seemed unfavorable for Maximilian's hopes in Europe, for the result of the 'seven days' war' was not yet known in Mexico. Had a cable existed at the time to bring the news, he might have hastened home to take advantage of the blow at his brother's popularity.
- ↑ He had not expected the subjugation to cover only a part of the coun-
