step proper enough under the circumstances, although prompted by the ministry partly with a view of removing him to a distance, and drawing his attention from them and their assumed task of providing resources.[1] The emperor accordingly set out on the 13th of February with 1,600 men and twelve cannon, the Austrians being left behind for political reasons,[2] and to assist in holding the capital, which was deemed of vital importance.[3] Minister Aguirre, Marquez, and the traitor Lopez were among the party. The campaign fund scraped together for the occasion with great trouble amounted to $50,000 — a munificent sum, truly, with which to sustain the impatient army waiting at Querétaro! And yet the ministers continued to hold up the golden prospects displayed at the late conference.
Lares remained, with his somewhat reconstructed cabinet,[4] in charge of affairs, the defense of the city being intrusted to General Tavera, late minister of war, aided by O'Horan as prefect. To this end the troops in Cuernavaca, Toluca, and other outlying
- ↑ Basch relieves Fischer and Baron Magnus from the charge of having influenced the step, but casts the blame especially on the 'plutting' Marquez. So do Arellano, Ult. Horas, 27, Peza, Jax., 18-19, and others; yet Marquez disclaims any hand therein. Refut., 28-9. One of his motives is said to have been a desire for Miramon's loss of independent command. Lacunza, president of the council, and many leading people objected. Arrangoiz, Méj., iv. 249-50.
- ↑ To show that he now relied wholly on national arms. Basch, who is somewhat unreasonable on these points, accuses the ministry of seeking the Austrians for their own protection. The best among the troops were the municipal guards, containing a slight sprinkling of Austrians; half were unreliable recruits. Peza y Pradillo, Max., 20, gives a list of Maximilian's force.
- ↑ Foreign representatives, said the ministry, would not recognize the government unless it held the capital. Marquez, Refut., 33. Basch, Erinn., i. 54-5, and others blame Marquez severely for letting the emperor depart so poorly provided.
- ↑ At the opening of the year it stood as follows: Lares, minister of justice and president; Mazin, gobernacion; Mier y Teran, fomento; Pereda, in charge of foreign affairs; Aguirre, public instruction and worship; Campos in charge of finances, and T. Murphy of war. After the decision of Jan. 14th, several councillors resigned, and now Murphy received the foreign portfolio, Sanchez Navarro, the rich land-owner, became minister of the household, and Gen. Portilla figures after this as war minister. Fischer, who had replaced Pierron in the private cabinet, stayed at Mexico, while Ramirez, Escudero, Robles, and others hastened to leave the country, in view of the impending crash. See Arrangoiz, Méj., iv. 209–28, 239, 284; Domenech, Hist. Mex., iii. 412.
