G. Niox, Expédition du Mexique, 1861-1867. Paris, 1874. 8, p. 770. The author was a captain of the general staff of the French army. His work contains full information on the European intervention in Mexico during the years 1861-7, beginning with the action of France, England, and Spain, and closing with the capitulation of Mexico and Vera Cruz in June 1867, and the restoration of the republican government. The political considerations are given in such a manner as to render comprehensive the causes, chain of events, and consequences of the military operations. The author quotes copiously from official documents, and appears to be fairly impartial in his details, though evidently inclined to blame the Mexican republicans for many of their acts, particularly the execution of Maximilian.
Manuel Ramirez de Arellano — Últimas Horas del Imperio. (Traducida del francés, y seguida de las consideraciones del Sr N. Hugelmann.) Mexico, 1369. 12, pp. 105. Arellano, a general of brigade in the imperial army, denounces in strong terms the conduct of General Marquez, which he classifies as treacherous. With reference to the manifesto published by the latter in defence of his action, Arellano makes this serere remark: 'El autor de esta memoria lleva la hipocresía, la falsedad y el cinismo á un grado tal, que en honor de la ver las histórica, nuestro deber es refutarlo.' On the following page he speaks of the manifesto as 'setenta y tres páginas de la edicion económica, de que se compone,' in which there is not a word of truth. He maintains that Marquez was the author of the executions at Tacubaya, and that his claims to having won the battles of Ahualulco and San Joaquin were pretensions that Miramon would smile at from the tomb. The Últimas Horas was first published in French at Paris, and afterward translated into Spanish. It elicited a reply from Marquez, under the title, Refutacion hecha por el General de Division Leonardo Marquez al Libelo del General de Brigada Don Manuel Ramirez de Arellano publicarlo en Paris el 30 de Diciembre de 1868, bajo el Epígrafe de 'Ultimas Horas del Imperio.' Mexico, n. d. 12°, p. 371. As these political and military rivals were bitterly opposed to each other, it can only be expected that their counter imputations display bitter animosity. But it is to be regretted that spiteful expressions, marked by want of dignity, creep into their pages. I have already quoted Arellano; Marquez speaks thus of his opponent's publication: Es un fárrago de disparates, un cumulo de necedades, una serie de contradicciones tal, que verdaderamente no se comprende, y se necesita la paciencia de Job para acabar de leer el libro sin arrojarlo de las manos en cien ocasiones.' Page vii. The extreme views of the two political parties are presented to the reader by these two writers.
Papeles y Correspondencia de la Familia Imperial de Francia. . . Relativos á la Intervencion Francesa en México, Mexico, 1873, 12, pp. 214, with index, contains a series of letters, a few of which are addressed by General Bazaine to the emperor Napoleon. The greater portion of them were written by members of the imperial army serving in Mexico to their relatives in France. As may be expected, they represent one-sided views, but most of them show Bazaine's duplicity, and the intrigues and corruption of Maximilian's ministers and advisers.
Niceto de Zamacois--Historia de Méjico desde sus Tiempos mas Remotos hasta Nuestros Dias, etc. Barcelona and Mex., 1877-82. 8°, vol. i.-xviii. This heavy work includes what the author terms the four great phases of Mexican history; viz., the period preceding the conquest; the conquest itself, preceded by an account of the discovery of America and following events; the three centuries of Spanish domination; and the independent period, commencing from the first events preparatory to Hidalgo's revolution down to Maximilian's death. The arrangement is chronological, events and government measures being recorded year by year. The last date is December 1967. The author's style is clear, and generally speaking elegant, though at times turgid and diffuse, statements, or matter previously treated of, being often repeated. He has, moreover, a faculty of singling out trifles as subjects for argument or correction, while great questions appear to be beyond reach of his recognition; at the same time, his vanity is evident from the praise he bestows upon him.
