CHAPTER II.
FOREIGN INTERVENTION.
1861-1862.
Spanish Occupation of Vera Cruz — Action of the Mexican Government — Arrival of the French and British Forces — Allied Plenipotentiaries and their Differences — Joint Address to the Mexicans — Pecuniary Claims against Mexico — Negotiations with Juarez' Government — Convention of La Soledad — Reactionists under French Protection — Rupture among the Allied Diplomats — Spaniards and British Reembark — The French Throw off the Mask — Almonte Establishes a Government — French Reoccupation of Orizaba — Their March against Puebla and Repulse — Cinco de Mayo — Subsequent Liberal Reverses — Affairs at the Capital
The invasion so long apprehended comes at last. Mexico, after having by almost superhuman efforts nearly brought to an end all opposition to her advancement in the scale of nations, is now to be checked by the active interference of powerful European monarchies priding themselves 'upon their high civilization. On the pretext of collecting money claims, and of demanding reparation of alleged grievances, to all of which the liberal government would have done justice in due time, they come to the aid of a corrupt party opposed to all progress. Two of the offenders, it is true, for their own special reasons, abandon the enterprise soon after its inception; but they should not be permitted to shake off their share of responsibility for the encouragement they gave the third one to pursue the work of destroying Mexico's free republican institutions, nor for the sad catastrophe that followed the failure to set up w 7 ithin her borders a monarchial government.
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