MEXICO 



519 



while to make application in this respect to the Cora- 

 mander-in-Chief of the Franco-Mexican army, who 

 represents France in Mexico. You cannot remain 

 any longer in Mexican territory, and I beg you to 

 leave it without delay, as I would a son. 



I have given on this point explicit orders to the 

 head Commander of Vera Cruz, as well as to the 

 Admiral commanding the French naval forces in the 

 Gulf, that a vessel be put at your service. Receive, 

 General, the assurance of my' high esteem. 



The Commander-iii-Chief.- General BAZAINE. 



On March 12th the military commander of 

 Vera Cruz informed Santa Anna of the order 

 for his departure received from the capital, and 

 on the same day he left for Havana. From the 

 hitter place he published a reply to General 

 Bazaine, denying that he made any promise not 

 to interfere in politics, and insinuating that the 

 order for his departure from Mexico emanated 

 from Gen. Bazaine alone, as on the same day he 

 received a letter from 'Almonte congratulating 

 him on his arrival. With regard to the paper 

 signed by him before landing at Vera Cruz, in 

 which he promised not to take any part in poli- 

 tics without the previous sanction of the Gov- 

 ernment, he stated that he did not know its 

 purport, as it was written in the French lan- 

 guage, with which he' was unacquainted. He 

 further declared that the manifesto was print- 

 ed by his friends, who were naturally desiroi-J 

 to know his opinion of public affairs, and en- 

 tirely at their own suggestion ; and announced 

 his intention to appeal to Napoleon III. against 

 the "unjust and inhuman" order for his de- 

 parture. Whether the appeal was ever really 

 made or not, he did not return to Mexico, the 

 Emperor probably agreeing with Gen. Bazaine 

 that his presence in the country might be pro- 

 ductive of mischief, and that the indiscreet mani- 

 festo formed a good pretext for getting rid of him. 

 During March the French fleet was active 

 along the Gulf coast, and blockaded that por- 

 tion extending from Vera Cruz as far south- 

 ward as Lagana. Several vessels also appear- 

 ed off the mouth of the Kio Grande and took 

 soundings preparatory to an attack in force 

 upon Matamoras. On the Pacific coast the 

 port of Acapulco was blockaded. But in South- 

 ern Mexico the French met with no success, 

 having even been compelled to evacuate Tabasco 

 and Minatitlan after severe fighting, and being 

 afraid to approach the latter place on account 

 of its unhealthiness. In the beginning of April 

 they had no foothold in the States of Tabasco 

 or Chiapas. 



In the early part of 1864 the deputation of 

 Mexicans which had in the preceding year pre- 

 sented the imperial crown to Maximilian, re- 

 turned to Europe on a similar errand. The 

 scruples of the archduke had been by this time 

 so far overcome, that he was willing to receive 

 the dignity without a ratification by the popu- 

 lar vote, accepting the submission of the people 

 to the French arms as equivalent to a vote in 

 lis favor. On April 10th he received the depu- 

 tation at his palace of Mirarnar, and listened to 

 a harangue from Gutierrez de Estrada, who on 



this, as on the former occasion, officiated as 

 spokesman, and expressed the joy felt by the 

 deputation in finding themselves once more in 

 the presence of his Highness. They had come, 

 he said, in the name of the imperial regency to 

 announce that the vote of the notables which 

 had conferred the crown on him had been rati- 

 fied by an immense majority of the country, 

 and that the unanimous acclamation of the 

 notables of Mexico, of the municipal author- 

 ities, and of the popular corporations, repre- 

 sented a truly national vote. Maximilian replied, 

 in Spanish, to the deputation as follows: 



Mature examination of the acts of adhesion yoa 

 have come to lay before me affords me the assurance 

 that the resolution of the Mexican notables which 

 brought you the first time to Mirarnar is confirmed 

 by the immense majority of your compatriots, and 

 that I may with good right consider myself the legi- 

 timate elect of the Mexican people. The first condi- 

 tion expressed in my reply of October 3d is therefore 

 fulfilled. The guarantees which the future empire 

 requires to be able to consecrate itself in peace to the 

 first of its passions the establishment upon firm 

 bases of the independence and welfare of the country 

 are now secured, thanks to the magnanimity of the 

 Emperor of the French, who, throughout the progress 

 of the negotiations, has shown himself constantly 

 animated by a spirit of loyalty and good will, o'f 

 which I shall ever preserve the remembrance. The 

 august head of my family, upon his part, has given 

 his consent to my'taking'possession of the throne of- 

 fered to me. I am thus enabled to fulfil the eventual 

 promise I save you six months ago, and I now solemn- 

 ly declare that, with the aid of the Almighty, I accept 

 the crown at the hands of the Mexican nation which 

 tenders it to me. Following the traditions of that 

 new continent, so full of strength and future, Mexico 

 has used her right of selecting a government in har- 

 mony with her wishes and her requirements. She 

 has placed her confidence in a descendant of that 

 House of Hapsburg which three centuries ago plant- 

 ed a Christian monarchy upon her soil. This confi- 

 dence touches me, and 1 will not betray it. I accept 

 the power of organization which the nation, of which 

 you are the organs, confers upon me, and I shall in 

 any case retaiiT it only so long as may be necessary 

 to "introduce settled order into Mexico, and to estab- 

 lish wise and liberal institutions. As I stated to you, 

 fentlemen, in my address of the 3d of October, I shall 

 asten to place the monarchy under the safeguard of 

 constitutional laws as soon as the country shall be 

 completely pacified. The strength of the executive 

 power is," in my opinion, secured by the precision 

 equally with the well-defined establishment of its 

 limits ; it is therefore my intention, in carrying on 

 my government, to fix such boundaries as may 

 guaranty its stability. I firmly hope we shall prove 

 that well-regulated "liberty is perfectly compatible 

 with the reign of order. I shall know how to respect 

 the one and'cause respect to be shown to the other. 

 I shall hold high the flag of independence, the symbol 

 of future greatness, with the same vigor. I ask the 

 assistance of all Mexicans who love their country to 

 aid me in accomplishing my splendid but difficult 

 task. Union will make us strong, will procure for us 

 peace and prosperity. My government will never, 

 forget the gratitude it owes to the illustrious prince 

 whose generous support has brought about the re- 

 generation of our beautiful country. Upon the way 

 to my new country it is my intention to visit Rome, 

 to receive from the hands of the holy father those 

 benedictions so precious to all sovereigns, and which 

 are doubly important to me, as called upon to found 

 a new empire. 



At the conclusion of this address the 



