394 AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS 



came manifest. This sudden determination convinced the 

 English and Spanish commanders in Mexico that their 

 French ally had motives ulterior to those expressed in the 

 conference at London, and that it was contemplating a 

 course of action in which they could take no part. They 

 accordingly withdrew their forces, leaving the French alone. 

 Then, relieved of his allies, the French commander, un- 

 mindful of the pledge given by his emperor, and of his 

 own assurances to Mexico, declared war upon the Mexican 

 Government. He issued at the same time a proclamation 

 calling upon all good Mexicans to rally about his standard 

 as it warned all foolhardy ones who should dare to oppose 

 it ; with this preliminary flourish he commenced his march 

 to the city of Mexico, expecting an easy and splendid entry. 

 At Puebla, about halfway on his journey to the capital, a 

 Mexican army, under the flag of Juarez, met and defeated 

 the French invaders, obliging the latter to fall back to 

 Orizaba to await reinforcements from home. These, in 

 due time, arrived, with Marshal Forey in command. 



Napoleon's instructions to Forey left no further doubt 

 upon the true object of his intervention in Mexico. The 

 emperor was kindly solicitous for the welfare of the Mexi- 

 cans, but " of course," he wrote, " if they prefer a monarchy, 

 it is to the interest of France to support them in that view. 

 ... In the present state of civilization of the world, the 

 prosperity of America is not indifferent to Europe ; for she 

 it is who feeds our manufacturers and keeps our commerce 

 alive. It is to our interests that the Republic of the United 

 States may be powerful and prosperous, but by no means 

 that she should take all the Gulf of Mexico, and hence com- 

 mand the West Indies, as well as South America, and be the 

 sole dispenser of the products of the New World. ... If, on 

 the contrary, Mexico conserves her independence and main- 

 tains the integrity of her territory ; if a suitable government 

 be constituted there, with the assistance of France, we shall 

 have restored to the Latin race, from the other side of the 

 ocean, its strength and prestige ; we shall have guaranteed 

 their security to our colonies of the West Indies and those 



