Page:The Fall of Maximilan's Empire.djvu/82

74 from the United States. Don Tomas Marin, in, command of the naval division of Vera Cruz, Tuxpan, and Tehuantepec, said: "I am totally disgusted with General Santa Ana, on account of his abandoning the country in 1855; but I would rather fall into his hands than into those of demagogues, although I distrust his good faith on account of the protection given him by the American government." General Santiago Cuevas, of the artillery, maintained that the general should not be allowed to land since he was backed by American soldiers; said he: "Our country has already felt one foreign intervention and should be spared any more." And so on.

A norther was blowing on the 4th, which prevented communication with the shipping or the port; but on the 5th, the commander of the castle and a part of the garrison were temporarily removed. General Santa Ana was sent back on board the "Virginia," and the consuls notified that he would be sent back out of the country in her.

Santa Ana then sought and obtained a visit from Mr. Saulnier, whom he entertained with a long discourse on his plans, saying that after interviews with President Johnson and Mr. Seward, at their solicitation he had come to Vera Cruz, Prince Maximilian having offered to deliver the government of the country to him. All of this Mr. Saulnier declined to accept, but informed Captain Roe of it, adding that he could not believe that the government was