Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/124

108 advances? How was it that the marshal's actions did not meet with approval? This last act of the French policy, publicly putting an end to the period of our financial sacrifices, produced a great effect, both in Mexico and also in the Old and New Worlds generally; for this refusal of subsidies was but the precursor of the withdrawal of our expeditionary corps. The government of Napoleon III. was beginning now to reap the fruits of its adventurous policy. Henceforth, the aim of the Washington cabinet was the humiliation of our national self-respect by the overthrow of the Mexican throne. The inmates of the White House had not forgotten that France had once granted belligerent rights to the Southern rebels, anxious as she was to inaugurate a military dictatorship, the future head of which, the celebrated Confederate general, had commenced negotiations with Mexico itself.

Now that the Yankees had triumphed over the Secessionists, they were resolved to make our country as well as Maximilian pay dearly for the part they had taken in the intervention in the neighbouring republic. It must be confessed that the time selected by Mr. Seward, the obstinate secretary of state at Washington, was not ill chosen. Public opinion in France, which had been led away for a time by the pompous statements of our ministers, bound to allure subscribers to the two Mexican loans, had gradually become enlightened as to the real state of matters, both military and political, in the new empire. Although every transatlantic courier brought to Saint-Nazaire the news of