Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/176

 prejudicial remarks, the Mémorial and the Pays have published contradictions of these reports.

. . . Yesterday, to the great confusion of these friends of the cause, who were so positive in their assertions and so full of indignation, the lady in question arrived in Paris, and proceeded to the Grand Hôtel.

The most painful conclusions are drawn from this visit, especially by those who have the misfortune to be large holders of the Mexican loan. It is generally looked upon as a supreme and final effort to obtain, by means of personal influence, the assistance that is indispensable to the Mexican empire, which has been refused to its accredited diplomatic representative.

The style of this diplomatic missive is certainly rather deficient in courtesy. On August 17, Mr. Hay thus reported to his government the visit of the Empress Charlotte to the palace of Saint-Cloud:—

Paris, August 17, 1866. Sir,—Under the advice of Mr. Bigelow, who is staying for a few days with his family at Ems, I yesterday waited on the minister of foreign affairs. I spoke to his excellency as to the news which was published generally in the Paris newspapers, on the subject of the visit of the Princess Charlotte to France. These articles stated that Maximilian's stay in Mexico depended on some modification of the resolutions adopted by the French government, and announced in the recent communications made by his excellency to the Marquis de Montholon and to Mr. Bigelow. Some journals even go so far as to state that the princess had succeeded in obtaining a change in the programme. I asked the minister if any modification had been made, or was intended to be made, in the policy of the imperial government as regarded Mexico. M. Drouyn de Lhuys replied, that 'there had been no modification of our policy in this respect, and that there would be none. All that we have stated to be our intention to do, that we shall do.' He also added: 'Of course we received the empress