Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/200

 Napoleon felt bound to send instructions directly. It was inadmissible in any case that a chief of the staff and a commissary of stores should simultaneously be ministers of the Mexican empire.' In the meantime, in the beginning of the month of September, a despatch arrived in Paris from the Marquis de Montholon, laying before the Cabinet of the Tuileries the following note from Mr. Seward:—

Mr. Seward to the Marquis de Montholon. Washington, August 16, 1866. Sir,—I have the honour of calling your attention to two orders or decrees which it is said were issued on the 26th of last July by the Prince Maximilian, who lays claim to being Emperor of Mexico. In these orders he states that he has made over the direction of the war department to Genera Osmont, chief of the staff in the French expeditionary corps, and that of the treasury department to M. Friant, chief commissary of stores to the same force.

The president considers it necessary to acquaint the Emperor of the French that the nomination by the prince Maximilian of the said French officers to administrative functions is calculated to be prejudicial to the friendly relations existing between the United States and France; because the congress and the people of the United States might consider this fact as an indication which would be incompatible with the engagement entered into for the recall of the French corps from Mexico.

After this almost menacing communication, the Moniteur of September 13 announced, without delay, that MM. Osmont and Friant were not authorised by the French government to accept their respective portfolios. The commander-in-chief was also informed in writing, alluding to the unexpected nomination of these officials, that he ought to have opposed it even after it had been carried out; and a formal disavowal was also sent him from the Tuileries of this interference in the public affairs of Mexico. Although the duty of our