Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/202

186 Maximilian that, if he accepted the new conditions laid before him, the French army should not all return at once, but in three portions, at fixed dates, up to November 1867. But the interview at St. Cloud had called forth certain resolutions as extreme as the conversation of the two sovereigns had been violent: the irritation had been equal on both sides. The court of the Tuileries, yielding to passion which should always be banished from politics, conceived the sudden resolution of recalling its troops, at a short notice, in one mass, thus treading under foot the promise it had first made. Nevertheless, it was well understood in Paris that a cancelling of plighted faith, although recommended by an excessive impatience to have done with this fatal expedition, was a matter of deep moment; but that its importance might be lessened, if Maximilian, either with or against his will, could be snatched from fresh hazards, and could be induced to abdicate. By this plan, whilst they restored to Europe an archduke somewhat disgraced, it is true, but still safe and sound, they would run the chance of constituting a new Mexican Republic, with which they would have to deal.

Such was to be the result of five years of grievous sacrifices! Time had been when Admiral Jurien de la Gravière could have negotiated successfully without firing a shot! In 1861, the rise of Maximilian was plotted; in 1866, they were plotting his fall, and were prepared, in case the unfortunate sovereign declined to lay down his crown, to hasten on the end, by entering into mysterious negotiations, through our diplomacy and through the medium of the United States, with the liberal chiefs in Mexico. In the first place, an attempt was to be made to procure Maximilian's abdication by means of persuasion. For this second