Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/249

 Castelnau had stated that his sole mission was to confirm the letter of January 15 and those that followed, by which the Emperor Napoleon notified to Maximilian that he could not continue to assist the empire, either with the French troops or with money. The question being thus stated, Maximilian was left at full liberty to make his decision. The ministers also demanded that the crown should be put in possession of all the arsenals, artillery, and munitions of war; and that it should have the entire disposition of the Mexican troops, in order to undertake any military operations that the national government should consider opportune. They also asked that the fortified places should be delivered up to their charge at a fitting time. The two last phrases of this document especially betrayed the feelings which dictated it: they were as follows:— 'We shall be glad to be able to acquaint our sovereign of the latest time to which the departure of the French army will be deferred, and what help it still intends to afford to his majesty's government in the pacification of the country. . .Finally, in case the decision of the emperor should be not to continue to govern, we must inform him as to what the marshal and General Castelnau have settled to do, in order, according to the Emperor Napoleon's instructions, to avoid the anarchy and disturbances which would take place in consequence of the absence of any government.'

Only fourteen days before, MM. Larès and Arroyo showed much less anxiety about the future of their country, when they tendered their resignations at the palace of Chapultepec, and declared that, if Maximilian quitted Mexico, 'there would no longer be a government.'

On November 7 the three French authorities confirmed the resolutions of the Emperor Napoleon. All the Mexican forces and munitions of war were to be