Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/272

256 value, as it seemed to me, the important effect which this change-might perhaps have on the relations of France with the United States.

My first impulse was to send him a note the following day, asking for a formal statement of the emperor's motives for having paid no regard to the stipulations made by his minister for foreign affairs relative to the recall of a detachment of his army from Mexico in the course of the month of November.

I came, however, to the conclusion, that it would be more satisfactory to the president if I saw the emperor himself on this subject.

To-day, therefore, I waited on his majesty at St. Cloud. I repeated to him all that the Marquis de Moustier had told me, and expressed to him my desire to know if I could do anything to anticipate and prevent the dissatisfaction which I was persuaded the people of my country would feel if this news was received without any explanation.

I alluded to the approaching meeting of Congress, a time when any change in our relations, either with France or with Mexico, would probably be the subject of discussion. I also expressed my fear that his majesty's reasons for delaying the withdrawal of the first detachment of his troops would be imputed to motives that our people would be inclined to resent.

The emperor told me that it was true that he had resolved to delay any recall of troops till the spring, but that in acting thus he had been influenced by military interests exclusively. . . .This despatch, added his majesty, has not been sent in cipher, in order that no secret should be made of its tenour to the United States.

. . . His majesty continued by saying, that almost at the same time he had sent General Castelnau to Mexico, who was directed to inform Maximilian that France could give him neither another sou nor another man. If he (Maximilian) thought that he could maintain his authority alone, France would not withdraw its troops sooner than M. Drouyn de Lhuys had stipulated for, if such should be his desire; but if, on the other hand, he was disposed to abdicate, which was the conduct his majesty advised him to follow, General Castelnau was directed to find out a government with whom he could