Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/277

Rh This document proves that Mr. Bigelow was commissioned to express to the government of the Emperor of the French the wishes of President Johnson. American diplomatists, as is well known, are not in the habit of altering the purport of their instructions for the sake of mere courtesy; it is, therefore, beyond all doubt that the communication of this document to the government actually took place. The telegraphic despatch from Compiègne of December 13, after the Tuileries had been informed of the contents of the American despatch, shows that henceforth all relations with Mexico were broken off without any qualifications whatever.

On the other hand, it can be thoroughly understood that after this increase of harsh measures on the part of the French emperor, the Mexican government assumed a more hostile attitude. After he quitted La Jalapilla, the young emperor went up by easy stages to Puebla; he travelled slowly, for, under the influence of the prejudicial regimen he was following, his health had become still more impaired. The sad news received from Paris and Miramar brought no relief to his sorrow. On the other hand, until the evacuation was quite decided upon, he was not very anxious to meet the French authorities at Mexico. He stopped at the country-house of the Archbishop of Puebla, situated at the edge of the valley leading down from Amozoc. General Castelnau and the French minister, without informing the marshal, came from Mexico and obtained an interview with the sovereign. The conversation which took place was curious enough to induce the Emperor of Mexico to express in writing that he purposed to publish an account of it in Europe; but it had the effect of only strengthening the resolutions of the crown. Maximilian returned to Mexico;