Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/47

 country. What had become of the declarations made to Lord Cowley by our minister of foreign affairs?—

'No government will be forced on the Mexican people!'

Whilst the commissioners, encouraged by the cabinet of the Tuileries, were at Miramar endeavouring to overcome the hesitation of the brother of the Emperor of Austria, in whose mind the siege of Puebla and the coolness of England had given rise to just forebodings, General Forey was making a last appeal for peace to the rebel Mexicans, who still held the country districts. Unfortunately, yielding to clerical influence, he published a bando, which was both impolitic and also barbarous and cruel. This bando pronounced that the property of all the liberals who did not lay down their arms would be confiscated. This was the means of giving to Juarez the right of reprisal. To the honour of the French government, this decree was disavowed at Paris, and was annulled at Mexico. Whilst the definitive acceptance of the archduke was in suspense, a council of regency was established in the capital; it was composed of three Mexicans— Almonte, General Salas, and the Archbishop of Mexico. Almonte acted as president; this selection was a happy one, although in former times he had shown himself to be an ardent republican.

In spite of the persuasions of our government, who were impatient to establish order, Maximilian was too high-spirited to yield to an appeal so fraught with precipitation as was that of the junta. M. Drouyn de Lhuys, who had succeeded M. de Thouvenel in the ministry of foreign affairs, was compelled, on August 17, 1863, to write as follows to the commander-in-chief (although the imperial policy had from the very first named the city of Mexico as the limit of our military operations):—'We can only consider the