Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/82

 had need subsequently to appeal to)—of a portion of the authority so necessary to rapidity of action in a country so vast and so disturbed as Mexico was. At about the same date, Maximilian entertained the happy idea of establishing a corps of gendarmerie on the French model, intended to occupy the capital and its environs, and to be extended by degrees to the other military divisions. To help in its formation, he appealed to the officers and sub-officers of the expeditionary corps, who did not delay in responding. A French lieutenant-colonel received the command; but he soon had to give way to a Dutch colonel, named Tindal, who was appointed to this post by the sovereign's desire.

General de Thun, who was invested with the highest confidence, soon sought to shake off the French direction. These tendencies were, however, inevitable, if we take into account the national susceptibilities which were called into action. It must be confessed, on the other hand, that his position presented great difficulties; for the Austrian general met with no cooperation from his subordinates in the ministerial body, and the Mexican officers hindered his readiness of will by their natural inertness.

Although Maximilian fell into errors, resulting especially from his indecision and his fickleness of temper, as well as from his ignorance of the Mexican character, the impartiality of history will pronounce that his imprudent ambition had accepted a very heavy task, alike momentous both within and without the empire; and we are justified in asking if anyone else, filling his position, would have proved either more capable or more fortunate?

Two important foreign questions, to which the new reign was necessarily the heir, weighed heavily on