Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/84

 the press appealed to the adventurers, and urged them to cross the frontier.

Then it was that Maximilian, in the hope of baffling the filibusters, and of putting an end to the system of American volunteering, made up his mind, without consulting the French authorities, to endeavour to obtain the support or at least the neutrality of the cabinet at Washington by means of certain secret measures. In order to carry out this purpose, he despatched M. Arroyo with directions to attempt certain overtures. It may be recollected what kind of reception was reserved for this mysterious ambassador, who was politely bowed out by the republican cabinet. It really is a cause for astonishment that Maximilian, subject as he was to evil influence, should have yielded to such a temptation. Was not the status quo, with its concealed filibusterism, a hundred times preferable to a loss of influence which could not fail to become public and disquiet those who were still in doubt as to the real sentiments of the United States? The Emperor of Mexico had very quickly forgotten the following important document, which could hardly have escaped his examination, the form as well as the matter of which were equally unfriendly to the French cabinet:—

From Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton, Minister of the United States at Paris.

Washington, April 7, 1864. Sir,—I send you a copy of a resolution passed unanimously by the house of representatives, on the 4th of this month. It asserts the opposition of this body to any recognition of a monarchy in Mexico.

After all I have written you with so much candour for the information of France, it is scarcely necessary for me to say that this resolution honestly represents the unanimous feeling of the people of the United States with regard to Mexico.