Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/118

98 Another Austrian organ, Le Mémorial Diplomatique, confirmed the foregoing statement, adding that Emperor Franz Joseph had left to his brother the right of accepting or not the proffered crown at the proper time. However, he sent, immediately after the receipt of the confidential overtures from the French court, Count de Rechberg, his minister of foreign affairs, to Miramare to apprise Maximilian of what was in reserve for him on the successful issue of the French intervention, and the expression of the will of the Mexican people, together with the personal benevolent feeling of Napoleon III.; and it was left to Maximilian to decide for himself. The archduke appeared much moved at this manifestation of goodwill on the part of the French emperor. Now, this semi-official statement does not agree with Hidalgo's version, and never having been contradicted by the imperial government, it must be accepted as the true one, even though it overthrows Billault's and Hidalgo's stories, as well as Thouvenel's sincerity. Therefore, it would seem that it was Napoleon himself who made the communication to Franz Joseph, and that Almonte went to Vienna as a bearer of confidential despatches.

Amidst all that, Billault, on the 26th of July, 1862, in answering Jules Favre, affirmed that the French army, on marching upon Mexico, would appeal to the people of the country to ascertain if they wished or not to support what he called the tyranny of Juarez; and when hard pressed by his opponent, declared that if the nation reëlected Juarez, the French government would acquiesce without demur.