The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-30 00:00:00

MAXIMILIAN IN MEXICO.

" The Court of Mexico" is an account of the
early days of Maximilian in that country by the
Countess Paula Kollonitz, one of Charlotte's ladies-
in-waiting. The book has been translated by T.
E. Olivant, and is published by Saunders, Ottley,
and Co. The countess accompanied the Empress
to Vera Cruz, where their places ought to have been
supplied by Mexican ladies; but as none were forth-
coming the Austrians remained. The " Kaiser Max"
appears to have had sad forebodings as he bade
farewell to Miramar. On receiving an address
from the citizens of Trieste he burst into tears, and
he was much affected, when Le left forever his na-
tive land, at the demonstrations of affection shown
by the people. Throughout his subsequent career
he never lost this feeling of impending evil, which
more or less marred every enjoyment. The Em-
press, on the contrary, looked most hopefully to the
future. She knew nothing of the character of the
people she had undertaken to rule, and probably
with womanly vanity she was captivated with the dig-
nity of her new title. Both threw themselves with
extraordinary earnestness into their task, studying
maps and reading books to gain as intimate a know-
ledge as they could of the country. Both were
animated by pure motives, and both regarded the
acceptance of the throne as a solemn contract on
their part to fulfil at all perils what they held to be
the duties of royalty. Maximilian's career in Mexico
is the tragedy of the centary which speaks most
powerfully to human sympathies. There is no ab-
stract reason why the execution of a monarch should
excite more sympathy than that of one of his sub-
jects. But the world steadily holds to a different
idea, and sympathy is accorded very much in
proportion to the rank of the victim. A thou-
sand soldiers fall in the very van of the
battle unnamed, but the last moments of
the General are everywhere rec)rded— his statue
adorns the public places—and his story is told for
the emulation of the young. Even in a Republican
country this is the case. What acts of heroism,
what se''f-sacrifice, are buried in oblivion, that
carried the war of the Union to its successful close !
But one man's name is immortal, his portrait hangs
on every wall, his story will continue to be told in
every American home, and with Lincoln is coupled
the name of martyr, though his death was as unex-
pected as unsought. To aid our sympathies in
Maximilian's tragic story, we have a people putting
to death a ruler who had sacrificed the last years of
his life in his endeavour to elevate them. About
Maximilian's motives there is no question. He was
a just and conscientious man, and would, had the
Mexicans allowed him, have established a beneficent
rule in their country. On landing at Vera Cruz
the countess was unfavourably impressed by the
reception of the royal party. Not the slightest
notice was taken as the steamer cast anchor, and
they were coldly received on landing. As they
proceeded inland, however, their reception was more
cordial, and in the city of Mexico they were warmly
welcomed. The Empress was in a state of enthu-
siasm, of which, says the author, I never could
have imagined so quiet a person capable. But her
husband saw more clearly ; though not wishing to
damp the rising spirit of his wife, he concealed his
anxieties from her. From Chapultepec he went
every morning to the city with the Empress, and
there worked hard at his duties, and with an earnest
endeavour to inspire confidence, to disarm hostility,
and to reconcile the people to the new rule. In this
he was greatly aided, at least, to those around him,
by the ingenuous disposition, the kindliness of
heart, and the overflowing generosity of Char-
lotte. One Mexican, at least, was really inspired
with an earnest loyalty and love of those to whom
he devoted his services. Mejia met the cortege at
San Martin, and took his last farewell of Maximilian
at Queretaro, when both stood before the firing
party to receive the volley that to them was a funeral
knell. At that awful moment, with his last breath,
Mejia exclaimed that he gave his life gladly for his
master. Ihe countess describes him as " a young man
of large stature, bronze-coloured complexion, dark
sparkling eyes, smooth black hair, and strong fea-
tures, but with the child-like, simple ways which
betray Indian descent. This young man is highly
esteemed even by the French, because he unites a
trusty character to great personal bravery." The
countess wrote before Maximilian's story had ended
in the dark tragedy of Queretaro, and it is there-
fore all the more valuable. She appears to have been
impressed with the dislike generated by the French
to the foreign rule in Mexico. Maximilian's posi-
tion was peculiarly unfortunate. Ere he appeared
on the scene the deepest prejudice had been excited
against his supporters, and the arrogance of the
French commanders roused in Maximilian the
greatest irritation. lie was therefore cut off from
throwing himself on the people, at the same time that
he was far from being on terms of friendship with
those on whose support rested his throne. Between
his earnest efforts to trust the natives, and the re-
spout,ibility that attached to his Government for the
acts of the foreign troops, he fcll. In both he made
sad mistakes ; but the blunder which crushed every
chance was in entering Mexico, not only without