The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-16
THE TRIAL OF MAMMALIAN.
THE LAST DAYS OF THE EMPEROR.
Fall Account Of the Trial Of MSHimilian
MtramOn, and MejhR.

perialists is translated from the Mexican jour
nal La aSOpbra dc A,teaga of Queretaro, June Is.
The three days prorogation granted by the
supreme Government TO the counsel OF the
criminals for their further defense having ex-
pired. an order from headquarters organized
the Court-martial aud in virtue Of the orders
from headquarters the Adjutant- General issued
his order as folows:--
Army CORPS THE NoRTH, ADJUTANTGENE-
RAILS OFFICE QUERE,T4AR&o & Mexeo1At o'clock on
posed OF the following o1icers:-P -Presdent-Lieute-
9Sns RSez Captain Miguel Loero captain
IgnSco JuradO, captain Juan kueday Auza, Captain
court martial will meet at the appointed hour, the
paTasTep5 Of SeeTa o army esns
No 81 Ali officers not on duty will attend punctualy
AT o'clock A. M Will be formed in front ofthe Tenn
pie OF Capuchnas, fifty mounted rtemen. of Gaeana,
with their espondlng officers, and equipped
and fifty men of the battalion OF the guard 'of the
ments and Officers both of which detachments viii
place themselves under the orders of Colonel Miguel
CsignedJ SIERRA.
Counersigned MEDINA
At O'Clock A. NJ, on the 18th Of June. the
court-martial assembled at the Theatre of Itur-
bide, and the audience was very large. The
stage was occupied by the Court, leaving the
of the stage was occupied by the members of the
Court, and on the left, and Immediately oppo-
site, were placed three stools for the criminals
and seats for their counsel The most profound
emotion was depicted in the countenances
circle could almost be felt. Messrs. Miramon
and Mejia were brought TO the theatre at
by a company of rinemen of GaIeana,
covering front and rear of the vehicle flanked
side and one company of the 4th Battalion
on the other In this wise they arrived, and
were delivered over to the officers in charge of
Court. The members and the counsel took
their seats, all being in strict uniform. The
Judge Advocate, Lieutenant-Colonel Aspiroz,
read the charges, after which was read the order
from the Commanderln-Chief
The previously taken declarations of the pri-
soners, first Maximilian, then Miramon and
Mejia, were read. Next followed the confession
and charges, after which there were some slight
unavoidable Interruptions, such as, for example,
Maximillan asked that he be permitted to cali
three lawyers of Mexico TO defend him. He
also desired Baron Magnus to be called; that he
had matters of his family to arrange. and also
matters of national character touching
Venice, Italy, and Austria, OF the utmost inn
portance TO those countries. The General-in-
Chief efgranted the prayer OF Maximilian, forward
ing his despatch TO General Poririo Diaz. The
latter, however, would not allow the telegram
to pass into that city, on account OF its being
besleged, stating that he must have a special
permit from the supreme Government of the
same, which was granted. MaXimillan named
as his counsel Mr. Jesus Vasquez of this city,
and Eulalio Frrega, Mariana Riva PalacIo
and Rafael Martinez de la Tore, of the city of
Mexico. Miramon nominated Messrs. Jauregui,
of San Luis Potosi, and Ambrosto Moreno, OF
QueretarO. Mejia nominated Mr. Prospero c.
Vega, also of Queretaro
The counsel having read their acceptation of
the defense, other documents of q preliminary
character were presented and read but the
rapidity of the reading and the confusion in the
proceedings do not enable us, at present, to give
q detailed account of them, according to num-
bers and dates. or of their exact statements We
will, therefore, content ourselves only with
speaking of the main ones Among the docu-
ments regarding Maximilian, outside of the
petition aforesaid, there was one protesting
against the jurisdiction of the court-martial,
claiming IL TO be an illegal proceeding against
his person inasmuch as IL was lSss based upon the
against traitors to the country; and that he,
being foreigner, could not be q traitor to
the country that Is not his own, and over which
he exercised such high functions that he be-
lieved himself unamenable to the law. There
was also petition, directed by Macmillan to
the President, asking an interview, and the
answer of the President, stating that the inter-
view could not be granted, because of the limited
time allowed by law for his trial. but that he
could address him in writing anything he chose
TO say. An order from Headquarters also ad-
Vised the Judge Advocate that any protest or
exceptions taken by the accused shall be pro-
perly certified, and copy of 1t given to those
Interested. Mention was also made of the GER
tifcate of illness of Macmillan, arguing in
favor OF the prisoner being removed to some
other place, for change of air.
Next was read the protest of Miramon and
Bejia against the Jurisdiction OF the court,
which being refused, they again excepted to,
there being no Supreme Court in the nation, and
they asked only that they be furnished a certi-
hed copy OF the rulings OF the court. These
proceedings having been gone through with.
the accused, Thomas Mejia, was brought into
court, and was seated on stool, guarded on
each side by an escort OF the supreme powers. "
Mr.. Prospero commenced the defense. We
have heard a great deal, and have read much,
ration inspired in us by the able counsel, filled
with the principles OF right most applicable to
the case, delivered by the heart and inspired by
the most liberal principles of our great code,
the Constitution OF 1857. This masterpiece OF
oratOry moved profoundly the entire audience.
The points of the defense were three:-l. The
meaning Of the law of January 25; 2. Its applica-
tion TO the defendant. 3. Its constitutionality.
The counsel held that the law of January Is Is
only applicable from article 9th to llth inclu-
SiVe, because the balance conflicts with the law
of nations and caunot subject the accused to
the penalties Of said law.
The President asked the accused if he had
anything TO say in his defense. He answered
no, that all was said by his counsel but that If
anything was forgotten the counsel would state
II In proper time.
Mejia was then led out and Immediately
Miguel Miramon was introduced Messrs. Jau.
regut and Morena read successfully the defense
OF the accused, with but slight difference in the
legal part of the defense, the same points being
claimed as were made in the defense OF Mejta
regarding the incompetenoy of the Court and
the refusal Of the right OF appeal. A great many
But the main point of the defense went q
establish the fact that the law Of January q
could not be applied to Mlramon; that he wai
accused OF stubborn resistance TO the Constitu
tioDal Government, his pronunciamento IN
Puebla, his abstracting the funds Of the Con
Yenton, his usurpation of power, and, lastly
his last campaigns under the nag Of the Empire
Next followed the trial OF the Archduke
Having been confined to his bed for some day
preyious, he was this day, IL anything, worse
Mr., Manuel Aspiroz repaired 10 the prison
from hence he returned shortly stating that i
consequence of which Messrs. Jesus Marii
Wasouez and Eulalio Ortega alternately read tn
de6eilse The first part OF the defense compre
hended all of the legal points applicable to the
O.so,,t 10 try the case that the law could not b