The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-07

" 10
something not unlike remorse, and has been
tormented, ever since the news came of the
expiate in some way what she regards, not alto
gether unjustly as her own responsibility for
this deplorable history; There can no longer be
suggestion Of the Archduke Macmillan as the
best person to NIL the throne of Mexico came
from the Emp Eugenie herself And in this
wise. The movement for establishing strong
central authority in Mexico, and for putting
that authority into the hands Of foreigner OF
character and force, came not from Napoleon
III at all, but from number of Mexicans, re-
presenting an overwhelming majority of the
wealthy and responsible men Of their hapless
These men. who would have rallied around
General Scott with joy, had he accepted the
virtual Mexican throne which was offered him
in lS47 and who knew as all the world is now
in fair way to learn at last, that no Mexican
whatever could possibly be trusted to admins
ter Mexico, were anxious that Marshal Forey
neither Marshal Forey nor the Emperor par.
ttcularly the Emperor, would consent; and the
leading Mexicans who had urged the matter
eventually gave in to the representations of
Gutierrez de Estrada, Mexican exile in Europe
for thirty years, a :manlof spotless character,
and religiously earnest in the belief that moth
ing but hereditary monarchy could ever
secure to Mexico the blessings of peace and
or the Spanish Royal family, to one of whose
members the crown of Mexico was meant by
the first revolutionists years ago to have been
offered, no one now living seemed to Gutierrez
and his coadjutors q desirable acquisition.
They finally decided upon inviting the Duke of
Montpensier, who, as you know, married the
Queen of SPAIN and lives in a semi-royal state
at Seville, to accept "the purple of the Monte
ALL but a fine apple-green. The consent of
Napoleon was asked ard freely given, and
His Royal Highness, who, perhaps, had
got to be little tired of restoring the Alcazar
and presiding over religious PROFESSIONS in the
Holy Week, was rather disposed to accept,
but felt 5GTn Of RS tho to anmaa Submit IL the matter
His brothers, DE Jolnville and D. 'Aumale, had
no difficulty in soon convincing him that Sc
which to await the next French revolution, and
the offer was declined with thanks. The Mexi-
cans then made direct appeal to Napoleon to
suggest some Prince who would be at once ac-
ceptable to himself andsaVailable by Mexico.
Tue Emperor had hardly taken the subject into
consideration before the Empress hit upon the
ATchduke Macmillan, of Austria, as of all pos
sible Princes the best for the place.
AS is sometimes apt to be the case 1 believe,
with women, her Majesty was guided to this
notion rather by personal than by political
considerations. Perhaps you may have heard
that in order to make the most exquisite of
Empresses the Third Napoleon found 1t neces-
sary to spoil one OF the most fascinating of
firts. Whether you have heard 1t or not. how
ever, 1t Is true; and although the Empress
Eugenie was too clever woman not to accept
all the restrictions imposed upon her by her
new rank, still IL is just possible that there
may have been moments in the first years of
her imperial life when the soul of the Condesa
de Teba was weary Within its lovely casket,
and when the fair conqueror retired from busi-
ness may have heayed one little sigh for the
chanting victory.
And it was during those first years that Euge-
ME first met the Archdul1e Max. Bright with
his early youth (he was not then thirty years of
age), accomplished, amiable. and clothed with
that fascinating prestige OF personal indepen-
to enjoy, Macmillan mace a visit at the Tuile-
ries just before his marriage with the young
Princess Charlotte OF Belgium. He had crossed
the Atlantic and ruled In Northern Italy; he
was sailor, man of science, a capital waltzer,
generous to a fault, with soft and winning man
COmelier
Sphynx of the Tuilertes, and, indeed, with his
clear blue eye, and his six feet Of well,deye-
pleasure anywhere and In any company.
His exalted rank made it proper for the
of an equal; and when he departed from the
capital of France he left behind him in the
mind of the lovely Eugenie a whole parterre of
blooming memories. And so, when the ques-
ton of an Emperor for Mexico became the
order OF the day, Eugene, looking back upon
into the future impetuously suggested the
handsome, gallant, and charming Austrian
Prince. The suggestion once made, many things
seemed to the Emperor Napoleon to favor It.
The flower OF sentiment ripened into a 1ruit OF
policy. Who could then foresee that the fruit
would crumble ere three brief summers should
come and go, q Dead Sea apple on all tgese royal
and imperial lips? BY his side in Italy Maximi-
liam had made himself a name The Italians
honoued him as an Austrian who had striven to
do them justice; the Republicans themselves
held man to be nobler than his accidents. II
any man could succeed as an Emperor in the
having been born so near the haughtiest
throne in Europe had openly proclaimed his
faith in the sovereignty of the people2 Then,
too, he was an Austrian. The peace of Villa
franca had just been made, and the Emperor
Napoleon, who had made that peace, desired
above all things to prepare the way for what
he even then looked upon as the Inevitable
future alliance of Austria with France.
for the Conqueror OF Solferino to offer an
imperial throne to the brother of Fran
els Joseph? The Mexican envoys, on
their part, rapidly grew enthusiastic over
| the suggestion Of Eugenie. Here was a descen-
dant of Charles V entering at last into the
| inheritance of Cortezl Could anything be more
yisibly providentlal, or historically more appro-
pirate? Why, in his very physique Maximilian
| appeared to them the Mexican man of destiny
His blue eyes and fair hair fulfilled the pro.
| real people and the only indigenous hope of
/ Mexico, would hail him their promised
| deliverer, descending in glory from the eastern
| fated Archduke and his lovely wife bade fare
| well forever to their stately and splendid home
| at Miramar.
But have not here to rewrite the story of
their great and sad adventure. In times to
come when oblivion, the Rembrandt of history,
has thrown in his rich deep shadows here and
there and brought out well The enduring lights,
this Imperial tragedy Of Miramar and Quere.
tRro will be recognized as one of the most poetic
| and picturesque passages in the annals of an
| age which blockheads drone about as dull and
| prosaic, The MeXicans proper, happily, will
| play but a trifiing part in It, The Juarezes and
Escobedos aud the rest of them will be brought
| in as varlets and assassins at the de-
the real development of which they and
theirs will hereafter be seen TO have
| been simply insignificant excepting as afford
ing now and then farclcal relief to the interest
of the drama. Juarez, for instance, scampering
| out of Mexico behind ten mules and leaving
his last forced loan half collected, on the rumof
that two red-legged French soldiers had been
/ TUrafN dali and fha mi