Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-08-01
From the New York Herald, I
s'POOr Carlotta ~

'HOOF CdrlOIIa y
"Poor Carlotta !" Macmillan was shot
faced to front. His last words were .sPoor
Carlotta!" How tender and touching il
this convincing illustration of the manly
and generous nature Of the fallen Emperor
Abandoned By France, betrayed by a
Mexican follower, tried by military tri-
bunal of his implacable enemies, condemn
ed to death, and brought out for execution,
all interpretations in his behalf from the
representatives Of foreign powers having
failed, this distinguished victim of Napole-
on's grand idea" would have been justifi-
ed had he devoted his last moments in de-
nouncing the contrivers of his destruction
and the barbarous thirsting for his blood,
and in deploring his untimely fall, in the
strength of his manhood and his hopes.
But Macmillan was man of larger
breadth of mind and heroism than this.
He had deliberately cast his life in the
scales in the defense Of his empire, he had
pledged his word in the name of his I'm
perial House of Hapsburg to fight it out
with his enemies, and, like true soldier.
he was prepared for this last disaster. He
recognized his fate as resulting from the
fortunes of war, and had neither denuncia-
tons nor regrets on his own account to
make. Like the dying Gladiator Of Rome !:
He rocked not of his life, nor of his prize,
His heart was home, and that was far away
Face to face with his remorseless execu-
TONERS, awaiting but the word to fire ? all
thoughts of his lost empire and his low es-
tate gave way to those endearing memories
and sweet affections which had linked his
life, his happiness, his fate, and his ambi-
tion.with 'poor Cariottap' As to drown
ing man numerous events Of his past life
running through many years of time are
wildly reproduced in few fleeing Sc
conds, so to this victim of Mexican ven
gence were, no doubt, recalled in the last
moments of his earthly existence those
charming recollections of his young, beau
tiful, gifted, accomplished and devoted
wife, whereby he had become SO fascinated
with his Mexican empire aud his hopes of
the Mexican people, that he could only re-
linquish them with his life. "Poor Car
lotta::" Her triumphal journeys, her floral
receptions, her welcome charities, her gra.
cious ways, her Catholic piety, and her re-
slstless, womanly gentleness among the
susceptible Mexicans, were all so faithfully
devoted to his cause as to develop in him
the heroism of the feudal ages He was her
gallant knight, equipped by her own fair
hands for glorious crusade she was his
queen Of love and beauty, to whom his
word as a soldier and his faith as devotee
were pledged All these. thoughts in the
presence Of the grave, doubtless, REQUIRED
to him as the memories ofa golden dream /;
and from these and that thought that she
had hopefully braved the dangers of the
seas and the doubtful generosity of France
in his behalf, only to be repealed in de-
spair, and to be doomed to living death, ;.
came the inspiration to Maximilian which
was expressed in his last expressive words
Poor Carlotta p
Nor is there in the records of history. as
the last words of dying saint or hero,
anything given which appeals SO tenderly
to our better nature, to all that beauties
and softens the human character, as these
bying words Of Macmillan "Poor Carlot-
ia ]" They will crown in history this fallen
man. However misguided he was in his
ambition Or in his acts as ruler, those two
words, with all their impressive and re-
deeming associations, will crown him with
the flowers Of affection and the laurels of
the here. Had he recited and eloquently
vindicated every step and every act in his
imperial career, he would have failed to
reach the eloquent defense embodied in his
dying exclamation Of ''Poor Carlottar p To
her they will be the words of restoration
or dissolution for him they are the wreath
OF Immortality Poor Carlottaw