The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-07-12
Sketch Of the Emperor Maximil.
ian,

idH.
Ferdinand Maximilian oseph,
Archduke of Austria, and sometime
Emperor of Mexico, was born at
Schonbrun on the 9th of July, 1882.
His father was Francis Chas. Joseph,
Archduke of Austria, and his mother
Sophie Dorothea, daughter of Maxi
milan the l King of Bavaria. Upon
the abdication of Ferdinand, Emperor
of Austria, the Archduke renowned
his claim to the succession in favor of
his eldest son, the present Emperor,
the brother of the subject of this
sketch. The advocating Emperor, in
giving up his throne, unequally divid-
ed his power, and gave an advantage
TO the Archduke Maximilian, to the
detriment of his elder brother. Such
was the origin of the constant, and at
times very warm differences which
arose between the two
Maximilian received his education
at Vienna, then, as now, one Of the
gayest and most dissolute capitals of
Europe. lie did not, however, in
dulge in the friyolities so common to
the nobility of Austria, but appears to
have spent great part of his youth in
study and travel At an early age he
entered the navy of the empire and
saw considerable service at sea, sailing
about the Mediterranean, and visited
all the adjacent countries, Greece, TIA
ly, Morocco, French Algeria, Spain
and Portugal.
AT the age of twenty-five he was
placed at the head of what is termed
by courtesy the Austrian Marine, and
with squadron visited the coasts of
Syria and Palestine He went also to
the Red Sea, and took great interest
IN the works of the Suez Canal, which
were then just beginning. In 1856 he
paid visit TO Paris and spent fort
night at st. Cloud with Louis Napo-
leon. The year following he was APP
pointed Viceroy of Lombardy and
Venice, and III the exercise of the pow
ers attached to the position, soon
made himself quite favorite among
the Italians This popularity was,
however, displeasing to Francis Jo-
seph, and in 1859 he was removed.
He is said to have exhibited great
courage and decided administrative
abilities while Viceroy. 1t is related
that he used to walk about the streets
of Milan and Venice quite alone dur
ing the fetes and among the crowd, and
would never allow the police to be on
the watch. One day at Venice when
the italian mobiles had plotted to make
q hostile demonstration against him
on the Plaza st. Marco, he discounted
and quite converted them to his side
by tucking his wife under his arm and
coming among them unattended, and
on foot, with courage and frankness
that disarmed every one. Another
time, just after Otsini's attempt at
Paris, his life was said to be also
threatened and his friends begged
him not to expose himself; but he i'm
mediately ordered his carriage TO 90
up to the theatre, taking with him
Count Stromboli, to whom he said
IF | am to be blown up it shall at least
be in good company"
MuAllnlllhu renamed lulo alter his
removal from the goyernorship Of the
Lombardo-Venetian kingdom, until
1868, when Napole IN decided upon
making cats paw of him in Mexico.
The crown of Mexico was offered to
him by Napoleon in August, 1868, and
the diplomats were put to work to ar
range for his acceptance and occupan-
cy OF the throne. Nearly year was
occupied in this work, and it was not
until the 10th of April, 1864, that he
formally accepted the protl'ered crown
BY the terms Of the acceptance he
made a conditional remuneration of the
right of eventual succession to the
throne of Austria, and IN unconditi-
onal pronunciation of his share Of the
family estates, amounting to 10000 of
forms The condition reserved in the
renunciation Of the right to the sue
cession was, that such pronunciation
might be revoked, should Macmillan,
finding his foothold in Mexico inse-
cure, choose to resign, within six years
from the date of his acceptance of the
Crown of Mexico.
The career of Macmillan, as the So
called Emperor. of Mexico, is well
known to the people OF this country,
His first official act was TO offer terms
to Juarez, looking to the submission
OF the latter These were rejected,