National Republican., 1883-04-21
MAMMALIAN AND MEXICO.
How tho MexiCans "Chose" an Emperor and
How They Disposed Of Him.
Another Interesting Lecture by Minister
Foster on tho Mexican Republic.

The subject OF the lecture Dy Hon. Joun
W. Foster in the hall of the Y. M. O.
A. last evening was "Makimilian and the
Republican Triumph" aud was narra-
tion of the effects and events which followed
the triumph of the reform movement dis
cussed in the lecture of Monday night. The
following extracts, embracing some Of the
leading topics of the lecture, are made. After
sketching the efforts made to carry out tho
long projected measure of Mexican mon-
archy, after the overthrow of the church party,
by appeals to tho courts of Europe, and the
reasons why Louis Napoleon, happy in the
results of his italian campaign, listened with
favor to their recitals, and after narrating the
tripartite convention of London of 1861, be-
tween Great Britain, Spain, and France; the
withdrawal of the two former powers; the
occupation of the City of Mexico by the
French, and the selection Of Maximilian as
the so-stylcd emperor by Napoleon Minister
Foster said:
/ can best illustrate how the Mexican
people chose Macmillan their emperor, and
its uterior results on the "notables" " who
took part in it, by narrating the experience of
one of its members, as related by himself.
Don Agustin, an hacendado, was the son of
Appointment Mexican Of the early days of the
republic, devout churchman, q worthy citi-
zen, and, though decided opponent of the
liberal party, he sought to keep aloof from
politics. One day he was surprised by an
invitation to call on Gen. Forey He re-
sponded to the invitation and was told that
he had been made member of the Junta of
Notables, and it was desired that he would
sign the petition to Macmillan to ac-
cept the crown. Don Agustin asked
TO be excused The French general said he
would give him few days to think about it.
He was called again before the general and
asked his decision. He said he still desired
TO be excused, and when urged gave as a
reason that he owned estates in the country
which would be laid waste by the liberals
and confiscated If the movement failed.
Forey told him it was the wish of his en-
peror (Napoleon) and that he must sign the
petition. Don Agustin declined. He was
then shown into room where there were
two or three other recusant notables, and
told that he would be kept q pris-
oner there reasonable time, when,
If he still refused he would be sent to Marti-
nique, Cayenne or other convict colony, as
the emperor could not be tritfied with in that
way in his efforts to regenerate the country.
Don Agustin concluded that there was moth
ing to be done but join In the petition, SO he
signed. Macmillan came, was received with
q" great flourish of trumpets," and the petit
tion of the notables was published as evidence
of the spontaneous choice of the Mexican
nation. The liberals saw Don Agustn's
name to the petition, and as soon as they
had an opportunity they made Il raid
upon his hacienda or plantation, carried of
all his stock and valuable effects, burned his
houses and improvements and left his estate
in ruins. Macmillan promised to reimburse
him, but never had the money to spare: The
empire fell, Juarez returned to the capital
Poor Agustin was imprisoned for six months
to whitewash his loyalty, and had to pay O
fine of $4,000 for his "treason!"
By such articles as these it was sought Ia
convince the world that the Mexican people
had of their own free will changed theiI
form of government, and under the cover OF
such pretenses Macmillan came to Mexico
and ascended the throne erected and sup.
pored by French bayonets. 80
The "bloody order" issued by Macmillan
and which was one of the main reasons why
the Mexicans refused to spare his life after
capture, is thus explained:
while the republicans could not cope with
their adversaries in tho open field or in
pitched battles, there never was time in the
days Of the highest triumph of the empir,
when there were not tens of thousands of re
publicans under arms and commanded by re-
sponsible leaders Escobedo on the Rio
Grande frontier, Mejia and Corona in Sinaloa
and Jalisco, Diaz in Oaxaca, Aware;
in Guerrero, and many others wert
in active campaign, attacking the rea
OF lines VI Oh I0B enemy, ant
occupying towns and cities as soon as thu
French troops withdrew; so that tho i'm
perial sway never extended beyond artillery
range of the French camps. 1t is not to b,
denied that the state of warfare afforded al
opportunity for bandits and outlaws 3,
plunder and murder, but such acts were no
cOuntenanced by the republican generals, ant
cannot properly be charged against the
cause.
"MaXimilian, however, took advantage O
this condition of affairs to publish decree
announcing that the republican armies ha,
been driven from the field, that Juarez hat
abandoned the country, and that the empir
was firmly established, and that, therefore
all who after that date (Oct 3, 1869 wer
captured in arms or belonged to armed band
should be instantly shot as outlaws. 1t was
most cruel and barbarous decree, based upon
false statement of facts, without justifi
cation, and executed with bloody feroc
ity. In tho dark days of the Amer
lean revolution, the British coul,
with much more show of reason have issue,
such decree. for the Mexican forces neye
were so reduced rs were the Americans whe,
Washington was at Valley Forge; and tn
British were seeking to subdue rebel subjects
while the Mexicans were fighting for thei
own country against foreign invaders and +
maintain al long established independent gov
ernment. Yet if Maximiian's decree ha,
been enforced merely against guerrillas ther
might still be some justification for it but i
was applied to the regularly organized force
of the republican army, and hundreds an,
thousands of Mexican soldiers were shot dow
after capture as outlaws, among them some o
the best officers and noblest patriots in the re
publican service. The decree was so revolt
ing to humanity that the American repre-
sentative at Paris was instructed to remon
strate with Napoleon's minister of state il
regard TO it, and 1t was made to react at las
upon its author with terrible effect"
After describing the execution of Maxi
milan, some Of the reasons for that act ar
thus stated
"The execution of Macmillan was receive,
in Europe with feeling of indignation, anC
was generally condemned by the civilized
world but time has greatly modified tina
judgment. The responsibility for the ac
rests upon President Juarez, inspired by hi
chief minister of state, Senior Lerdo d.
Teiado his successor in the presidency; bu
IL is doubtful il, under similar circumstances
any other ruler or people would have acteC
differently. Legalized regicides is not an un
known event in Europe, In the case o
Charles / and Louis XVI the English anC
French beheaded their own hereditary SOW
ereigns; but in the person of Maximilan tn,
Mexicans could only see foreign usurpe
who had come to overturn their long estab
,lished institutions, who had deluged the lant
IN blood, caused them to exhaust their re
sources and burden the nation with an i'm
mense debt. President luarez wa
not bloodthirsty in his character, as hi