Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-08-23
CHARLOTTE'S SAD PLIGHT.
The Anniversary Of der Wedding
Recalled Her Sorrows.
AMBITION RULED ALL HER LIFE.
A LIFE Story That Reads Like Page Of
FIct.on-Fron a TarUne to
n MadhOuss-

a AAALAoua1-
BRUSSELS. July s0.--Thursday. July q.
was the thir;y-severth anniversary Of the
ill-starred marriage Of the Arehduke Maxi
milan OF Austria and the Princess Char
lotte OF Belgium. The Archduke has been
dead for over a quarter Of a century, and
Charlotte has been worse than 0eaG-a
hopeless lunPac. She has no memory OF
her greatness or her sorrows. She attained
the emu Of her ambitions scheming: sac was
Empress of Mexico for a little while. Il
was an illustrious ambition. 1t brought
death TO her husband and madness TO her
SELF Until the old chateau OF Lseken. near
Brussels, was burned she was confined
there. OF late she has been shut up in the
castle at Bouchoutte. Her malady has
grown upon her. She knows no one: does
not recognize even the attendants who have
been with her since she was a child. Her
brother, ths King Of the Belgians, has dis
continued his visits to her, although he is
daily informed by telephone OF her coldi-
tlon. One who saw her lately bears wit
ness that she is slowly dying. She has
grown thin and meager and weak. Her
beauty is dead; her mind Is dead; only
little life stirs feebly in her emaciated body.
But once she was Empress Of Mexico.
To be sure, 1t was only a pinchbeck en-
pire. To one looking back upon them the
events Of those years seem us fantastic as
those of an old melodrama. From begin
ming to end this endeavor to establish al
alien empire in Mexico was fantastic de-
sign. 1t undoubtedly originated with Louis
Napoleon. Believing that he had regen-
Grated France, he looked upon himself as
the resenerator Of the Latin race and the
upholder of the Latin Church. Il is doubt
full however, IL he would have dared TO
meddle with Mexican affairs had 1t not been
for the urging of the Empress Eugene. Il
Is certain that Bazaine would never have
dared to play the traitor, as he did, had he
not had the secret support of the Empress
Of the French. This is worth noting, for
It marks the beginning of the long intrigue
the Spanish woman" carried on against
her husband.
Dreaming these dreams of establishing a
great Latin Empire over sea, of arresting
the decay Of the Romish Church in Amer
lea, Napoleon III. moved on Mexico. Spain
was with him, the Pope blessed the expe-
ditions, England approved, Germany, ready
for anything that would SOW dissension,
made no opposition, and Russia contented
itself with a formal protest. Mexico was
not much considered in the matter. The al
lies-France, Spain and England-agreed to
"seize and occupy the several fortresses and
military positions on the Mexican coast"
This was easily accomplished. but 1t
was not long before the allies fell to quar-
reling among themselves. Spain and Eng
land withdrew; the Triple Alliance was dis
solved; Louis Napoleon was left to carry OIL
alone his hazardous experiment of conquest
and glory. He Immediately declared war
on the constitutional government. Pueblo.
! the gateway of Mexico, was CAPTURED
Bazaine, the hero of Gravelotte and the
traitor of Metz, was sent over at the head
of motley army Of Frenchmen, Austriaus
Belgians, adventurers, rufians, ne'er-do-
weels from every end of Europe. In order
! to make sure the triumph of the Latin
race on American soil'' Napoleon decided
that the MeXicans should be permitted "to
/ freely choose their form or government
through representatives selected by the
French Government. Naturally under
these circumstances Mexico decided upon a
Limited hereditary monarchy, with a
Catholic prince, who should take the title
of Emperor of Mexico"
The crown was offered to Prince Ferdin-
and Macmillan, Archduke of Austria.
OF him the world had heard little. He
was one of the swarm Of royal Hapsburgs.
but he was not conspicuous He had
served in the Austrian navy and had filed
the post of Governor Of the Lombardo-
Venetian kingdom. For five years before
he was chosen Emperor-this was in 1863
he had lived in retirement at Mlramar.
He was a gentle, erudite man, who wrote
verses, apothegms and aphorisms. An
ambitious, but indolent nobleman. with
neither strength Of will nor clearness of
Judgment, he would probably have died
quietly in his bed. or among his aphorisms
had it not been for the Archduchess Char
lotte. She was II when he married her in
1857 at Brussels. There is no doubt that
the final decision to accept the proffered
FoII hnr ftnH h.
beautiful, vain, reckless, and she had
sworn to die queen. Maximiliaa had
been warned Of the probable consequences
of his enterprise; he knew the risks and
hesitated He asked the advice OF Baron
Won Gagern, an old soldier, who knew
Mexico we'll.
"I fear your Imperial Highness will nav
for the attempt with your head" the Baron
replied
CO." urged the Princess. and he went
to fulfill Won Gagern's prophesy.
They set out April IA, 1854 They we're
accompanied by retinue Of French. Aus
trian and Mexican officers of high rank.
The brand-new Emperor chose the Novara
Of the Austrian navy as his convoy, and
embarking at Miramar with a convoy of
twelve steamers began his imperial parade
At Vera Cruz there we're proclamations
and speeches; even the Empress made q
graceful address in Spanish. They entered
the capital Of the country they had come to
rule with fanfarades of trumpets, volleys
Of artillery. ringing of bells and priestly
blessings.
1t was a pagt ant from Comic operaland
The Emperor made speeches right and left :;
tie Empress scattered largess and golden
words The Castle of Chapultepec was
chosen as the royal residence: court life
under the new Empire, opened with splen-
dor and nio Dri
cess had attained her illustrious ambitions
She was only ewenty-four; she ruled her
husband and was Empress OF Msxice-
could she ask for anything more?
To Macmillan the whole land was a
welter of riotous elements-Spanish lords
and hidalgoes, dark and sullen Indians,
ignorant priests, fierce and indomitabe
radicals, freebooters, brigands and gentle
men adventurers. But confident in the
prayers Of the Pope and the armies of his
good cousin of France. he blundered along.
There was just chance that M3ximilian
might give the lie to Baron Won Gagerns
prediction and get safely back to Mlrama-
with his blond head On his shoulders, when
he committed the atrocious mistake of
Ifigning the "Plack Decree" This unlucky
document decreed that all the liberals who
were in revolt under Iuarez we're to be
treated as criminals, outlaws and brigands.
If captured, these Republicans fighting
under the national fig against an alien
usurper, were to he shot down within
Itwenty-four hours
This BLACK Decree was not signed
without much vacillation on the part OF
the Emperor. At first he refused outright,
At last he was persuaded to give his as
sent. Gentle historians assert that the
Emp ess was blameiess in this matter, but
all the evidence goes to show that she
urged the Emperor to Sign. Certainly he
would never have signed without her con-
sent.
| 1t was his death warrant
Forthwith the slaughter began. 1t was
so brutal that his foreign soldiers. trained
In no gentle school. revolted against it.
Dive go Il bis Belgian officers protested
against tE1 decree and the ubiquitous
war" In crite of wholesale executions
liberalism grew apace and the power Of
r"araz increased II Was eho--t this time
haA