Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-03
Facts About MACMILLAN.

To the Editor of the DispatGh'
The Weekly Dispatch of March %, 1898
reproduces from the Philadelphia Times
a very interesting and instructive article
concerning the veteran, General shelDy,
Of Kentucky, and other distinguished
Confederate officers in Mexico, AFTER the
COLLAPSE OF the Confederate Government
and concerning Shelby's offer TO MAXI
milan and his Cabinet 10 enlist ana
bring 10000 Southern soldiers 10 uphold
the empire" This offer was declined
bv Macmillan, chiefly, as is Supposed
under the influence of his Mexican gen
erals. Miramon and Mejia, who were as
suredlv traitors 10 their country ana her
republic.
No person of sound judgment VIII now
believe that Shelby could have carried
ont his offer: but he was in earnest, and
he made some marvellous predictions oil
coming events" which greatly startled
the Austrians and the French, as well
as Miramon and Mejia.
Near the close of the article Is this
statement: at Queretaro, the empire
fell. through the treachery OF one OF the
| the native supporters or the throne,
| This statement has been frequently mace
and published in magazines and DOCKS
but il has been proved to be ehtlIeiy
| false. The evidence of its falsehood is
| definite and indsputable. Is it not time
| that il should be dropped from every
| narrative pretending to give material Tor
| history? The authentic book OF DR.. VIII
| liam Butler, entitled Mexico IN Irahsl-
! tion from the Power of Political Roman
ism 10 Civil and Religious Liberty" was
unfinished eight or ten years ago, ana had
reached its third edition In lSsz. IL Is 30
| entrenched in every statement py oocu
mentary and reliable evidences that T.
| No opportunity to examine II came u
me until within a few months past; but
n carries to every fair mind a. convection
of its truth. "a,
This book presents evidence pages Zfl-
240 that no treachery whatever was
practiced against the unhappy MAXI
milan when he was captured by the Re'
publican army at Queretaro. ColoneI
Miguel Lopez, though unfaithful 10 ms
country. did not betray the Archdukt
Maximilian of Austria, nor did he sci
his ONCE for gold" General Escobedo's
statement, pages 242-245) This Colone
Iopez is the man to whom the act or be
travail has been attributed. He bore II
silence the opprobium Of this charge 10
nearly twenty-four years because pS
Meximilian's request he had, during th'
siege Of Queretaro, communicated 10 Gen
eral Escobedo, commanding the RepuD
| lican besieging forces, an oHer lIOih NAaA
imilian that "he would surrender az one
~ his own life was guaranteed, and Els
cobedo would grant him leave TO pas
ONT escorted by fifty horsemen only, q
make his way to the coast, TO so leav
Nexico. with solemn assurances by hin
never TO return" page 23) or course
Tscobedo refused to accede TO any sue
nropositioA. He moved on Queretaro an
/ cantured the Austrian Archduke ana al
HE forces. Then Macmillan awoke I
the conviction that his offer for the pur
nose Of securing his own personal salet
would dishonor him in the eyes o. CIV
iced Europe. Therefore, he entrea'e
Colonel Lopez to promise him that' UNI
the death OF his wife, Carlotta, ne "oui
not reveal what had passed, and woul
roCuest n similar silence from EscooedC
IA en- I.opez bore like true man hi
burden OF imputed treachery until lSs
hen hnding his own health beginnin
20 foil and knowing that Carlotta woul
Ale insane. he obtained from Escodebo
u,rittau statement of the facts. whic
was made public. Lopez died April 20, lss
DIR. Buffers book shows the Blac
Decree" Of Macmillan, issued OctoDe
. 1Ss5 by operation OF which, withou
mercy he became personally guilty 2
Tho deliberate murder OF some thousand
~ innocent and patriotic men. Page
OK 9o9) Instead of being shot as a so
djer Macmillan ought 10 have bee
hsneed as a murderer.
H"'' r. r. HOWISoN.
praebead. near Fredericksburg, Marc
u 1905