The Coolidge examiner., 1935-03-01

el clfN NAF ana therefore IN 10 fonuAA0n 70
back up that doctrine. or al least. Napoleon
thought that this was a good time to put Its
strength 10 the ties; and England and Spain too
40 doubt we're willing enough 10 see It tested
ON December IA. 1861, Vera cruz WAS occu.
pied by spanish troops: soon Afterwards the
French fleet arrived with a large force OF sol
diers and Great Britain sent SHIPS and landed
suu marines When Il became apparent. how
ever. that France was Intending 20 interfere In
domestic politics In Mexico especially In regard
TO the relations OF church and state. beyond the
scope OF the agreement. Spain and Great Britain
withdrew their forces In March. 1sG2. leaving
France TO 20 II alone France ther~upon In.
creased the number Of her troops by many thou
sands and set about 20 conquer Mexico.
The following spring her army besieged and
reduced Puebla and on June :. 1863. entered
the city Of Mexico 4 provisional government OF
Mexicans was set up the puppets OF the
french and this temporary organization voted
IN favor of a monarchlai form 0f government
Il was Napoleons idea 10 ofrer the crown TO Arch
duke Maxlmliiun % Austria But Maxlmian
enjoying his books and the life 81 private gen
tiernan al Mramar. refused 20 accept the honor
and went OF on n botanical expedition 10 Brazil
Returning from Brazil be was approached
again. Napoleon Was persistent. The giant
shadow of Bismarck. which looued with an IN.
creasng menace across the prussiau border. was
causing both France and Austria some concern
and the French emperor hoped that an alliance
with the House of Hapshurg might lessen that
menace. But Emperor Franz Joseph was sus
picious Of this upstArt emperor In France and
be strongly advised his brother against having
anything 10 do with Nap0leons schemes
But Carlotta was ambitious She had tasted
The delights Of being a ruler. even though a
a,a.F
been vlceroy Of the Italian provinces. She was
dazzled by the idea OF being an empress. For
ali her youth. she was Z stronger character than
her husband and she exerted all OF her intlu-
ence over him 10 get him 10 accept Napoleon's
offer. Al last he yielded 10 her persuasion and
after renounclng his rights OF succession 10 the
Austrian throne. accepted the title OF emperor
OF Mexico. on May -. 1864. the new emperor
and empress arrived at Vera Cruz and al
though their reception was not as ardent as they
might have hoped for, yet they were warmly
welcomed by the clergy and the military ele-
ments which hoped. through the monarchy. to
regain some OF the prestige and the property
they had lost
Prior TO the establishment OF the empire Mex
leo had known two factions. one was the
liberals led by Bento Juarez. an Indian patriot
who had been exiled by SANTA Anna, the dictator,
Anna, had succeeded TO the presidency upon the
death OF Jean Alvarez and In 1867 had promul-
gated the great reform measures which brough.
about n complete severance OF church and state
When Macmillan was set upon the throne by
French troops, Juarez was again forced to fee,
bur although he was again down he was far
from out
The other party was the conservatives. or the
church party. TO whom Macmillan owed his
crown and II had the support of the military
the French troops maintained there by Napoleon
and commanded by Marshal Bazaine, who was
almost as much the ruler OF Mexico as Maxi.
milan was.
AS the Civil war drew TO a close, It became
apparent that the North was sure TO win. The
United States then would be able 10 turn its
attention TO enforcing the Monroe Doctrine Ma
poleon saw the handwriting on the wall. Ut
terIy forgetful of all his promises to Macmillan,
he prepared to abandon him TO his fate although
fer some time the French ruler Kept up a pre-
tense of supporting his puppet emperor across