The Sun. — 1867-09-14 (London, England)

THE DEATH OF MAXIMILIAN.  . 41.  Miguel Lopez, who has, it seems, neither corn milted suicide nor been assassinated, has published an address to his " fellow-citizens and the whole world,'" repudiating with scorn and indignation the itnputations of treachery which have been directed against him, and giving what he calls a true account of the circumstances under which Maximilian fell into the hands of the Republicans. The substance of his narrative is as follows :—After the sortie of the Ist of May matters grew very desperate with the garrison of Queretaro. Provisions, which had been scarce for some time, were now altogether exhausted. The soldiers were reduced to eat horse flesh. There was no bread, no eggs; and the horses of the Empress's regiment had to be fed on the bark of the ash. The supply of ammunition was also almost at an end. Under these circumstances the troops became rapidly demoralised. Physical weakness infected their spirit, and they felt their position was continually becoming more desperate and untenable. Maximilian set a noble example of patience and valour to the men, and the officers seconded him. When Marquez quitted Queretaro to collect all the men and resources be could get, all he was able to do was to gather together some 4,000 men from the whole of Mexico. What the end of the siege would be was then clear. Nlaximilian received neither couriers nor news ; he had no longer any hope of succour. The soldiers of the Foreign Legion, for the most part French, received communications from many of their companions who were in the enemy's ranks. From that moment all was lost. It was under these circumstances that Maximilian, on the night of the 14th of May, made up his mind to treat with the enemy for a capitulation, and entrusted Lopez with the mission. Lopez accordingly went to Escobedo and asked him to allow the Emperor, with the Empress's suite and the Empress's regiment, to leave Mexico. Escobedo's reply was that he had no power to grant this request, and that Maximilian must either surrender at discretion or fight. When Lopez returned to the Imperial quarters at midnight he found that the horses were all saddled for departure, that Maximilian had repeatedly asked for him, and was now anxiously awaiting his arrival. On hearing Escobedo's reply, Maximilian was evidently much disappointed. Preparations for flight had been made more than once, and the enemy, informed of these preparations, resolved upon a desperate move. On the night of the 14th of May, on quitting Maximilian, Lopez, engrossed, as he says, with thoughts about the fate of the army, set out to go the round of the lines. On reaching the gate of La Cruz, which he had charged his officers to watch with especial vigilance, he was surrounded by a body of officers and men, who put their pistols to his throat. He at once recognised them as enemies, and they made him prisoner. Stupefied for the moment, he could neither fight nor flee. His captors, taking him with them, immediately made for the Emperor's quarters. To gain time, and to warn Maximilian, so that he might escape,was then Lopez's sole idea. He went, therefore, to General Velez, and suggested that it would be only humane to avoid shedding blood. Colonel Yabloski was charged to tell the Emperor that he had just time to escape, and Lopez cannot explain why the colonel was so long in discharging his task. At daybreak Maximilian presented himself with some persons of his suite, soldiers of various corps, and some others. He was on foot, in the street, and followed very close upon the party who had made Lopez prisoner. Taking advantage of a momentary confusion among the Republican soldiers, Lopez hurried, as fast as he could on a bad horse, to meet the Emperor, meaning, we suppose, though he does not say so, to give him a hint of this danger. Then Lopez returned in the direction of the soldiers. In proof of his assertions Lopez appeals to Prince Salm, Yabloski, Prodillo, Dr. Blosk, and Don Jose de Blasio, who were witnesses of what happened. Lopez seeks to implicate some other Imperialist officers in the treachery which surrendered Queretaro to the Republicans. Of course Lopez's statement, which we have summarised above, only goes for what it is worth. That he should have been the first man seized by the Republican troops on their entrance is certainly a suspicious circumstance. He is still a prisoner, but there does not appear to be any intention of proceeding against him, which is also another element of suspicion.—Pall Mall Gazette.