Year: 1867

the EActullOn'Oi WNAihiilihh'


MlramOn ana MeJla!


We ara in receipt Of tho Browns
willie llanchoro, of the 9th inst, con
tanning lcttor from San Luis Poto-
81 with full particulars OF the mur-
der of the Emperor MaXimilian aud
his Generals at Querctaro.


As carly us six o'clock the troops
that were under the command of
| General Escobedo were formed up
on tho "Cero do Ia Campana, n short
distance from the city, whore the
execution was to take place the
people of Quoretaro We're docking
in thousand to tho place to SEQ tho
closing scenes in the life of men
whom they all loved. As tho clock
strikes seven the church bolls send
up the dreaded toll, and announce
the fact that tho prisoners had lett
their prisons for the last time, and
are upon their way to the place OF
execution. After the lapse ofa few
moncnts they appeared in sight
drawn in carriages, surrounded by
n largo guard, tho Emperor first
Miramon next and Mejia last. AS
they near the place cenvulsive sobs
break from the crowd, all are deep
! " moved and affected. When at
length the carriages stop, and the
prisoners get out amongst the vast
concourse you could hardly 500
dry eye tokens Of dissatisfaction
wei manifest, and ofall those pres
ent, the condemned men seemed less
than any others Interested in what
is taking place. Maximilian upon
alighting on the ground, saluted tho
people in an easy and graceful man
ner, and with an elastic step march
cd to the fatal spot.


The prisoners were dressed in
plain clothes, their arms were not
bound, neither were they blindfold-
ed. After taking their position tho
Emperor and Miramon spoke to the
persons present. The Emper
spoke in clear and firm manner,
and with nothing of the bravado, no
seemed to feel his situation. lie said
that when he was first waited upon
at home by a deputation from Mex
leo, who came with credentials Of
fering him the government of the
country, that he refused. At q sub
sequent meeting the proposition was
again presented to him, when he re-
piled that if he could become con
vinced that majority Of the people
Of Mexico thought that it was for
their interest TO place him at the
head Of tho government, that he
might consent, but not otherwise
A few days afterwards another dep
utaton waited upon him, md
brought additional testimonials
Upon taking the advice Of the ruI-
ing powers of Europe, he was ad-
vised that he had no other course to
pursue, save to accept the call, which
he did. He denied that the court
which tried him had the power to
do so, rs his was q case in which the
good faith Of tho nations of the
world was pledged. He had never
done an act that had not been for
the good of Mexico. And hoped
that his blood might stop the fnrth-
er ctruson of blood in the country.


Miramon spoke from apaper which
he held in his hands. The onl y re-
gret, he said he felt in dying was
that should the liberal party retain
the reins of government, his chill
dren might be pointed at as the chill
dren of traitor to his country, but
no told h m that he W as no
traitor. lie had always opposed tho
liberal party from principle, had al,
ways been in favor of order, and
against the disorder of the rabble,
and that he should die as he had
lived, conservative. He was sat
isfied to die, man could in no no
bier cause than to die for his coun.
try. His name and his acts would
live after him, and posterity would
Judge whether he had done right or
wrong. He closed with, "viva En-
peror Viva Mexico"


Meia made no address. He how
ever, sent for Escobedo the day be-
fore, and said to him that he would
die poor man, that during the time
that he had been in service, he had
never made an effort to make mon
ey, and his only wealth consisted of
forty head of cattle which were in
the mountains. He asked as q IA
vor that the merchants of Matamo-
ros, to whom he owed considerable,
would not press his wife to pay his
debts when she came into posses
sion of the money lett her by the
kindness Of the Emperor.


After Miramon had ceased speak
ing the guard were drawn up, the
prisoners standing facing them
Emperor called the sergeant to him
and drawing from his pocket hand
full of twenty dollar pieces, gave
them to him, and requested that af-
ter his death he divide it amongst
his companions, and asking them as
favor TO aim at his heart. The
sergeant then resumed his place /;
the officer in command gave the sig
nal, the volley was fired and the
prisoners lay stretched upon the
ground. The Emperor was not quite
dead. there was considerable quiv-
ering of the muscles of the body,
although five balls had entered his
breast, two other soldiers were call
ed up who shot him in the side as
he lay upon the gruund. Miramon
and Mejia were killed by the first
volley, each had received four balls
in the breast, a sheet was~immed-
lately thrown over the body Of the
Emperor by the doctor who was in
attendance, and whowas TO embalm
the BODY. The three bodies were
then taken possession ofby their re-
sy,orf5r-, f-ieuds al rarnovqd from