and civil war. We are assured you have the secret of conquering
the hearts of all men, and excel in the rare knowledge of the art
of government."

Maximilian replied that he was ready to accept the honor offered
him by the Mexican people, and that his government would be both
liberal and constitutional. "I shall prove, I trust," he said,
"that liberty may be made compatible with law. I shall respect your
liberties, and uphold order at the same time."

Don Gutierrez thanked the archduke in the name of the Mexican nation,
and then the new emperor swore upon the Gospels to labor for the
happiness and prosperity of his people, and to protect their independent
nationality. Don Gutierrez was then embraced by Maximilian, who
hung around his neck the cross of the new Order of Guadeloupe,
of which he was the first member.

But this acceptance of the imperial crown of Mexico was by no means
a sudden thought with Maximilian. For eight months he had been
debating the matter in his own heart, urged to acceptance of the
crown by his wife, but dissuaded by his family.

The history of the offer, connected as it is with one of Napoleon
III.'s schemes for extending French influence, must be briefly
told.

Before the Civil War broke out in America, it had already entered
the head of the emperor that he would like to intermeddle in the
affairs of Mexico. That unhappy country, which the United States
have been accused of doing their best to keep in a chronic state
of weakness, turbulence, and revolution, had been left to recover
itself after the Mexican War, which had shorn away its fairest
provinces.

In 1853, Santa Ana, who had been president, dictator, exile, and
conspirator by turns for thirty years, was recalled to Mexico, and
a second time was made dictator. He assumed the title of Serene
Highness, and claimed the right to nominate his successor. A popular
revolution soon unseated him. Juarez, of Indian parentage, was at
its head. The clerical party was outraged by the confiscation of
the enormous possessions of the Church, and by the abolition of
the right of _mortmain_ (_i. e._, wills made upon death-beds were
pronounced thenceforth invalid, so far as bequests to the Church
were concerned). Mexico is a country with eighteen hundred miles of
coast-line, but few harbors. It had in 1860 no railroads, and hardly
any highroads of any kind. Its provinces were semi-independent, its
population widely scattered, a large part of it