Fruits of the New Government
We have seen from the preceding chapters what the state of affairs in
Mexico was when Maximilian assumed the government. By the beginning of
the second year of the Empire matters had already materially changed.
Most of the country folk had returned to their farms, and city merchants
who dealt in agricultural implements soon saw their stock disappear, and
were forced to order fresh supplies. This led to a steady commercial
intercourse with the United States which greatly increased after the
close of the Civil War. In the Spring of 1865 the duties to Mexico from
New York alone amounted to 1,700,000 pesos in a single week. Trade with
the West Indies, South America, and Europe was also extensive. Merchants
who at first had been obliged to purchase on credit, owing to the
prevailing lack of funds, were by this time able to pay cash for goods.
This was certainly one good result of the new government, as must have
been recognized by all public-minded Mexicans.
With the prospect of profit and an assured market, trades and crafts
also revived. Hundreds of youths, who had been torn from their peaceful
occupations and forced to join the revolutionist bands, returned to
their apprenticeships. Channels of trade were improved. A regular line
of mail steamships was established in the Gulf of Mexico, and
intercourse was resumed with all Pacific ports. Fine steamers made
monthly trips from San Francisco to La Paz, Guaymas, and Mazatlan, and
twice a month from Guaymas to Acapulco. Construction was begun on the
railroad between Vera Cruz and the capital, though it was afterward
suspended. A telegraph line was built from Mexico to San Luis Potosi.
The national finances were also much improved. Customs receipts steadily
increased and the mints coined more dollars than ever before, though
still bearing the stamp of the Republic.
These were some of the happy results of the new administration. That
they were of but brief duration was not the fault of the government nor
yet of the Emperor, but of Juarez who, still passing as President,
succeeded only too well in his schemes for undermining the Empire.
With increasing prosperity came a revival of various sports and
amusements, of which the Mexican people are naturally so fond. Early in
the year 1865 most of the European ambassadors arrived with their
suites, and a series of splendid entertainments followed at the imperial
court. Later the marriage of Marshal Bazaine to the seventeen-year-old
niece of General Lopez furnished occasion for more festivities. These
diversions, however, did not cause the Emperor to slacken his labors for
the improvement of the country. On the third of March, 1865, he had the
Empire divided into fifty departments and revived the so-called “Indian
Council,” which had existed in the days of Spanish sovereignty, placing
at its head the advocate, Faustin Chimalpopoca, a pure Aztec. The
Indians still formed the larger part of the population of Mexico in
spite of the efforts of the Republic to enslave and crush them.
Realizing the importance of this class of people, Maximilian took the
greatest interest in their protection and welfare, while they in turn
remained loyal to him to the last.
On the tenth of April, 1865, the anniversary of his acceptance of the
crown, Maximilian published an imperial statute declaring that, as a
number of provinces still remained hostile to the Empire, he did not
deem it wise as yet to introduce popular representation, but promised to
do so as soon as the national disturbances were settled. Besides the
Guadeloupe order, revived in 1863, and the order of the Mexican Eagle,
founded in January, 1865, a special order for women, that of San Carlos,
was instituted, April tenth, by the joint sovereigns. Another important
task was the reorganization of the army. Most of the Mexican officers at
that time were quite useless and must be got rid of. To replace these
and furnish a supply of efficient native officers, Maximilian opened the
military school at Chapultepec.