CHAPTER VIII.
IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT.
1865.
Provisional Constitution — Personal Guarantee — No Slavery — Fondness of Maximilian for Law — making — Promotion of Colonization — Finances — Cabinet — Maximilian Protests against his Austrian Renunciation — French Loan and French Troops — Attitude of the United States — Republicanism Gains Strength — Maximilian Alarmed — Bazaine Blamed — Terrorism
In 1865, on the anniversary of his acceptance of the crown, Maximilian issued the provisional constitution of the empire, according to which the emperor represented the national sovereignty, and exercised it in all branches, the form of government being moderate monarchical, and hereditary, with a catholic prince.[1] There were to be nine ministerial departments; namely, of the imperial household, of state, of foreign affairs and navy, government or interior, justice, public instruction and worship, war, fomento, or public works and material development, and finance,[2] the whole to be connected with an auditorial tribunal, with administrative and judicial
- ↑ The empress assuming the regency in case of the emperor's disability.
- ↑ The household minister took charge of decorations and titles and crown domains. The minister of state presided at the ministerial council, took cognizance of affairs relating to the council of state, tribunal de cuentas, visitadores, chancellorship, communicated appointments and decrees not pertaining to the other departments. Ihe marine department was temporarily annexed to that of foreign affairs. An educational council was to be formed for promoting education. The minister of f omen to attended to statistics, vacant lands, public works, railways, internal navigation, forests, industrial development, mining, colonization, mails, telegraphs, and weights and measures. For regulations and duties, see Méx., Col. Ley. Imp., i.-viii., passim.
