grand and humanitarian schemes; but he lacked strength and energy to carry them out. He might have done well in a settled country like Lombardy, where he gained so much approval; but Mexico needed a creative reformer, and this he was not.
Commissions formed good projects, but they were not acted upon, partly through the militating jealousies of Mexican and French officials. The latter tended to defeat the organization of a national army, the lack of which gave force to the fatal decree of October 3d, and to the fall of the empire. Almost every essential feature of reform suffered from opposition, neglect, or inanition; while petty regulations for office or barrack routine, consular service, orders and theatres, palace arrangements, court etiquette, and the like absorbed undue attention and led to unwarrantable expense. Fond of making laws, Maximilian gave less heed to their value or observance. He was not practical enough. He seemed to play at monarch and to pose royally before Europe, intent also on other plans, as shown by the protest against his renunciation of Austrian rights which opened wide-spread mistrust.
While bearing in mind that the most important measures were dependent on French interests and coöperation — and that their failure must be attributed to this source — yet it is evident that Maximilian was hardly the man for the place. It required one of sterner mould to cope with bitter factions and scheming partisans, and face a situation so critical. Usually kind-hearted to a fault, he on one side judged others too mildly, while occasional rancor and mistrust led to serious errors on the other. Of æsthetic temperament, he objected to the inharmonious, and was readily captivated by fine appearance and manner, and susceptible to insidious praise. All these were deplorable weaknesses under the circumstances, for they tended to misdirect his admirable impulses.[1]
- ↑ Salm-Salm exalts him as the 'noblest, best, and most amiable' of men. Diary, i. 315. The disappointed conservative Arraugoiz finds him 'seco,
