Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 511

Chapter 511: Chapter 84: The Unfair Duel

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“`

There was no doubt that the terms laid out by Minister Compton were unacceptable to the Mexican Republic Government. They could not dare to choose any of the three options.

If President Juarez was willing to compromise on the issue of the Empire, why bother leading a rebellion? It’s known that as soon as Maximilian I ascended to the throne, he pardoned political prisoners and even offered Juarez a high position.

To accept the restoration of Maximilian I now would be a complete denial of the decade-long revolution. This uprising would no longer be an anti-empire, anti-feudal movement, but a political power grab.

Compensation was out of the question. If they had that much money, the Republicans would have settled the domestic opposition by force long ago, why would they need to compromise?

Engaging in a war with the Austrians was equally untenable for the Republican Government. Having clashed with the French, President Juarez was well aware of what level of military power the great powers possessed.

Under normal circumstances, it often involved ten thousand French soldiers chasing after more than a hundred thousand rebels, a sight too horrifying to behold. Unless in exceptional conditions, the Rebel Army had hardly ever achieved any significant victory.

The data showed that from the start of the French invasion in 1861 to their withdrawal in 1871, after hundreds of battles the French casualties did not exceed ten thousand.

The so-called severe damage to France and the Rebel Army’s victories that made the French flee in disaster were merely a need for political propaganda. In reality, it was always the French who dominated the battles.

It was just that Napoleon III had run out of patience, recognizing the ineptitude of Maximilian I and considering the investment not worth the return, hence he decided to cut losses.

If the Mexican Republic Government were as formidable as they declared, they would have repudiated their debts by now. If they could defeat the French, why would they fear a forcible debt collection?

The Russians are a prime example. After the Tsarist Government declared its default, did any European country, besides protesting and imposing economic sanctions, suggest using military force to collect debt?

It’s not that the creditors were kind, but because the cost of invading the Russian Empire was many times over the debt.

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They all tacitly chose negotiations instead, with measures like payment extensions, in-kind compensation, and interest debt reduction. Both sides used these tactics very flexibly.

A feeble nation has no diplomacy, and without power, their words carry no weight. Now, the Mexican Government had to accept Austrian political blackmail, however outrageous Compton’s demands were known to be, they still had to sit down and slowly negotiate.

They ask for the stars in hope of getting the moon.

President Juarez was well aware that after deposing Maximilian I, the Vienna Government would certainly regard the Mexican Government with enmity. For the foreseeable future, relations between the two countries would not be normalized.

However, they did not anticipate the Austrians would play such a game. Franz had been cautious in his actions over the years, deceiving many. The sudden lowering of standards caught Juarez off guard.

If the victims had known they would become Austrian citizens, the subsequent tragedies might never have occurred. Simply by declaring their foreign citizenship, the Republicans would naturally shied away from touching even a hair of theirs.

This could be testified by British citizens, French citizens… In fact, the Republican Government Army had always been a disciplined force, treating international friends with the utmost kindness.

In urgency, President Juarez asked, “How’s the contact going, are they willing to…”

To escape the current predicament, there was another method, to have those “Austrian citizens” retract their statements, perhaps abandon pursuit of the matter, then the reason for Austrian extortion would no longer exist.

The Republicans had experience in this area. It was just a matter of persuasion, sending eloquent people to perform ideological work. Patriotism was a suitable banner to encourage them to consider the greater good.

First, dazzle them with talk, then compensate them handsomely for their losses, the Republican Government being quite generous this time, giving several times the usual amount.

Regardless, the money used to sway these people was far less than the cost of submitting to Austrian extortion.

The middle-aged man, with his head bowed, replied, “The situation is not optimistic, most people are hesitating, they are worried…”

Before he could finish, President Juarez waved his hand and said, “Alright, I understand. You must be tired, having stayed up all night. Go rest now!”

If the two countries were of equal strength, they could have made something out of this. But, unfortunately, the power disparity between Mexico and Austria was too great.

Without everyone retracting their statements, it would be a wasted effort. The great powers were kind enough to reason with you, but if you tried to be slick, they would not hesitate to speak with bayonets instead.

President Juarez never expected such a petty trick to succeed. Regardless of how convincing they sounded, the seeds of hatred had been sown during the great purge.

Talking about patriotism? Their love was for the Mexican Empire, not the Mexican Republic. As supporters of Maximilian I, their pursuit was his restoration to the throne.

“`

Now that Austria has stepped in to intervene, they’re too pleased to even consider speaking for the Republican Government.

Besides, everyone is now an Austrian citizen, wouldn’t it be treason to suddenly change their stance? The usual deceitful tactics have hit a dead end here.

Doing something is better than doing nothing, as long as these people accept compensation, they will have even more justification for bargaining at the negotiation table.

As for personal honor and disgrace, President Juarez no longer takes it to heart. From the moment he resolved to overturn the rule of Maximilian I, he was prepared for the worst.

This time the Austrians deliberately targeted the Republican Government’s weak spot. Regardless of the final outcome, they were doomed to face criticism for not accepting the restoration of Maximilian I.

Ordinary people can’t see that an additional rubber stamp is a political disaster. They’d simply assume, without second thought, that Juarez was willing to sacrifice national interests for his own power.

The Constitutionalists have already started to spread this narrative, and although they too are strongly opposed to Maximilian I, that doesn’t matter. After the restoration, the Emperor can abdicate, and someone else can take his place.

No matter what, Mexico cannot be without an Emperor. Otherwise, how can these nobles secure their own interests?

Without a doubt, President Juarez knows that this argument will soon become mainstream, and political rivals will not miss the opportunity to kick him while he’s down.

The only way to turn the situation around is for the Republicans to win the ultimate power struggle and take control of social discourse, then President Juarez might have a chance at being vindicated.

Politics is this cruel. The misfortune of President Juarez mainly lies in the fact that his enemies are too powerful; it’s not a fair fight at all.

Now he’s not facing Maximilian I, but rather the Habsburg Family behind the scenes. Franz had to step in to clean up the mess created by Maximilian’s terrible reign in Mexico.

For the sake of the family’s reputation, a more disastrous “Mexican Government” is needed for contrast, then the blame can be shifted: “It’s the Mexicans who are incompetent, not the Habsburg Emperor.”

Maximilian’s personal cultivation isn’t the issue; that’s the only bright spot. Therefore, President Juarez, as the foil, is doomed to be a “notorious and ambitious troublemaker in Mexico.”

If Juarez were twenty or thirty years younger, then perhaps he might have had the opportunity to lead Mexico in its internal reform and establish a medium power, clearing his tainted reputation.

However, his health is failing. Once President Juarez falls, without anyone in the Republican party to hold the fort, Mexico’s internal conflicts will erupt in full force.

Once the Mexican civil war breaks out, it will be time to clear Maximilian I’s name. Of course, Franz has his dignity; he cannot blatantly lie or recklessly glorify Maximilian.

Idioms like “wise and valiant,” “talented and bold,” “magnanimous,” “open to counsel,” “stabilizing both within and beyond,” “industrious in governance,” “appointing the virtuous and innovating”… none of these would fit Maximilian; they would be more appropriate if applied to himself.

In time, there will be ample evidence to prove that Maximilian was a benevolent emperor, and the main cause of the government’s collapse was, “The people of Mexico are corrupt and filled with treacherous officials.”

This is far from pointless; it holds profound political significance. If Maximilian I is deemed incompetent, it would mean the Habsburg family’s upbringing was a failure.

This would cause speculation about what to do with a similarly disastrous Emperor in Austria in the future. Some might start preparing for such a scenario, providing an opening for the spread of chaotic ideas.

If exploited by careerists, they would advocate the British constitutional monarchy system and might even go further, cheating the public, creating public opinion, and using it to pressure the Monarch into relinquishing power.

In the original timeline, the British constitutional monarchy system was played out just like this, starting with limiting the Monarch’s power to prevent the King from acting despotically, and ending with the King being reduced to a mere figurehead.

Don’t be fooled by the Monarch’s seemingly advantageous position in the game of power; Ministers are constantly being replaced, one after another, but it only takes one incompetent Monarch to lose all the advantages.

To prevent this, Franz is still preparing. Until the system is fully established, any potential threat to imperial power must be nipped in the bud.

In this context, the only way for Mexico to rise is to hang Maximilian I as a figurehead, even if just for show.

Otherwise, the better they do, the more tragically they will end. As soon as they show signs of development, they’ll face a dimensionally reduced strike.

Franz’s true thoughts are not disclosed, so naturally, no one will know them.

From the outside, it seems like nothing more than Maximilian I was deposed, causing the Habsburg family to lose face, and Franz, the head of the family, took out his anger on the Mexican Republic Government.