e or two the complicated
drama of deceit, lies, and graft, through which he created at last a
pretext for intervention in the affairs of Mexico; it is enough that in
the autumn of 1862 a French army of invasion marched from Vera Cruz upon
Mexico City. We have already seen that about this same time Napoleon
proposed to England and Russia a joint intervention with France between
North and South--a proposal which, however, was rejected. This Mexican
venture explains why the plan was suggested at that particular time.

Disappointed in England and Russia, Napoleon unexpectedly received
encouragement, as he thought, from within the United States through the
medium of the eccentric editor of the "New York Tribune". We shall
have occasion to return later to the adventures of Horace Greeley--that
erratic individual who has many good and generous acts to his credit, as
well as many foolish ones. For the present we have to note that toward
the close of 1862 he approached the French Ambassador at Washington
with a request for imperial mediation between the North and the South.
Greeley was a type of American that no European can understand: he
believed in talk, and more talk, and still more talk, as the cure for
earthly ills. He never could understand that anybody besides himself
could have strong convictions. When he told the Ambassador that the
Emperor's mediation would lead to a reconciliation of the sections, he
was doubtless sincere in his belief. The astute European diplomat, who
could not believe such simplicity, thought it a mask. When he asked for,
and received, permission to pass the Federal lines and visit Richmond,
he interpreted the permit in the light of his assumption about Greeley.
At Richmond, he found no desire for reunion. Putting this and that
together, he concluded that the North wanted to give up the fight
and would welcome mediation to save its face. The dreadful defeat at
Fredericksburg fell in with this reasoning. His reports on American
conditions led Napoleon, in January, 1863, to attempt alone what he had
once hoped to do supported by England and Russia. He proposed his good
offices to the Government at Washington as a mediator between North and
South.

Hitherto, Washington had been very discreet about Mexico. Adroit hints
not to go too far had been given Napoleon in full measure, but there was
no real protest. The State Department now continued this caution and in
the most polite terms declined Napoleon