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«As I have before had the honor to say to you, there are several considerations which induce the Government of the Republic to think that it ought not to permit that the mortal remains of the Archduke should be taken to Europe.
«For this reason, I regret to have to reply to you that the Government cannot issue the orders which you have desired for that purpose.
«I avail myself of this opportuniy to repeat to you, that I am your respecful and obedient servant.— S. Lerdo de Tejada.»
«C. Lerdo de Tejada, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and of the Interior.—The undersigned, with due respect, has the honor to state to you, Mr. Secretary, that as private physician of the late Archduke Maximilian, I was requested by him to take his body to Europe and deliver it to his family.
«That such was his will is apparent by the letter signed by himself which, under date of the 16th of last June, he addressed to Mr. Carlos Rubio in Querétaro, of which letter I have the honor to enclose a copy (marked A), and also by another one, dated the 18th of the same month, the original of which is held by General Escobedo, as it is stated in the letter of Colonel Ricardo Villanueva, which is enclosed herewith (marked B).
«I consider the fulfilment of this order as a sacred duty, and I make bold, in the discharge thereof, to beg of you, Mr. Secretary, to be pleased to order that the said body be delivered to me. This petition is grounded on the fact that by your orders the bodies of his companions in misfortune have been delivered to their families, and that never at any time has the Supreme Government refused to deliver a body to the families who have asked for it.
«I beg of you, finally, to be pleased to answer this my respectful petition, be the reply whatever it may, so that, upon returning to my country, I may be able to prove before the family of the late Archduke, that, on my part,
