CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING BRITISH CLAIMS ON MEXICO. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty. LONDON: PRINTED BY HARRISON AND SONS. : : November 29, : : : : : : .. : : : : : : :: : : 1. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew 2. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew 3. Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell Two Inclosures. 4. Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell Two Inclosures. 5. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew 6. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew 7. Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell 8. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew 9. Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell Thirteen Inclosures. 10. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew Six Inclosures, 11. Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell 12. Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell Seven Inclosures. 13. Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell 14. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew 15. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew 16. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew 17. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew 18. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew 19. Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell One Inclosure. 20. Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell : Correspondence respecting British Claims on Mexico. (Extract.) No. 1. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew. Foreign Office, August 24, 1860. IT might have been anticipated that the Government at Mexico, which has always professed a desire to be on friendly terms with Her Majesty's Government, would have endeavoured to cultivate friendly relations, and even for its own sake, if not moved by a regard for international law and comity, would have listened to the disinterested counsels of Her Majesty's Government, and would have respected the persons and property of Her Majesty's unoffending subjects. Her Majesty's Government have been disappointed in that anticipation; the representations and remonstrances of Her Majesty's Government, more especially as regards the imposition of the tax upon capital, are entirely disregarded, and not a month passes but further outrages are committed upon British subjects, and further spoliations are perpetrated upon British property. I do not speak of the sufferings of the Mexicans themselves, or of the atrocities committed by various chieftains upon helpless women and children; such dark deeds affect the character of the whole nation, and must sooner or later bring their own retribution. Her Majesty's Government have had, however, to consider whether it was fitting that they should continue to hold relations with a Government under which such things are tolerated, and Her Majesty's Government, after anxious consideration, have come to the conclusion that they shall best consult their own dignity, and the rights of British subjects, and, perhaps, even the interests of the Mexicans themselves, by withdrawing Her Majesty's Legation from the capital of the Republic. In instructing you to take this step, Her Majesty's Government do not consider it desirable to direct you to proceed to Vera Cruz. Her Majesty's Government are above all things anxious to preserve a strict impartiality between the two contending factions. The Government of Señor Juarez, it is true, has not been so utterly regardless as has been that of General Miramon of the representations of Her Majesty's Government, but that result may be owing, in some measure, to the fact that at Vera Cruz a British squadron has been at hand to enforce redress as often as occasion has required, and, even with this restraint on their actions, the so-called Constitutional Party is not free, in the persons of some of its leaders, from many of the crimes which have sullied this page of Mexican history. Her Majesty's Government will accordingly, for the present, keep aloof from both parties, and they will not consent to re-open relations with Mexico as a civilized Power, unless they see established either a Government possessed of some chance of stability, or a provisional arrangement which may appear likely to lead to such a result. 1 have now to instruct you to address to the Government of General Miramon a note stating that, for the reasons set forth in this despatch, you have been directed to break off relations with that Government, and [160] B 2 to retire with the members of your Legation to Jalapa. Her Majesty's Consul will remain for the present at the capital, and you will notify this arrangement to the British community by a circular addressed to the principal members of it. I have transmitted to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty a copy of this instruction, and I have requested that the captains of Her Majesty's cruizers on the coasts of Mexico may be apprised of it. P.S.-The instruction that you should retire to Jalapa is, of course, subject to your opinion as to whether you can there obtain protection and security for Her Majesty's Mission. Sir, No. 2. Lord J. Russell to Mr. Mathew. Foreign Office, October 11, 1860. HER Majesty's Consul at Vera Cruz has reported to me that, in consequence of the authorities of that city not being satisfied with that portion of the Custom-house revenue left at their disposal for carrying on the present civil war, it is their intention to make an application to Her Majesty's Government for permission to suspend for some months the payment of the assignments from the import duties at the Custom-house belonging to the English creditors; and I have to state to you that such a proposition would not for a moment be entertained by Her Majesty's Government, who will hold the authorities of Vera Cruz strictly to their agreement. You will send an instruction to this effect to Her Majesty's Consul at Vera Cruz. No. 3. I am, &c. (Extract.) Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell.-(Received October 29.) Mexico, September 28, 1860. I REGRET to have to communicate to your Lordship, for the second time within the year, the seizure of the conducta of silver proceeding from Guanaxuato and San Luis Potosi to Tampico for embarkation; in which various British subjects had money to the amount of between 80,000l. and 100,000l. sterling. This shameful occurrence has been carried out with the subsequent sanction, though not by the previous order, of the Constitutional leader General Degollado, who assumed its entire responsibility in a published manifesto, of which I have the honour to inclose a copy; and nothing can more clearly pourtray the demoralised state of this Republic than thus to see a man whose personal character stood in the very highest scale among his fellow-countrymen, so blinded to the real nature and to the inevitable disgrace of such an action. I have, however, reason to believe that the impunity enjoyed by General Marquez, and the non-payment of the amount of his robbery by this Government, were not without influence over Mexican ideas, in colouring over the infamy of this spoliation. At the request of several of Her Majesty's subjects in this capital, I readily concurred in the very handsome offer of Mr. Consul Glennie to proceed personally with a letter from me to General Degollado at a place called Lagos; and I have much pleasure in inclosing a copy and translation of a communication addressed to me by Señor. Empáran, Secretary of Foreign Affairs at Vera Cruz, conveying peremptory orders from Señor |