vention bonds. That Convention was confirmed and extended by the arrangement lately made by Captain Aldham. The claims of the bondholders, therefore, to the extent provided for in these arrangements, have acquired the character of an international obligation, and you should accordingly insist upon the punctual fulfilment of the obligations thus contracted. The bondholders, moreover, have sustained a grievous loss by the robbery of a large sum of money belonging to them which had been deposited for security in the house of Her Majesty's Legation, and if Mr. Mathew should not have succeeded before your arrival in making a satisfactory arrangement for the early restitution of the amount thus plundered, you will insist upon such arrangement being immediately entered into with yourself. Her Majesty's Government will not admit as an excuse for hesitation in this respect the plea that the robbery was committed by the late Government. For, as regards this, as indeed all other claims, Her Majesty's Government cannot admit that the party who committed the wrong is alone responsible. Great Britain does not recognize any party as constituting the Republic in its dealings with foreign nations, but holds the entire Republic, by whatever party the government of it may from time to time be administered, to be responsible for wrongs done to British subjects by any party or persons at any time administering the powers of government. Her Majesty's Government do not, indeed, anticipate any determined refusal on the part of the Constitutional Government to afford redress in this particular case; but if you should meet with any such resistance you will apprize the Mexican Government that you are authorized and enjoined at once to call upon Her Majesty's naval forces to support, and, if necessary, enforce, your demand for reparation. The fact that the scene of the outrage was the residence of the British Mission gives Her Majesty's Government a special right to enforce reparation in this particular case. The robbery committed by General Degollado, when acting under the orders of the Government established at Vera Cruz, on a conducta of specie on its way to the coast, in which specie British subjects were largely interested, stands next in order as an act of violence for which reparation must be obtained; and I do not doubt that there will be no hesitation in making good the losses sustained by that transaction. It is unnecessary for me on this occasion to go through the list of claims of British subjects which it will be your duty to press for settlement. Mr. Mathew has been instructed to present a list of such claims to the Ministers of the Republic, and to demand a settlement of them. You will find on examining this list that the several claims, although differing in degree, are all of a nature to require reparation, and it will be your duty to arrange with the Mexican Government the manner in which such reparation shall be made. Whatever arrangement you may make should be recorded in a Convention. For this purpose Her Majesty has been pleased to grant you a full power under the Great Seal. The general British claims may probably be classed under two heads those the validity of which has been recognized, and those the validity of which is still to be ascertained. : As regards the first class, the Convention should be confined to providing for the manner in which the amounts already agreed upon should be paid; for Her Majesty's Government will not allow cases already examined and determined to be re-opened for prospective benefit either of British parties or of the Mexican Govern ment. As regards the second class, the Convention should provide for examining the claims, and for the liquidation of such as may be pronounced valid, either in whole or in part, on the same principle and in the same manner as may be stipulated in regard to the first class. Whether the examination of such claims shall be made by a Mixed Commission or not, must be left to your discretion to determine. As regards the first class of claims they should be severally specified in the Convention with the sums payable in respect of each; but such enumeration will of course not be practicable as regards the second class, which must remain open for the insertion of any claims brought forward before a specific day. As regards the time at which either class of the claims shall be paid, Her Majesty's Government are aware that some degree of indulgence may be necessary. The troubles which have for many years past distracted the Republic have, as a natural result, impoverished the country, and made it difficult for the Constitutional Government to raise at once funds sufficient to provide for the immediate wants of the civil administration, and for the liabilities of the country towards foreign creditors and claimants. But you must be careful not to allow any temporary forbearance which you may show in pressing for the liquidation of British claims to be construed into indifference. So far from that, you will lose no opportunity of pointing out the necessity of taking measures for developing the resources of the country, on the ground that the result of such development will be to supply the Treasury not only with the means of meeting the expenses of the Civil Government, but also with those for satisfying all international claims. An opinion has got abroad that the Constitutional Government will probably adopt some measure in regard to ecclesiastical property which will place at its disposal a large sum of money. It is not the part of Her Majesty's Government to say whether this act should be sanctioned or not, but if by any measures of the Mexican Government, which they consider right and expedient, the public Treasury should be immediately or prospectively replenished, Her Majesty's Government may fairly urge that British claimants should have the benefit of such a state of things, and obtain an earlier settlement of their outstanding claims. The only question affecting the internal polity of Mexico, in regard to which Her Majesty's Government would feel warranted in offering advice unsolicited, is that of freedom for religious worship. Putting aside all considerations of a moral character, which are so strongly in favour of a general liberty of conscience, it is impossible to doubt that Mexico would find great political advantage in throwing down the barrier which now prevents Christians of different sects from settling in the country, and in thereby encouraging the immigration from other countries of persons whose activity and skill would contribute to improve the resources of the country. I inclose a despatch on this subject which I addressed to Lord Cowley in July last. You are so well acquainted with the peculiarities of the Spanish character that it is needless for me to dilate on the best means of dealing with the people with whom you may be brought into contact. They are to be influenced by moderate language and considerate demeanour, but they resist and defy attempts to intimidate or coerce. But it may be that with all your tact and forbearance you will fail to obtain a hearing for well-founded representations on behalf of British subjects; and in such cases you may, by referring quietly to the presence of Her Majesty's ships of war on the coasts of Mexico, leave the Mexican Government to infer that those ships are available for your support if your just demands should be rejected, or if the engagements entered into with you should be disregarded. As regards the question of Article X of the Convention of 1826,* you will find that the construction of that Article has been a fruitful source of discussion between the two Governments, more especially during the rule of General Miramon, when forced loans, under one denomination or another, but more usually, of late, under that of a tax on capital, were continually attempted to be levied on Her Majesty's subjects. You will judge how far any overture on your part for clearing up doubts in regard to this Article, and for secur* Vol. XIV. Page 614. ing for British subjects exemption from all extraordinary contributions, under whatever denominations they may be levied, would meet with a favourable reception on the part of the Mexican Government, and if you see a probability of such being the case, you will frame and refer home for consideration the draft of an Additional Article to the Convention of 1826, to which the Mexican Government would be likely to agree. If any differences should arise between the Mexican Government and foreign Powers, you will not hesitate to employ such influence as you may possess for preventing those differences from leading to an open rupture. But in taking such a course you must be careful not to assume for yourself, or for your Government, any responsibility, and you must avoid any uncalled-for assumption of mediation. With the representatives of foreign States accredited to the Republic you will endeavour to live in harmony. You will always bear in mind that neither in Mexico nor in any part of the world do Her Majesty's Government seek any exclusive political influence, nor any commercial advantages which they are not ready to share with all the nations of the earth. The only object at which they aim is to secure for this country its proper place in the family of nations, and their only desire is to employ any influence which Great Britain may possess, for the promotion of general peace and the development of commercial industry. Sir C. Wyke. (Extract.) J. RUSSELL. (Inclosure.)-Lord J. Russell to Earl Cowley. Foreign Office, July 17, 1860. 1 HAVE to state to you that Her Majesty's Government do not at all pretend to impose religious toleration as a basis in Mexico. But it appears to Her Majesty's Government that to restrict a quiet and obedient subject of the State from worshipping God in such manner as he thinks most acceptable to his Creator, whether alone or in communion with others, is a barbarous abuse of power. All that the civil magistrate can ask is obedience in civil matters, and the right of religious freedom is so natural and so obvious that it is probable Mexico never will be tranquil so long as men are punished for entertaining a belief different from that of the Government. When, therefore, there is a question of renewing our offer of mediation, Her Majesty's Government will express in a separate despatch their conviction that a tyranny over men's consciences ought to be abandoned by the Government of Mexico. Earl Cowley. J. RUSSELL. No. 2.-Lord J. Russell to Sir C. Wyke. Foreign Office, April 17, 1861. SIR, I am, &c. J. RUSSELL. No. 3.-Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell.-(Received May 10.) I HAVE received a note, of which I have the honour to inclose a translation, from Señor Zarco, expressing the desire of the Mexican Government to secure to Her Majesty's subjects in Mexico the rights of worship according to their conscience, by an Additional, or more correctly, I believe, by a Separate Article to the International Treaty. A similar communication has, I understand, been addressed to the Ministers of The United States and Prussia, who inform me that they entertain no doubt that the proposal will be gladly accepted by their respective Governments. From the class of persons who are likely to be attracted to this country, in mining and other pursuits, by the prolongation of peace, I believe that to no nation will this privilege be more important than to Her Majesty's subjects, and I venture to assure myself that your Lordship will receive with much satisfaction the proposal of the Mexican Government for ensuring this right under the guarantee of Treaties. I have, &c. Lord J. Russell. (Translation.) GEORGE B. MATHEW. Mexico, March 25, 1861. THE Undersigned, &c., has the honour to address Mr. Mathew by special command of his Excellency the President, and to inform him that the Constitutional Government of Mexico is desirous to afford foreigners full protection and security with proper guarantees, and that consequently it is ready to add an additional Article to the Treaty already existing between Great Britain and Mexico, whereby it shall be stipulated that foreigners may carry out freely, publicly, and under the protection of the law, their several forms of religion, and worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. |