have one friend, and they be left to hope; whereas, if it be rejected, she will be reduced to despair of either friendly feelings or aid from any quarter. Your obedient servant, HON. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, THOMAS CORWIN. Secretary of State of the United States, Washington, D. C. A 1, Despatch No.32. CITY OF MEXICO, August 14, 1862. SIR: The representatives of the United States of America, of the republic of Ecuador, of his Majesty the King of the Belgians, of the republic of Peru, and of Venezuela, have the honor of addressing your excellency with the purpose of seriously calling your attention to the pamphlet recently published in this city by the Señor Diputado Don Ygnacio Manuel Attimirano, entitled 'Some words with reference to Mr. Wagner." The unusual manner in which the author of this pamphlet speaks of foreign governments and their representatives accredited to the government of Mexico, using for his purpose language opposed to the usages and customs of all civilized countries in which the consideration due to the high character with which a diplomatic representative is invested is never forgotten-these considerations have induced the undersigned to address to your excellency the present collective note, persuaded as they are that your excellency, as well as the President of the republic, have seen with displeasure the pamphlet to which they refer. The undersigned do not doubt that the Mexican government will take the measures which will be proper not only for the present case, but also those which may be necessary to prevent similar attacks hereafter against foreign representatives; since, if this be not done, it will be impossible to maintain the good harmony and perfect understanding which ought always to subsist between Mexico and friendly nations, In addressing this note to your excellency, the undersigned would remark that the publication complained of derives its peculiar significancy from the fact that the supreme government of Mexico has assumed the entire control of the public press, and has actually, within the past few months, suppressed the issuing of two newspapers for having published articles which it deemed injurious to the public interests. The article relative to Mr. Wagner, the minister of Prussia, having been published in pamphlet form, and afterwards reproduced in two of the public papers of this city, without having been noticed by the public authorities, in the eyes of the world, will, we fear, be looked upon as being approved by the gov ernment. The undersigned would therefore most seriously call the attention of your excellency to the propriety and necessity of preventing such attacks upon the representatives of foreign governments resident in Mexico. The undersigned avail themselves of this occasion to offer to your excellency the assurances of their distinguished consideration. THOS. CORWIN. FRANCO DE P. PASTOR. AUG. V. KINT DE ROUDENBECK. [Translation A 2, Despatch No. 32.] NATIONAL PALACE, Mexico, August 15, 1862. The undersigned, chief clerk of the department of foreign relations and government, in charge of its duties, in reply to the collective note which messieurs the representatives of the United States of America, of the republic of Ecuador, of his Majesty the King of the Belgians, of the republics of Peru and of Venezuela, have thought proper to address to him in reference to the pamphlet which has been recently published in this capital by the deputy, Don Ignacio Manuel Altimirano, has the honor, after having laid its contents before the citizen president, and having received his superior opinion, to inform his excellency Mr. Thomas Corwin and the other worthy representatives who subscribe to the aforesaid communication, that as soon as it was known in this department that this publication had been made, it was ordered that it should be denounced by the censor of the press, agreeably to the law; and that recently, and in deference to the wishes expressed in their joint note, the order has been renewed in like manner that the copies of the said pamphlet be collected together, and that hereafter the same may be done with any other publication of whatsoever character, which may contain anything injurious or offensive to the foreign governments or to their accredited representatives near the government of this republic. The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to his excellency Mr. Corwin, and to his worthy colleagues, the assurances of his very distinguished consideration. The undersigned, chief clerk of the department of foreign relations, in charge of its duties, has the honor to transmit to his excellency the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, for his information and that of his colleagues the representatives of the friendly powers accredited near this government, three copies of the same number of official communications, which, under date of yesterday, the censor of the press, the citizen Francisco Lazo Estrada has addressed to this department, with reference to the articles published against Mr. Wagner. The undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to renew to his excellency His Excellency THOMAS CORWIN, [Translation.] OFFICE OF THE CENSOR OF THE PRESS FOR THE DISTRICT OF MEXICO. To the citizen., minister of foreign relations and government: SIR: In virtue of your superior order, which I have just received, I have proceeded to denounce the pamphlet which has positively been published under the title of "Some observations to Mr. Wagner in reference to what has occurred with Mr. Altimirano, by Alfred Chavéro," commanding, also, the judge to collect the copies and to issue the proper orders to prevent its sale and circulation, and also that of any other printed similar document. To that end I have again given notice to publishers of the article relative to the law of the press, which forbids them, under penalties, to consent to the circulation of any printed matter before the censor shall have received the first copy which may be printed. Liberty and reform. Mexico, August 15, 1862. SIR: Your despatch of August 28 (No. 32) has been received. The retirement of Mr. Doblado from the office of secretary of foreign affairs is an important event. This government is impressed with a very favorable opinion of his ability and his integrity. From your representations I think it must be assumed that the war in Mexico is only now about to begin. It is sincerely hoped here that it may end with as little of public injury as possible, and without a subversion of the free institutions of the republic. At the moment when I am writing this paper the public mind is disturbed, and even somewhat alarmed. General McClellan succeeded in bringing his army away from the James river and placing it at and near Alexandria without battle and without loss. But General Pope, who, for the purpose of making a diversion in favor of General McClellan, had advanced with a smaller force to the Rapidan, was successfully flanked by a large insurrectionary force, and was thus obliged to retire hastily to the vicinity of Manassas. Becoming involved there in several engagements, in which he suffered severe loss, he at length withdrew to the line of the fortifications in front of this city. These reverses are supposed to have resulted from a want of co-operation and support on the part of some of the corps which had been just before hastily detached from the command of General McClellan and assigned to General Pope's command. An inquiry has been instituted with a view to ascertain with whom the responsibility for the reverses rests. Meantime the insurgents, profiting by their success, passed up through the country to the places where the Potomac is, at this season, nearly everywhere fordable, and threw a large force across the river, occupying Frederick and the line of the Monocacy. There they appealed to the people of Maryland to rise and join them, while they seemed to threaten equally Washington, Baltimore, and the southern part of Pennsylvania. A considerable force was, however, promptly organized and sent up under General McClellan to meet them. We hear to-day that, having evacuated Frederick, they have entered Hagerstown, thus apparently relinquishing any design of striking at either Baltimore or Washington on the northern side of the Potomac. The same aggressive policy has been practiced in the west, and for several days the insurgents have been, or seemed to be, marching on Cincinnati and Louisville. Preparations have been made to repel them, and while I am writing the telegraph reports that they are retracing their steps and falling back from the Ohio. I might give you more details of the military position, but it is likely to change any day. Our forces are being largely augmented, and our generals are confident of their ability to retrieve our losses and restore the former fortunes of the war. While the government indulges this expectation we must abide by results, and news of these will probably reach you sooner than this despatch. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. I have the honor to be your obedient servant, THOMAS CORWIN, Esq., &c., &c,, &c., Mexico. No. 33.] Mr. Corwin to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SIR: Nothing has occurred here since the date of my last despatch which could give any new information to our government as to the aim and ultimate designs of the French Emperor upon this part of the American continent. My own conclusions on the subject are founded upon facts, I dare say, better known at Washington than they are here. I need, therefore, only say now that recent events in France and elsewhere on the continent of Europe all tend to render the conquest and subjugation of Mexico by French power quite impracticable. How much of carnage will be required to restore the supposed damaged prestige of the French arms remains to be seen. But this being accomplished, I confidently anticipate a treaty, good or bad, for this republic, by which all French questions with Mexico will be for the present adjusted. The news from home, received here up to the 2d of September, give some faint hope that the battles about that time fought near Bull's Run may be " the beginning of the end." I wait with eager anxiety for the news by the next British packet, which must reach us in a day or two hence. Mexico, or rather the thinking men of Mexico, look upon our struggle with as deep and absorbing interest as that which they feel in regard to their own impending conflict. They seem to entertain a sad and profound conviction that our failure will be the doom of free government everywhere on the earth. I am your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, THOMAS CORWIN. Secretary of State of the United States, Washington, D. C. No. 58.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Corwin. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Your despatch of September 28 (No. 33) has been received. It is earnestly to be hoped that the war of France against Mexico may last no longer and have a conclusion no more unfavorable to Mexico than you anticipate. The present military situation here may be described in a few words. Our spring campaign, so fruitful in victories, closed with reverses in the last weeks of July. An insurgent invasion of the loyal States began with successes in August and was arrested in September. Our armies are now renewed, our naval force increasing, and a decisive campaign will soon be opened. The insurgents excited in European capitals the most sanguine hopes of the success of their campaign of invasion, promising nothing less than the capture and capitulation of Washington, with the occupation of Cincinnati, Louisville, New Orleans, Baltimore, and Philadelpaia. They built high hopes of recognition upon this magnificent, though precarious, foundation. From Europe we hear little that is definite, but there is manifestly some difficulty there in digesting disappointments. The abuses of the neutrality proclaimed by the government, which are daily committed by British subjects in British ports and on the high seas, have become not merely annoying, but deeply injurious. We are doing everything possible to prevent a ripening of these disturbances into a war upon the ocean, which would probably leave no nation free from its desolating effects. I am, sir, your obedient servant, THOMAS CORWIN, Esq., &., &c., &c., Mexico. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. |