Mexican affairs.
Documents presented to the Cortes by the Spanish government.
The Spanish government to General Serrano.— The minister of state to the captain general, governor of the Island of Cuba.
Excellent Sir: I have received the despatch of your excellency (No. 80) of the 26th of November last, in which you state the reasons which have determined you to send to Mexico the Spanish expedition before the union of the forces of England and France
Our lady, the Queen, to whom I have given an account of the said despatch, giving due weight to the doubts which have occurred to your excellency respecting the intentions of the government of her Majesty upon the reunion of the combined troops, that the notice transmitted to your excellency concerning the point where this should take place did not reach you, and of the weighty evils or detriments, at least, which might result from the detention of the squadron in this port, has vouchsafed to approve of the measures adopted by your excellency, regretting that a measure resulting from causes so legitimate should engender the slightest doubt respecting the thorough loyalty and constant disinterestedness of the government of her Majesty in the delicate question of Mexico.
In order to avoid any unfavorable interpretation, the ambassador of her Majesty in Paris and her ministers in Washington and London are charged to manifest to those governments the motives which have given rise to the resolution of your excellency, naming as a principal one that of three powers having delayed to agree upon the point of reunion of the three squadrons until far into the month of November. Upon the 7th of the said month the British cabinet made known its desire that the union should take place at Port Royal, and the government of her Majesty having proposed that it should be at Havana, the conformity with this idea was known too late to allow of its being communicated to your excellency in time for the notice to reach you before the 29th, upon which day, according to what your excellency declares, the first movement of the squadron was to take place. It is to be hoped that these explanations will satisfy the friendly and allied governments; but, at all events, her Majesty desires that all posterior acts be in conformity to the instructions given to the Count de Reus.
[Page 757]The government of the Queen is assured that our expedition even having sallied out alone in order to station itself before Vera Cruz, the result of its operations will have corresponded to the valor and enthusiasm of the forces of the army and navy. United, then, as it is to be hoped, the friendly forces before Vera Cruz, every step taken shall bear the seal of indispensable union, and, meanwhile, your excellency will execute them as it is expressed in the name and by the representation of the three governments.