[Extract.]
Mr. Corwin to Mr.
Seward
No. 34.]
Legation of the United States,
Mexico,
October 27, 1862.
Sir: Since my last despatch, Buitron, a
celebrated robber-chief, sent in his adhesion to the government, and has
placed himself and about 600 men under the command of the proper
military officers of the republic. General Comonfort is now here with
5,000 men, on his march to the main army at Puebla. General Doblado,
late secretary of state, is in Guanajuato with about the same number of
men, preparing to move to Puebla in time to meet the advance of the
French troops upon that place.
On the 20th of this month congress was opened. The reply to the
President’s speech pledges the hearty co-operation of congress and its
constituents in all measures necessary to repel the invasion of the
French. I see no indication of a party in this country favorable to
intervention or invasion by the French, or any other foreign power.
The French troops are now moving from Vera Cruz to this city, by way of
Jalapa. When all the troops now here, and those daily expected, are
united, they can present an army of 25,000 men. Arrivals of either
detachments are spoken of. If the invaders choose to attack Puebla,
where the Mexican army is strongly fortified, about seventy miles from
this city, the battle there will, if favorable to the French, enable
them to take this city without any doubt. In the latter event, the
government officials will leave with the archives and take up a position
in some of the States where it will be most difficult for a military
force to march and capture them. This state of things, it is believed,
will only begin a war of two or three years’ duration.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c.
[Translation.]
Exhibit B—Despatch No. 34.
Mr. Minister: The undersigned, members of
the diplomatic corps, present in the city of Mexico, have learned
with regret of the arrest of several foreigners, to whom the Mexican
authorities had given notice of the order to depart from the capital
within forty-eight hours, with the view of betaking themselves out
of the territory of the republic.
The undersigned would be pleased to believe that the government will
not carry out a measure so severe without having evident proofs that
these foreigners [Page 1230] have
committed hostile acts against the state, and that their presence in
Mexico offers a real danger.
They hope, therefore, that the government of the republic will be
pleased to communicate to them its final determination, reserving to
themselves the making to it of ulterior and essential communications
with respect to the same measure.
The undersigned have the honor to renew to his excellency the
minister of foreign relations the assurance of their high
consideration.
THOMAS CORWIN, E. E. & M. P. of the U.
S. A.
E. D. WAGNER.
FR’CO DE P. PASTOR.
AUGUSTE V. KINT DE ROODENBECK.
MANUEL NICHOLAS COPANCHO.
NARCISO DE P. MARTIN.
His Excellency Mr. Juan Antonio de la
Fuente, Minister of Foreign
Relations, &c., &c.
[Translation.]
Exhibit B 2—Despatch No. 34.
National Palace, Mexico,
October 3, 1862.
The undersigned, minister of foreign relations of the Mexican
republic, has received the joint note which their excellencies the
members of the diplomatic corps present in the city of Mexico have
done him the honor to address to him on this day, in reference to
the order issued by the government of the president, to arrest some
foreigners, to make them depart from the capital within 48 hours,
and to compel them to quit the Mexican territory.
Their excellencies add, that they are pleased to believe that the
general government will not carry out this determination without
having evident proofs that these foreigners have committed hostile
acts against the state, and that their presence in Mexico, was
really dangerous. Finally, their excellencies manifest the desire
that the government of the republic may communicate to them its
resolution upon this question, reserving to themselves the
transmission to it of their ulterior communications, essentially
connected with the measure in question.
The undersigned, after having received the instructions from the
president, hastens to reply to the points which he has just stated
in the same terms employed by the honorable members of the
diplomatic corps.
In truth, if the government hesitated for a moment in the full
conviction, which it has, of having decreed upon good grounds this
expulsion, it would avoid, indeed, the carrying of it into effect;
in this respect the joint note does it justice; but the undersigned
regrets very much that the presumption of uprightness in the general
government should not extend to the time when it thought proper to
adopt the measure which is referred to, but that it should only
include the interval which may elapse between its adoption and its
execution. And, nevertheless, that presumption prima facie would have been reasonable, because the
opinion of justification is so in the resolutions which a legitimate
authority takes in exercising its powers, until it is proved
otherwise. But the undersigned would persuade himself that the
omission, to which he has just referred, was not a deliberate
one.
Recurring to the essential point of this affair, the undersigned must
repeat [Page 1231] in this note what
he has already had the honor of saying verbally to some of the
messieurs the ministers who have conferred with him privately and
confidentially upon this affair, to wit, that the federal
government, with good data examined with mature and calm
deliberation, has entirely satisfied itself that the foreigners in
question were violating, by their conduct, the neutrality to which
they were subject, and that, for this reason, their residence in the
country compromitted seriously the public tranquillity, and even
with some danger to their own persons.
By the constitution and laws of Mexico, the federal government is
invested, at all times, with the authority of issuing a passport to,
and to cause to leave the national territory, any foreigner not
naturalized, whose continued residence it may deem prejudicial to
the public order. This right of the government was of itself a duty
in the present very critical situation. The action of the government
had to be as prompt as the circumstances in which the republic finds
itself are threatening, and repressing these excesses with measures
proper even of the normal times, the government of the president has
desired to show once more, as on so many others, that it exercises
with moderation the right of the national defence, although there is
being waged against Mexico a war equally unjust in its causes, as in
its means and ends.
Thus, therefore, the definitive resolution of the government is, to
carry into operation the measure to which the honorable members of
the diplomatic corps refer.
The undersigned takes pleasure in reiterating to their excellencies
the assurances of his high consideration.
JUAN ANTONIO DE LA FUENTE.
His Excellency Mr. Thomas Corwin, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary of the U. S. of America—Dean of the
Diplomatic Corps.
