[Translation.]

Mr. Romero to Mr. Seward

Mr. Secretary: Not having had a channel in every respect safe to transmit to the city of Chihuahua, the present seat of the supreme government of the Mexican republic, the box which you were pleased to send to me, with your note of the 17th of October last past, which contained a medal which the citizens of Montevideo intended to present to General Zaragoza, of the Mexican army, and which, after the death of that general, they determined to send to the president of Mexico, I made up my mind to send it to Madame Dona Margarita Maza de Juarez, the wife of the president of the republic, and who now resides in the city of New York, that she might preserve it as a family relic, or send it to her husband by a safe channel, as she might think most proper. Mrs. Jaurez has informed me that she has decided to accept the second alternative.

Deeming it proper to inform the Oriental consul general in Buenos Ayres of these facts, so that through him the citizens of Montevideo, who contributed to the medal contained in the box referred to, may be made aware of its present whereabouts, I have written to the said consul the communication which I enclose herewith, opened, requesting you to do me the favor to transmit it to its destination, through Mr. Robert C. Kirk, minister resident of the United States to the Argentine Republic, through whom the said box was sent to me.

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Anticipating my acknowledgments for the forwarding of the enclosed communication, I avail myself of the opportunity to renew to you, Mr. Secretary, the assurances of my most distinguished consideration.

M. ROMERO.

Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.

[Enclosure No. 1.—Translation.]

I have the honor of transmitting to your excellency a package covered with canvas, with the seal of the Oriental republic in wax upon it, and directed, “To Citizen Benito Juarez, President of the United States of Mexico.” This package was sent to me by the Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State of the government of the United Stated, with a communication apologizing for not having delivered it to me before, because of the negligence of some clerk in his department. It seems from that communication, of which I enclose a copy, that the package contains a medal of value, awarded by the people of Montevideo to General Don Ygnacio Zaragoza; and on learning the fate of that illustrious Mexican, it was determined to send it to the President of our republic, as was done through the Hon. Mr. Kirk, United States minister at Buenos Ayres, who sent it to the Secretary of State. As I have no safe means of conveyance for such a treasure, valuable in many respects, to Chihuahua, I beg you to receive it, to be sent to the President by the first opportunity, or to be kept for your husband when you meet again, whichever you think best.

I also request you to send me any papers the package may contain for the government, that I may forward them to the proper address.

I take this occasion to express my particular consideration and distinguished esteem.

M. ROMERO.

Lady Margarita Maza de Juarez, New York.

[Enclosure No. 2.—Translation.]

I have received your kind communication of the 17th instant, with a package sealed and addressed to my husband, by the republic of Buenos Ayres, through the Hon. W. Seward.

I will try to send it to my husband by the first safe opportunity that offers. Independence and the republic!

MARGARITA MAZA DE JUAREZ.

C. Matias Romero, Minister Plenipotentiary of the Mexican Republic, Washington, D. C.

[Enclosure No. 3.—Translation.]

I have the honor of transmitting to you the copy of a note addressed to me on the 19th of October last by the Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State of the United States, with a box to citizen Benito Juarez, constitutional President of the United Mexican States, containing a medal awarded to General Zaragoza, of the Mexican army, by certain citizens of Montevideo. In this note you will find an explanation of the long delay, on the part of the Department of the United States, in the delivery of the box.

The present condition of Mexico, caused by the war now sustained by the republic against the French invasion, and the distance of the present site of the national government, prevent frequent and safe communication. For this reason, and not wishing to run the risk of having such a valuable present lost, I have determined to send it to Mrs. Margarita Maza de Juarez, wife of the citizen President of that republic, now in New York. I did this on the 17th instant, as you will see from an accompanying copy of my letter to that lady. I also enclose you a copy of her answer, in which you will see what disposition she intends to make of it; and thus ends my connexion with the affair.

I beg you to make known these facts to the citizens of Montevideo who subscribed for the medal, and assure them that the people of Mexico will never forget that proof of sympathy and consideration given by a kindred nation in the time of our greatest adversity.

With pleasure I accept this occasion of offering you, Mr. Consul, the assurances of my distinguished consideration.

M. ROMERO.

Señor Don Mariano Espinoza, Consul General, Buenos Ayres