PRESENT CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE
REPUBLIC OF MEXICO.
[Translation.]
Mr. Romero to Mr. Seward
Mexican Legation to the United
States of America, Washington,
July 9, 1864.
Mr. Secretary: At the interview with which,
on my return from Mexico, you had the kindness to favor me on the
20th of November of the last year, you were pleased to communicate
to me, while referring to what had occurred in relation to Mexico
near this government during my absence from the United States, that
ex-General D. José Domingo Cortes had presented himself at your
department, calling himself the representative of the Mexican States
of Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua, and Durango, and the territory of
Lower California, and had solicited the annexation of those States
to the United States. As was my duty, I communicated such
intelligence without loss of time to the Mexican government, and
fearing that through the irregularity of the communications my
correspondence containing it might miscarry, and desirous that those
immediately interested should at once have notice of the steps which
were taken in their name, I made the same communication directly to
the governors of those States of which Cortes called himself the
representative.
For reasons which I cannot understand, I have not yet received the
instructions which I expected from my government on this important
business, but I am sure that they can only come of the import which
I had the honor to express to you at the interview referred to—that
is, denying absolutely that Cortes represents, in whole or in part,
the said States, and showing that the States themselves have no
right, with reference to the constitution, to enter upon agreements
of any kind with any foreign government, and that none are further
than the people of the States mentioned (in view of the repeated
proofs they have given of the purest patriotism through this period
of trial) from desiring to annex themselves to any foreign
country.
There have come to my hands, however, answers to my respective
communications from the governors of the States of Chihuahua and
Sinaloa, which corroborate in everything what I have verbally stated
to the department. I was intending to transmit them to you, in
conformity with the recommendations contained in them, when I should
receive the instructions on this subject that I am awaiting from the
federal government of Mexico; but having learned this morning that
D. José Domingo Cortes has returned to the United States and is
now
[Page 577]
in Washington, and
has addressed your department in writing, I think it my duty, with
the reservation of returning to occupy myself with this incident
when I received the instructions referred to, to transmit to you a
copy of the communications which are in this legation from the
governors of Chihuahua and Sinaloa, and which show that Cortes is
not in any manner authorized to speak in the name of those States,
nor of any other in the Mexican republic, because they cannot be
represented abroad except through the agents of the federal
government of Mexico; that he is not known in the States whose
representation he attempts to assume, and that the proposals he has
allowed himself to make to this government are formally and solemnly
rebuked and repelled by the legitimately constituted authorities
thereof.
The confidence I have in the justice and sound judgment of the
government of the United States induces me to address this
communication to it, rather to enlighten its opinion than for any
other purpose. If I had the least suspicion that Cortes would be
received in this city as the duly authorized agent of any fraction
of the Mexican republic, and that his proposals, whatever they are,
might be taken into consideration, I should think it my duty to
protest formally and without delay against such procedure and the
arrangements Cortes might make.
I avail of this occasion to repeat to you, sir, the assurances of my
most distinguished consideration.
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.
[Enclosure No. 1.—Translation.]
Government of the State of
Chihuahua, Chihuahua,
January 11,
1864.
Your note, dated 20th November last past, which I have received
to-day, and the copy you send me of what you addressed to the
department of foreign relations and government, of same date, at
the city of San Luis Potosi, have informed me of the unpatriotic
steps taken with the minister for foreign affairs of that
republic, Mr. Seward, by one D. José Domingo Cortes, about the
annexation to the United States of this State and those of the
Pacific coast, in order to free them from French
intervention.
I at once approve the assurances you made to Secretary Seward,
denying so calumnious an imputation, and repudiating it as
unworthy of any good Mexican; and I assure you the government in
my charge, and can also aver that the others in question, are
very far from entertaining such wretched views, because,
although it is sure they will as far as possible resist French
intervention, it is no less sure that they pant for and will at
all hazards secure the nationality of Mexico, and its existing
institutions; being able to assure you, in fine, that not only
is all news wanting here about the mission and character which
the said D. José Domingo Cortes has attributed to himself, but
that the existence even of such an individual is unknown, whose
condign punishment you demand with so much justice from the
supreme government of the nation, to which on the first
opportunity I shall render an account of this incident, and of
this present reply, in case the communication from your legation
may have gone astray. It is gratifying to me to add to the
previous explanations, and in reply to your note, the assurances
of my very distinguished consideration.
God, liberty, reform!
Citizen M. Romero, In charge of the Mexican Legation to
theUnited States of America, Washington.
[Enclosure No. 2.—Translation.]
Mexican Republic, Government
of the State of Sinaloa, and Military Commandancy,
Mazatlan,
January 24,
1864.
In La Libertad, official journal of Durango, of the 8th instant,
I saw published the note which your legation addresses to the
governor of that State, and the reply to it, both papers
[Page 578]
relating to the false
mission upon which the Spaniard D. José Domingo Cortes presented
himself to the Secretary of State of that republic, Mr. Seward,
making proposals to annex to the North American confederation
the States of Chihuahua, Sonora, Durango, this and the territory
of Lower California. The adventurer D. José Domingo Cortes never
has been a governor in this country, nor made representative of
the States which he has been calumniating to the cabinet of the
United States of the north, by describing them as discontented
with the constitutional rule which governs them, and so false
and faithless in the actual struggle with the invasion as to
wish to throw themselves into the arms of a neighboring nation,
rather than to seek safety in battle, as they have done in
sending their contingents of blood to the interior, and
preparing with men and materiel of war at
their disposal to resist the French and traitors on their own
territory, where, as yet, they have not gained in favor of
intervention the vote of a single settlement, unless such as has
been forced from them by the compulsion of brute violence. I
fill my duty as representative of the State of Sinaloa by
pointing out in this note, for the information of the government
of the United States and confusion of the intriguer Cortes, the
falsehood and calumny he used in his conference with Mr. Seward,
in proposing to him, in the name of the States mentioned,
annexation to that country. I send copy of this note to the
supreme government of the nation for its proper application, and
beg you to make it public, and to accept the assurance of esteem
and consideration with which I subscribe myself your obedient
servant.
Liberty and reform!
Citizen Matias Romero, Mexican Minister
to the United States of America, Washington.
