Mr. Otterbourg to Mr. Seward
For the past four weeks the attention of this government has been absorbed in the disbanding of the troops, which, enrolled in the constitutional cause, prove to be after the triumph too heavy a weight upon the treasury of the nation; and in the elaboration of a “convocatoria” or general law regulating the federal elections of the country.
The army, limited by the new arrangement to 16,000 men of all arms, is composed of four divisions, under the commands, respectively, of General Regules at the capital, Diaz in the east, Escobeda at San Luis Potosi, and Corona at Guadalajara. The design of a fifth corps, under the command of General Juan Alvarez, with headquarters at Acapulco, was frustrated by the pronunciamiento of General Jimenez with his brigade pertaining to that force against Diego Alvarez, son of the general-in-chief of the division. Orders in pursuance [Page 452] of the same measure were issued on the 30th of July to the governors to discharge from the federal service all forces not attached to organized divisions in the several States.
This sudden reduction of the army has aroused general discontent, where every man returns without means to his house left desolate and unproductive during the full period of his absence in the service of his country, and already are the results felt upon the highways, where marauders without danger to themselves obtain relief for the immediate wants of a life demoralized by the habits of a camp.
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The exhibition of a certificate of matriculation, exacted hitherto, under all governments, of foreigners as a preliminary to their appearance in the courts of law, or their performance of any judicial act, has been abolished by a decree of 6th December, 1866, which guarantees to them as inhabitants of the country all civil rights enjoyed by Mexican citizens.
An excited discussion originating in the law passed at San Luis Potosi, on July 10th, 1863, which declares null and void all acts of the “imperial” authorities, the decisions of the courts inclusive, is now “engaging the attention of the press. Its more moderate members recommend, as a solution of this delicate question, the decree published by General Porfirio Diaz, at Oaxaca, on the 10th December, 1866, legalizing all such acts in so far as they shall not affect the rights and forms of the constitutional government, and sustaining those decisions of the courts, from which no appeal could be taken by right of law. All papers certified to by consuls appointed under the so-called empire having been declared illegal, ships are allowed to enter and discharge at the ports of the republic on a show of the manifest signed by the revenue officers of the port whence they sailed.
Political offenders are put at liberty; confiscations of the property of those who took an active or prominent part in the intervention and empire have been commuted for a fine proportioned to the pecuniary ability of the criminal.
The official residence of Baron Magnus having been searched by the police, and seals put on several articles found there, he expressed his readiness to ignore the outrage to his legation if the seals were removed, and desired in writing that I would employ my mediation in the matter before his return to the city. On representation made unofficially by me to the authorities the seals were removed. Baron Magnus is expected daily to arrive from San Luis Potosi, where a prolonged illness has detained him to the present time.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.