Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress with the Annual Message of the President, December 4, 1871

No. 299.

Mr. Nelson to Mr. Fish

No. 447.]

Legation of the United States, Mexico, September 26, 1871. (Received October 13.)

Sir: Herewith I inclose a translation of a decree issued by the Mexican government on the 21st instant, closing the port of Magdalena Bay, Lower California, which was opened by a decree of the 24th of February last.

Your obedient servant,

THOMAS H. NELSON.

Hon. Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State, Washington.

[Translation.]

[Untitled]

Mexico, September 21, 1871.

The President of the republic has been pleased to address me the following decree:

“Benito Juarez, constitutional President of the United States of Mexico, to the inhabitants thereof:

“Know ye, that the land-grant made on the 31st of March, 1864, to the Lower California Colonization Company, having been declared null, from which it follows that the opening of Magdalena Bay as a port of entry has no longer any object; and in use of the powers given the executive by the XIV clause of article 85 of the constitution, I have thought proper to issue the following decree:

“The decree of the 24th of February last, by which the port called Magdalena Bay, in the territory of Lower California, was declared a port of entry, is hereby revoked, and the said port shall be closed from and after the 31st of December next.

“Therefore I order the above decree to be printed, published, circulated, and duly obeyed.

“Given in the national palace of Mexico, September 20, 1871.

“BENITO JUAREZ.

“The Citizen Matias Romero, Minister of Finance, present.”

And I communicate it to you for your information and the objects consequent thereupon.

Independence and liberty!

ROMERO.