MEXICO.

Correspondence Respecting the Affairs of Mexico.

ON the 30th March, 1861, Lord John Russell gave instructions to Sir C. Wyke on his departure for Mexico. He was desired to take no part in the political questions between the contending parties in the State. His earliest attention was to be given to the question of British claims. On this subject Lord John Russell said:-"You are aware that it has not been the custom of her Majesty's Government, although they have always held themselves free to do so, to interfere authoritatively on behalf of those who have chosen to lend their money to foreign Governments, and the Mexican bondholders have not been an exception to this rule. The Constitutional Government, however, while established at Vera Cruz under the presidency of Señor Juarez, concluded with Captain Dunlop, two years ago, an arrangement by which it was stipulated that 25 per cent. of the customs receipts at Vera Cruz and Tampico should be assigned to the British bondholders, and 16 per cent. to the holders of Convention bonds. That convention was confirmed and extended by the arrangement lately made by Captain Aldham. The claims of the bondholders, therefore, to the extent provided for in those arrangements, have acquired the character of an international obligation, and you should accordingly insist upon the punctual fulfilment of the obligations thus contracted."

Lord John Russell then suggested the classification of the claims if possible by a mixed commission; but as regards the time when the claims should be paid, her Majesty's Government were disposed to grant some degree of delay. On the 17th April Lord John Russell wrote to Sir C. Wyke that the British Vice-Consul at Tasco was murdered, and that ample reparation should be demanded.

On the 10th May Lord John Russell received a despatch from M. Mathew, stating that Señor Zarco, Minister for Foreign Affairs, had expressed the readiness of the Mexican Government to do whatever was deemed proper to settle the difference, and their willingness to refer all British reclamations to the examination and final decision of a mixed commission. The Mexican Government was also prepared to secure to her Majesty's subjects in Mexico the rights of worship according to their conscience. A settlement was meanwhile made of the claims of Dr. Ducal's family by a grant of naturalized property, but the Government was not prepared to repay the conducta money stolen by Señor Degollado. The situation, however, of Mexico became more and more precarious, and whatever might be their wish to settle the claims, the Government was powerless. On the 29th July, Lord John Russell received from Sir C. Wyke a despatch stating that every endeavour to obtain redress having failed, there was but one way left, and that was by employing her Majesty's naval forces; and that the best thing to be done was to take possession of the custom-houses of Vera Cruz, Tampico, and Matamoros, on the Atlantic, and of either Acapulco, Mazatlan, or San Blas on the Pacific; to lower the duties on all goods landed at these places, and to pay ourselves by the per-centage to which we are entitled. The following is a list of the British claims published in the Mexican Extraordinary :

FOREIGN INTERESTS IN MEXICO.

British Claims of the Small and most Distressing Class.

On the 25th of last month we referred at some length to the condition of British interests in Mexico. We now resume the subject and shall notice on this occasion a portion of the most flagrant outrages which have been perpetrated upon British residents, leaving for another occasion the publication of more, and our own lengthened remarks. The robbery of the Legation and the various "conductas" are subjects fresh in the memory of every one, and as these outrages affect the interests of the wealthy and influential, they are likely to absorb that attention which should, we submit, be shared by the humbler sufferer. Our mission is to lay facts before the world and thus to excite action, and it little matters whether it be from motives of duty or from shame, so long as our proper protectors are made to move. In continuation we give a brief notice of some of the objects of our present article:

Mr. Bodmer's Case.-This gentleman, who was her Majesty's Vice-Consul at Tasco, was shot in the balcony of his house whilst endeavouring to save an unfortunate Mexican from illtreatment at the hands of some of Vicario's troops, who had made a sudden irruption into the town. Mr. Bodmer was a man universally respected; upon three several occasions had he saved the city of Tasco from being sacked by one or other of the contending parties. He held a very lucrative appointment in the mine of the Pedregal, and has left a widow and three children totally unprovided for.

Mr. Burnand's Case. This gentleman was the first to establish a manufactory of glass in this country. In the year 1852 he erected on some property, situated about five leagues from the city of Mexico, a manufactory on a very considerable scale, and had just got it into working order, when the whole of the premises were arbitrarily taken possession of by Santa Anna, and it was not until the end of 1856 when Comonfort came to the head of affairs, that the property was restored to him, but in so dilapidated and ruined a condition that it was two years before he could place the factory in a proper state to resume operations. In March, 1860, the factory was attacked by a portion of the Liberal forces and sacked, and on the 2nd of April of the same year another body of men belonging to the same party entered the premises at night, attacked Mr. Burnand, inflicted on him sixteen sabre cuts, broke three of his ribs, left him for dead, and effectually destroyed all that had been spared by their predecessors. The life of Mr. Burnand was for a long time despaired of, his left arm had to be amputated, and he is now a man-wreck. The shock was so great that his poor wife lost her senses, and his oldest daughter has now since been subject to epileptic fits. From being a man of considerable property, Mr. Burnand has been reduced almost to a state of starvation. Maimed, mutilated, and reduced in health it is no longer in his power by his own exertion to provide for his unfortunate family, and all he has to look to is the reparation that may be exacted from the Mexican nation for these repeated and fearful outrages. Should this case fall under the observation of her Majesty's Ministers, as we trust it will, surely immediate steps will be taken to relieve this gentleman and his family from the utter state of destitution into which they have been plunged.

Dr. Duval's Case.-Dr. Duval was an Englishman, born at Kensington, near London. When the Constitutional forces entered Tacubaya, on the 22nd of March, 1859, he was at the head of the medical staff, a position he retained until the day of his death. On the 11th of April Marquez entered Tacubaya at the head of the reactionary forces, and, in taking possession of the hospital of San Diego, promised most solemnly that the lives of the sick and wounded, as well as those of the medical men, were safe. At half-past seven o'clock of the same evening, however, in spite of this assurance, and in violation of the ordinary laws of civilized warfare, Dr. Duval, in company with seven other medical men, was taken out and shot. He was not allowed to communicate with any of his countrymen, and it was not until the following morning that this monstrous murder became generally known. Notwithstanding the most strenuous efforts made by the Miramon Government, with the connivance of Mr. Otway, to justify this horrid proceeding, so damning was the evidence that the British Government could do no otherwise than insist upon some pecuniary compensation for the widow and child of their murdered citizen. The amount fixed was 25,000 dollars, but no steps were taken to exact this sum from the murderers during their continuance in power, nor has the same, as far as we can learn, been paid.

Mr. Newall's Case.-Mr. Newall, an inhabitant of Zacatecas, a member of one of the oldest and most respected firms in the country, as agent for Mr. Davis, of San Luis Potosi, received the sum of 15,950 dollars, and gave the usual receipt. This receipt fell into the hands of Marquez, who sent for Mr. Newall, and required of him, at once, to hand over the money. Mr. Newall replied that it was impossible for him to do so, as the money was not his. The General then called in a guard and said, "Take this man, put him in 'capilla' (the place assigned to criminals for the few hours previous to their execution), and without further orders shoot him to-morrow morning before six o'clock." Mr. Newall was marched off, thrown into " capilla," and would, no doubt, have been shot, had not some of his friends raised the money amongst themselves, and paying it into the hands of Marquez, obtained his release. The English Government showed their appreciation of the conduct of a citizen, who,

at the risk of his life, refused to betray a trust reposed in him by another, by awarding him the very magnificent sum of 500l., the estimated value of a British merchant's life in Mexico.

Mr Pitman's Case.-Mr. Pitman, of the firm of Simpson and Pitman, of San Luis Potosi, was imprisoned and made to pay the sum of 5,100 dollars, under the following circumstances: -When the Constitutional forces were in possession of San Luis, Mr. Pitman, in the usual course of business, upon the admission of goods, paid the duties to the properly constituted authorities. Subsequently Miramon, the leader of the Church faction, took possession of the town, and he demanded the payment over again of the same duties. Mr. Pitman, for refusing this exaction, was thrown into prison, and would have been marched off as a common soldier, had he not, to avoid the latter alternative, paid the amount.

Mr. Davis' Case.-This gentleman, in June, 1858, was assessed at 2,000 dollars in a forced loan, imposed upon the merchants of San Luis Potosi by General Miramon. This amount he refused to pay, as contrary to existing treaties. He was seized by Miramon, thrown into prison, subsequently marched off as a common soldier with the troops sent against the opposite faction, and only rescued by a friend who paid the 2,000 dollars, and obtained his release.

Cases of Messrs. Whitehead and Potts.-These gentlemen were both banished from the country for expressing their horror at the atrocities that followed the massacre at Tacubaya on the 11th April, 1859. Application was made to Mr. Otway in writing, pointing out to him the imminent peril to which Englishmen were exposed if abandoned to the unbridled and savage will of Miramon and Marquez, who, without even a form of trial, slaughtered so many innocent victims at Tacubaya, and in cold blood, rather more than two years ago. Amongst the murdered men was Dr. Duval, an English surgeon, who with other medical was dragged from the bedside of the wounded, while amputating the shattered limbs and stanching the gushing arteries of numbers of poor creatures, who, from want of assistance, perished during that memorable and dreadful night. Lamentation brought them no aid. Marquez and Miramon had murdered the only ones who could give them comfort, and they bled to death! Another English victim was, at the same time, waiting the moment of execution. George Selly, a peaceable resident of Tacubaya, was seized and forced from his house, and, as poor Dr Duval, without trial or inquiry, was taken out to be shot, but was miraculously saved by the timely interference of a Mexican officer, who met him on his way to the place of execution.

As has been already mentioned, a brief statement of these horrors, signed by almost every Englishmen here, was laid before Mr. Otway, imploring him to use his influence to check these cruelties, and asking protection for Englishmen from the grasp of these sanguinary men ; and, strange as it may seem, this document, by means better known than explained, made its appearance in the palace, where it was translated and published in pamphlet form, and the Miramon Government accused the signers of having published it. The consequence of this was that orders were issued for the immediate banishment of five of those whose signatures appeared on the petition, Messrs. Potts and Whitehead being of the number. Remonstrances and repeated denials on their part to Mr. Otway of all knowledge or complicity in the affair were unavailing: so to satisfy the wishes and assist a zealous partizan in carrying out his treacherous designs against those he was paid to protect, the order was enforced, and these gentlemen left the country and laid their cases before Lord John Russell, who, on becoming acquainted with the outrage, demanded the withdrawal of the passports and fair indemnities. The amounts of these reclamations have been fixed in both cases in accordance with instructions from home, and demands have been made upon the Mexican Government, and even payment promised; but as these demands have not been insisted upon, the subject has remained where it was a year ago—whilst millions of dollars have been allowed to find their way into the pockets of people to whom the nation owed nothing. Those whose interests have been almost ruined by violence and plunder meet with but indifference and neglect.

Mr. Jones' Claim.-In the year 1826, Mr R. Lancaster Jones was secretary to her Britannic Majesty's Consul-general in Mexico. On the solicitation of the governor of the State of Jalisco, and according to the popular spirit of the day in England, he went to Guadalajara, and established a school on the Lancasterian system. The Mexican Government, permanently to secure his services, guaranteed him a fixed salary of 2,000 dollars a-year. From 1826 to 1834 this salary was paid, but in the latter year Mr. Jones was turned out of his employment without any pretext, and left destitute. The case was brought under the notice of the British legation, and in the year 1852 an arrangement was come to by which the Mexican Government acknowledged the justice of the case, and their indebtedness to Mr. Jones in 28,800 dollars. Not one dollar of this sum was ever paid to Mr Jones, who died some years back in very distressed circumstances. The amount, with interest, is now claimed by the widow and children. A more cruel case it is almost impossible to conceive. A man holding an honourable and lucrative employment was, from purely philanthropic motives, induced to give it up, upon the promise of an annuity of 2,000 dollars a year. After the interval of eight years, the annuity is withheld, and the man and his family are left in absolute want. The robbery of a "conducta" may be a more striking event, and may more internally affect the interests of British merchants; but can it be a comparison in point of hardship with the case of Mr. Jones? And yet, forsooth, this injured man and his family have been allowed to

drag through twenty-six years of suffering, and up to the present moment no steps have been taken by our Government to compel the payment of a sum which the Mexican Government, in a settlement with her Majesty's legation, have themselves admitted to be due.

George Selly-Was residing in Tacubaya at the time the constitutional forces retired on the 11th April, 1859. About 12 o'clock on that day, whilst at breakfast with his wife and child, he was seized in his own house and conducted to San Diego, and there confined with Duval and the other victims of the famed massacre, whose fate he providentially escaped. He was kept there until the middle of the next day, and then led in triumph, at the head of the prisoners, through the streets of Mexico; he was then taken to the citadel, locked up in a filthy dungeon, and there kept until the following day, when he was led out in company with two others and marched to Tacubaya to be shot, and was providentially saved by the interference of a Mexican general, who met him on his way and who prevailed upon the officer in command to defer the execution, which gave time for the interference of Mr Otway to take steps. The pretext for this barbarous treatment was that George Selly had mixed himself up with the liberal party: this was disproved by the evidence of twenty-two of the most respectable inhabitants of Tacubaya; and the utmost that could be laid to his charge was, that during the continuance of the liberal forces in Tacubaya, he, as a means of livelihood, supplied the mess of four of the officers. After much delay, from the unrighteous opposition of Mr. Otway, his Government, more than a year back, declared that "Selly's entire innocence had been amply vindicated, and had established his claim to be compensated for the indignities to which he has been exposed." For this fearful outrage a sum of 2,500 dollars has, it is said, been asked as compensation; but no steps taken to enforce payment. Selly is a poor man.

The Case of Mr. Lynch.-On the 11th June, 1858, General Miramon, commanding the reactionary forces at San Luis Potosi, imposed a forced loan upon the merchants of that town. Mr Pitman, an English merchant residing in that town, was assessed at 10,000 dollars, and required to pay the amount before night of the same day (11th June), on pain of imprisonment. The assessment in this case appears to have been excessive, as firms possessing larger capitals had been assessed in much smaller sums. Mr. Pitman called upon the general to remonstrate with him upon these arbitrary proceedings, but was unable to see him; he was however, informed by others, that it was Miramon's determination to carry out the loan, and that all who refused to pay, natives or foreigners, would be marched off as common soldiers with the troops about to leave that night. Mr Pitman then applied to Mr Chabot, the English consul, but all that gentleman's exertions on his behalf proved unavailing. Mr Pitman and his lady, fearing personal violence, took up their residence in Mr Chabot's house, leaving his establishment in charge of Mr Lynch, his confidential clerk, never for one moment supposing that any outrage would be committed against this latter gentlemen. At six o'clock, however, of the following morning, the house was entered by order of Miramon; Mr Lynch was taken to prison, and would have been marched off as a common soldier, had not Mr Pitman requested Mr Chabot to pay 6,000 dollars, the amount to which the assessment had been reduced, and so obtained his release.

Case of Mr R. J. Perry.-On the 18th October, 1858, this gentleman was arbitrarily arrested and thrown into prison by General Zuloaga (then president of the capital), and kept in close confinement for several days, without being allowed to communicate with his consul, friends or counsel. He was detained in prison and under arrest twenty-eight days, without being brought to trial, or any charge or accusation being made against him; without being consigned to any judge, or any declaration taken from him, and even without being informed of the cause of his arrest: and finally, he was expelled the country at a few hours' notice, without being accused of any crime or misdemeanour. The consequence was, that he was suddenly obliged to close, settle and wind up, at any sacrifice, or abandon all his accounts and business transactions to a considerable magnitude he had pending in this country, after a continued residence in it for nearly eighteen years. Those outrageous proceedings have caused his total ruin, and he now finds himself, after having spent the best years of his life in acquiring, by his honest industry, comparative affluence, reduced to want and ruin. On his arrival in England, he applied to the British Government for protection and redress, and after overcoming innumerable difficulties, has lately returned to this country, under authority, and at the suggestion of the Foreign Office, with the view of prosecuting his claim there, but as yet has done so without any result. The alleged pretext for his prosecution was his supposed sympathy with the party now in power, the real motive or cause, as is well known here, being private matters of too delicate a nature to be made the subject of our comment.

Mr. Worrall's Case.-Mr. Worrall was assessed for a forced loan, and on applying at the legation for advice, was shown by Mr. Otway a despatch from Lord Malmesbury, which recommends British subjects to pay such forced loans under protest and on compulsion. In consequence of having made this protest, Mr. Worrall was arrested a few days afterwards in the public streets of Mexico by Lagarde, and sent off to Vera Cruz next morning, having thus to abandon heavy private interests in this country. On submitting his claim for indemnity at the Foreign Office, Lord Malmesbury wrote him, stating "that there was no justification for the conduct of the Mexican Government in your case, and that it was his lordship's intention to instruct her Majesty's Minister in Mexico to require that you shall be properly compensated for the treatment you have undergone, and the losses you have sustained."

Although a convention was signed by Mr. Otway in March, 1859, assigning Mr. Worrall an indemnity, and although this Government even directed Mr. Worrall, through the Foreign Office, to apply to Messrs. Barings for its amount, yet no money was remitted, and up to the present moment not a dollar has been paid. Very little encouragement is given to British subjects standing up for treaty rights, if the present case is a fair instance of home protection.

Claim of Messrs. Bates, Jamison, and Co.-This claim is now represented by Messrs. Bates, Barton, and Co., of the city of Mexico, and is for a sum of 8,815 dollars and 2 cents, the unpaid balance of a Government order for 98,000 dollars for import duties illegally exacted. The interest has only been calculated up to the month of April, 1859.

Mr. Charles B. Lambley.—Plunder of his house, on two separate occasions, by soldiers under the command of chiefs of the Constitutional party.

Mr. Thomas Gillow.-Repeated embargoes of waggons, mules, and horses, for the transport of cannon and military stores. As this claimant farms a very considerable estate, it is unnecessary to point out how serious must have been all consequential damages in addition to those of the mere embargo.

Mr. John Innes.-Plunder of his store at Ejutla, in the department of Oajaca, by soldiers of the Central Government party, under the command of Cobos. There are a number more claims of the same character preferred by Englishmen resident in Oajaca, of which we have not yet received full details.

Mr. Daniel Owen.-Plunder of his goods by soldiers of the Central Government, under the command of General Echeagaray, on the 17th April, 1858.

Mr. John Sumner.-Plunder of his house at Tlalpam, on the 17th October, 1858, by a party of soldiers under the command of the Constitutional chief, Don Ignacio Delgado.

Mr. Thomas Fuller.-Embargo by General Pueblita in November, 1856, of waggons, mules, and effects, belonging to Mr. Fuller's extensive carrying establishment, thereby disabling him from fulfilling a contract with the Real del Monte Mining Company, for carrying ore from that company's mines at Pachuca to their ore depôt at Real del Monte. The loss of this contract, in itself a most profitable one, is attested by the certificate of the director of the Real del Monte Company. It entailed upon Mr. Fuller very heavy additional expenses, as he had to maintain upwards of 100 pack-mules without work. Subsequently he was compelled to break up a very profitable carrying business, and sell the mules he was unable to maintain, in consequence of the loss of his contract, for a little more than half their original cost. In fact, this cruel outrage created such an embarrassment in the affairs of Mr. Fuller, as to bring him to the verge of ruin, from which he has not recovered, and for which his claim will be very insufficient compensation.

Mr. William Hooper.-Plunder of effects, consisting of wearing apparel, books, papers, accounts, and mathematical and other scientific instruments, by a body of revolutionary troops during the sacking of the city of Culiacan, department of Sinaloa, in the month of March, 1852, as attested by the judge of that city, Don Eustaquio Buelua, in a judicial document under date of 10th March, 1856.

1

Mr. Elliot Turnbull.-This claim originated in the forcible entry of a large body of troops into Turnbull's hacienda, about ten miles from the city of Puebla, in the month of May, 1858, and of robberies and destruction of property committed by them. Mr. Turnbull was especially recommended by her Majesty's Ministers to obtain the necessary proofs. These proofs are now in his possession and consist of sworn declarations of several witnesses to the act, taken before the judge of the district.

Extra Duties Illegally Exacted.-Messrs. Graham, Geaves, and Co., 10,623 dols. 74 cents; Messrs. Bates, Barton, and Co., 4,929 dols. 87 cents; Messrs. Watermeyer, Kauffman and Co., 5,545 dols. 22 cents; Messrs. J. J. Schmidt and Co., 5,246 dols. 82 cents. These claims originated in the following manner :-By a sudden and unexpected decree issued by the general Government on the 31st May, 1858, an extra 10 per cent. "internation" duty, and 20 per cent. import duty, were imposed on all goods coming from Vera Cruz. This imposition, contrary to the express stipulations of the existing tariff, was at once most energetically protested against by her Majesty's Minister. The decree, although not repealed, was never again acted upon by the Mexican Government-a clear admission of its illegality. The number of instances in which foreign Governments have demanded and compelled restitution of sums thus illegally exacted, are too well known to require enumeration, and it is unnecessary for us to point out how impossible it would be to carry out successfully any commercial transactions under a system of tariff at any moment admitting of sudden and arbitrary changes by the Mexican Government, or the illegality of their act: the sums exacted during the temporary operation of the decree still remain unpaid. These sums, requiring no further proof or verification than the production of custom-house receipts, ought, we submit, to be considered as admitted claims.

Matamoros Fire Claim.-This is a claim for goods destroyed by fire at Matamoros, in October, 1851. The goods were warehoused in a house occupied by the Government forces under General Avalos. The town was suddenly attacked by Carbajal, at the head of the rebel forces. The block of houses in which the goods were placed formed a prominent point in the line of defence, and was fortified and held by a portion of the Government troops. It SERIES B.