Mr. Corwin to Mr.
Seward.
No. 18. ]
Legation of the United States of
America,
Mexico,
March 20, 1862.
Sir: Yesterday I received your despatch No. 37.
The first of the two conditions upon which a loan may be made, as set
forth in your despatch, I have reason to fear will be very difficult of
arrangement.
I have understood that both France and England have declined to accept
our proffered guarantee, alleging as a reason that they deem it improper
to complicate their Mexican affairs with those of any other government.
Acting on this state of fact, the Mexican government proposed to me that
they could afford to part with enough of their revenue to secure the
interest on their foreign debt, provided when this was done they could
be sure of the aid of our credit to them of a given sum, to be paid in
such payments as the exigencies of their government might require. With
a view to comply with their request, and at the same time to get rid of
intervention by the allies, I so arranged the treaty (a copy of which I
sent to the department) that the whole amount to be loaned should be
paid to Mexico at such times and in such amounts as to avoid the
probability of a bad use being made of these funds. The payments would
have been so small that the actual and proper necessities of the
government would absorb them. But I shall await the action of the Senate
before I agree to any proposition that may be submitted to me.
As you will have seen a preliminary treaty has been made, a copy of the
articles is herewith enclosed. I have the strongest assurances that the
English and Spanish commissioners are determined to “adhere to the text
of the triple treaty,” and the copy of the preliminary arrangement seems
to give proof of the sincerity of this declaration. But while I rely
strongly on these assurances, coupled with the acts of the commissioners
to which I refer, I cannot understand how these friendly acts consist
with the sending of 6,000 additional troops here after the Emperor has
been, or might have been, fully informed of all that has been done or
said here. It is possibly capable of explanation upon the supposition
that a better treaty for France may be made in the presence of these
troops than could be obtained in their absence.
Thus far not a hostile gun has been fired; and the troops now here are
quartered in healthy positions, and are said to be the guests of Mexico.
Negotiations are to open at Orizaba on the fifteenth of April. It will
be easy to know the ultimate end of this enterprise when the
propositions of the allies, in detail, are submitted. It is not
improbable that the recent northern victories may have some influence in
mitigating the rigorous demands of Spain, and perhaps of France also. I
speak from a very careful investigation made by myself, when I say that
the money demands of England are in the main, if not altogether, just. I
am not surprised that her patience is exhausted. Those of France are
comparatively small, very small, so far as they arise out of previous
treaties; and those dependant on claims of more recent date, and not
included in former treaties, are, as presented, so enormously unjust as
to be totally inadmissable as to the amounts claimed. The treaty with
Spain made by General Almonte is said to be an outrageous fraud, but I
know nothing of the facts except from report—too vague to be relied on
All these are now to undergo a scrutiny, which I hope may end in a
reasonably just arrangement.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
I shall write more fully by the courier, via Vera
Cruz, who leaves on the 25th instant.
I am your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State of the United States, Washington, D.
C.
[Page 731]
[Translation.]
Senor Teran to the governors of the several
States of Mexico.
To the citizen governor of the state
of————
I have the honor to enclose to you a copy of the preliminary
stipulations signed by the citizen Manuel Doblado, minister of
foreign relations, and by the commissioners of the allied powers,
and which have been this day approved by the citizen president of
the republic.
The commissioners of said powers, in view of the circumstances of the
country, and of the explanations given by the government respecting
its resources, its strength, and the stability which assure to it
the consummation of the reform made in all nations at the expense of
sacrifices more sanguinary and lasting than those which it has cost
the republic, but the more solid basis among all of them of its
stability, peace, and prosperity, have comprehended that the
subjects of their governments do not need the support of force to
enjoy the guarantees which treaties insure them, and, keeping aloof
from the internal policy of the nation, will be content to treat
upon the pending claims and existing differences between said powers
and the republic.
As the constitutional government is willing to satisfy these claims
to the extent that justice requires, and hopes that said powers will
place a like limit to their demands, it flatters itself that all the
foreign questions of the republic will obtain a prompt and
satisfactory adjustment. After this it will be enabled to devote
itself exclusively to put a stop to the few remaining causes of
misunderstanding and disorder which the recent glorious war of
reform has left behind it; and, by securing more and more the
security and welfare of both citizens and foreigners, it hopes the
era of prosperity will dawn in the republic which everywhere has
followed the reform.
The citizen president, whose faith in the destiny of the nation has
never faltered, confides in that you and all the inhabitants of your
state will sustain him, by seeing that foreigners shall enjoy
complete security in their persons and property, and that the public
spirit may be sustained, as heretofore, firm and resolute, in the
event, which he does not anticipate, that an amicable settlement of
the questions about to be discussed should not be realized.
I renew to you my esteem and consideration.
God and liberty!
Mexico, February 23, 1862.
TERAN.
[Translation.]
Preliminaries agreed upon between the Count de
Reus and the minister of foreign affairs of the Mexican
republic.
1st. Inasmuch as the constitutional government, which actually
governs throughout the Mexican republic, has manifested to the
commissioners of the allied powers that it does not need the
assistance which they have so generously offered to the Mexican
people, it having within itself the elements of power and public
opinion to sustain itself against any intestine revolution, the
allies immediately enter upon the ground of treaties to draw up all
the claims which they have to present in the name of their
respective nations.
2d. To that end, and the representatives of the allied powers
protesting, as they do protest, that they do not attempt anything
against the independence,
[Page 732]
sovereignty, and integrity of the territory of the republic, the
negotiations will be opened at Orizaba, to which city the
commissioners will repair, and also two of the ministers of the
government of the republic, excepting in the case that, by mutual
consent, it should be agreed upon to appoint representatives
delegated by both parties.
3d. During the negotiations the forces of the allied powers shall
occupy the three towns of Cordoba, Orizaba, and Tehuacan, with their
natural radii.
4th. In order that it may not, even in the most remote manner, be
believed that the allies have signed these preliminaries in order to
procure for themselves the passage of the fortified positions which
the Mexican army holds, it is stipulated that, in the unfortunate
event of the breaking off of the negotiations, the forces of the
allies shall withdraw from the aforesaid towns, and will again
occupy the line which is in front of said fortifications in the
direction of Vera Cruz, the principal extreme points being those of
the Paso Ancho, on the Cordoba road, and the Paso de Ovejas, on the
Jalapa road.
5th. Should the unfortunate event occur of the breaking off of the
negotiations and of the withdrawal of the allied forces to the line
indicated in the preceding article, the hospitals which the allies
may have there shall remain under the safeguard of the Mexican
nation.
6th. On the day on which the allied forces shall commence their march
to occupy the points mentioned in article 2d the Mexican flag shall
be raised in the city of Vera Cruz and upon the castle of San Juan
de Ulloa.
La Soledad, nineteenth of February, one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-two.
EL CONDE DE REUS. MANUEL DOBLADO.
Approved.
C. LENNOX WYCKE.
Approved.
HUGH DUNLOP.
The above preliminaries are approved.
A. DE SALIGNY. The above preliminaries are approved.
E. JURIEN.
Mexico,
February 23, 1862.
I approve these preliminaries, in virtue of the ample powers with
which I am invested.
BENITO JUAREZ, President of the
Republic,
JESUS TERAN, Minister of Foreign and Home
Affairs.
