These papers (original) I enclose, marked No. 1 and No. 2. The latter
(being addressed to our government) I deem it my particular duty to
forward, verbose though it be, and in some respects rather
unintelligible. Its authors claim to represent the republic of Mexico
and to have authority from President Juarez to negotiate a loan,
&c., which would seem to entitle it to some significance.
I have read these papers with a desire to glean from many words their
purport, and to ascertain the purpose of the parties. They desire that
the United States should make them a loan of five million dollars, and
take as security a lien on the custom-house at Tampico, with Mr. Chase
to manage the transaction. They also want “two gunboats,” a “battery of
cannon,” “men and money,” &c., &c., &c.
My instructions give me no authority to encourage or countenance any
proposition of intervention, and I therefore respectfully submit the
papers to you.
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
From the authorities and generals of this district
of Tampico de Tarnaulipas.
Tampico,
February 6, 1867.
To the United States Government:
We, the authorities and generals commanding this district, of which
Tampico is the centre, beg to request officially, in the name of the
legal President of Mexico, Don Benito Juarez, the aid of the United
States government, so as to enable us to suppress the numerous
enemies now rising up against us, and who now, with the influence,
power, and aid of the bishops and clerical body, together with the
wealthy community in the city of Mexico and throughout the republic,
have been and are too powerful for us, under present circumstances,
to maintain our positions without aid and forces of both men and
money, (being now without the means of sustaining our army either
here or in the interior,) although this is the second port in the
republic of Mexico, or the first in our hands.
Secondly. Zacatecas is now in the hands of the reactionaries under
command of General Miramon. President Juarez, while on his way to
that city, was obliged to retreat, as he came near being arrested.
Such is the unsettled state of the country throughout the interior
as well as on the coast. No importations have been made of any
consideration in this port, and hence no revenue has been derived
from this custom-house.
The trade is at a stand, so that there is no means left of procuring
the requisite supplies of artillery, (so much wanted,) food and
clothing for our own troops and those in the interior, who depend
mostly on the supplies sent from this port; and hence the necessity
of addressing ourselves to you in the name and behalf of our legal
chief and authority, Don Benito Juarez, whom we acknowledge
President de jure, holding the four great
words, independence, emancipation, liberty, and equality.
A list of the armament required we submit accompanying this letter,
soliciting at the same time a loan of five millions of dollars, to
be secured upon the custom-house of this port and negotiated through
the United States consul general as a trustworthy person, with whom
you can consult and safely confide, and we, through him as your
agent, shall act, having full confidence in his ability, honor, and
wisdom to carry out all for the contracting parties to the letter.
This loan will save our nationality, for now our common cause of
national independence will, if not saved, split into partial
interests and anarchy, whereas, if granted, the union of affection
and exertion will cheer us on, and enable us to expel our enemies
from without as well as those now in our midst. San Luis Potosi is
surrounded by reactionaries, and we are fearful of the sad news
reaching us every moment that it has fallen. Tampico is then their
next aim, and if in their hands it would give them one of the best
ports in Mexico and the faculty of joining our enemies from without,
so that it is necessary to have two gunboats, if they possibly can
be spared, for our protection, as well as a battery of cannons to
protect the entrance at the bar.
General Canales is in the interior, working with Ortega to raise him
to the presidency, and in the mean time the clerical body are
raising and have raised already $10,000,000 to sustain the
reactionaries; this sum is to be followed by $15,000,000 more,
making in all the total sum of $25,000,000 to secure their victory
over President Juarez; while the authorities here are doing and will
do their best to sustain Juarez, if timely aid is lent them in men
and money—that is to say, $5,000,000, with the security of this
custom-house, which will be lawfully given and most faithfully
complied with.
The roads first must be opened to the interior, which can be done
with the above aid, say only one million per month, so as to enable
our army to obtain their supplies of arms, munitions, food, and
clothing. Two steamers being also required, one to have constant
intercourse with New Orleans and New York, and the other with her
armament to remain in this river. This will be, if aided by the
United States government, the means of opening a field of prosperity
to the republic of Mexico, and still more to the United States, that
probably no stretch of imagination can now reach, and can by its aid
easily consolidate the collective strength of Mexico by uniting all
those parties in favor of President Juarez into one mass, by a
well-timed organization.
In a word, the authorities here and the people know their rights, but
unfortunately, through the French and those devastating civil wars,
they lack the means to manifest their will or their powers, and
hence they now supplicate your government through your agency to
come to their support and aid by a well-timed assistance, and to
join in assisting us in establishing peace and reform, the great
corner-stone of prosperity and the sure blessing of a free people,
in order to build up a national temple of peace and freedom with
open portal, so that every loyal Mexican citizen may enter; not only
8,000,000 of souls who owe their birth to the country, but all who
may emigrate to cultivate the soil and rest under the blessing of
peace; for such has been our depressed situation that the
authorities here have been compelled to create means through forced
loans on the merchants, who are, with but one exception, all
foreigners. This has been both oppressive and offensive, until now
this city, and indeed the district and country, is completely
drained of money or available means, even to the real estate, which
has been taxed at two and a half per cent, on its valuation for the
supplies of the army. This has created an ill-feeling against us
among the foreign merchants, as well as for the exemption of
American citizens from the forced loans, yet we were, compelled to
do so to sustain our army.
[Page 385]
Thus you will clearly see our hopeless position, with the scourge of
enemies from without and yet worse enemies from within, who are
draining the heart’s blood of the nation. In fact, the compliance
with this loan will not only relieve us, but it will create a new
birthday to Mexican independence and nationality. Will the United
States government see to this in behalf of a free and faithful
people, and come to our aid out of the national loans to the Juarez
government, whom we represent, for the protection-of republican
institutions?
Respectfully submitted:
ASCENCION GOMEZ,
MANUEL MA. CUESTA,
G. CORTINAS, Administrador de la
Aduana.
