Office of the Historian

Mr. Campbell to Mr. Seward

No. 29.]
New Orleans, May 16, 1867.

Sir: I am in receipt of an unofficial letter from Mr. Chase, our consul general at Tampico, dated the 6th instant. He represents the condition of affairs there as very unsatisfactory. “The occupation of the place by Gomez,” he says, “has proved to be more prejudicial to the government of Juarez than if it had been retained by the French. All the revenue has been collected here under the orders of Gomez, and expended according to his own views, without any satisfactory returns to the government.”

When I was at Tampico last December I had cause to suspect that this General Gomez was rather more mercenary than patriotic in his conduct. It will be remembered that he is the same person who formally applied a short time since to our government for a loan of “five millions of dollars, two gunboats, men and munitions of war,” &c., and proposed giving the customs at Tampico as security. As it now appears that President Juarez has issued a decree declaring Gomez and his partisans outlaws, and has sent troops to drive them from the country, I venture to say that the wisdom of your decision not to advise the loan is fully vindicated.

I enclose herewith a copy of the official newspaper of President Juarez, published at San Luis Potosi on the 24th ultimo. It may contain official decrees, &c., interesting if not useful to the department.

I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LEWIS D. CAMPBELL.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

[From the Sombra de Zaragoza of San Luis Potosi, April 24, 1867, No. 32.—Translation.]

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND PUBLIC CREDIT—SECTION FIRST.

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

Benito Juarez, constitutional Presidene of the United Mexican States, to its inhabitants:

Be it known, that, using the ample faculties with which I am invested, I have been pleased to decree the following:

ONLY ARTICE.

The port of Tampico is hereby declared closed to foreign and coasting trade so long as it continues in disobedience to the government. For that reason I order this decree to be printed, published, circulated, and obeyed with due respect

Palace of the national government, in San Luis Potosi, this 23d April, 1867.

BENITO JUAREZ.

Citizen José Maria Iglesias, Minister of Justice, Industry, and Public Instruction, in charge of the Department of Finance and Public Credit.

And I make it known to you for your information and consequent action.

Independence, liberty, and reform! San Luis Potosi, April 23, 1867.

IGLESIAS.

Citizen Governor of the State of———.