498 



MEXICO. 



ation by a mob, he was afterward transferred 

 to Santa Teresa prison, and turned over to the 

 military authorities. The day following the 

 arrest, a public meeting of the sympathizers 

 of Negrete was held at the Plaza Armas. 

 Speeches were made imploring clemency for 

 the prisoners. The multitude shouted, " Death 

 to Juarez!" "Death to Lerdo!" While the 

 meeting was going on, a crowd surrounded 

 Teresa prison, threatening to rescue the pris- 

 oner. Two companies of infantry arrived and 

 dispersed them. Another crowd invaded the 

 cathedral, and began ringing the bells. They 

 were also dispersed by the troops. The Le- 

 gislatures of several States and the public au- 

 thorities of some of the larger cities were also 

 convened, and joined in petitioning the Presi- 

 dent to exercise his pardoning power in case 

 the trial should result in a sentence of death. 

 Some of them sent special commissioners to 

 the capital to convey their petitions to the Pres- 

 ident. The rebel General Pedro Martinez, 

 shortly after his defeat at Oharco Escondido, 

 appeared in the State of Vera Cruz, at the 

 head of a strong cavalry force; and thence 

 proceeded to Valle del Maiz, in the State of 

 San Luis Potosi. He also issued a proclama- 

 tion to the people of the State of Tamaulipas, 

 attributing his recent defeat to the treachery 

 of Generals Trevino and Naranjo, and promis- 

 ing an early return, and their relief from their 

 present tyrannical government. He kept up 

 correspondence with the revolutionists on the 

 Rio Grande, whom he stimulated to action. On 

 the night of July 22d a band of the latter, who 

 had taken refuge in Brownsville, decided to re- 

 new the attack on Matamoras. The armed con- 

 spirators passed the river at night, within can- 

 non-shot of Fort Brown, and threw up some 

 rockets to give notice of their approach to ac- 

 complices in Matamoras, but General Palacio, 

 the commander of the garrison, had timely in- 

 formation, and he caused Carlos Sanchez and 

 Andres Valdovinos to be arrested ; these two 

 confessed their implication, and revealed what 

 they knew of the plot. 



On September 16th, Congress was reopened, 

 and addressed by the President of the re- 

 public as follows : 



CITIZEN DEPUTIES: We may congratulate ourselves 

 upon seeing peace reestablished throughout the en- 

 tire nation. A few parties of armed men, which, 

 remained on foot after the insurrection of San Luis 

 and Zacatecas, have been actively pursued until they 

 were dissolved. An equal and just meed of applause 

 'should be paid, as well to the good citizens who com- 

 pose the army, as to the worthy authorities and forces 

 of the States, which valiantly and patriotically com- 

 bated the rebellion. 



One of the first and most beneficent results of peace 

 is the general security for persons and property which 

 is now enjoyed, not only in the settlements, out also 

 upon the routes of travel. The law of Congress 

 against robbery and kidnapping bas been effective 

 for the repression of the evfls caused by the preva- 

 lence of these crimes. 



The Executive will immediately submit, for the 

 consideration of Congress, the facts concerning the 

 difficulties which have arisen in some States about 



internal questions. He has thought it his duty to 

 confine himself to respecting the sovereignty of the 

 said States, and await the action of Congress in sup- 

 plying the rules by which he should govern his con- 

 duct m these grave affairs, which so directly affect 

 the essential bases of the Federal system. The Ex- 

 ecutive will present his plan of action, not with the 

 pretence of possessing sufficient wisdom in such diffi- 

 cult and delicate questions, but on account of his de- 

 sire that they be considered with all the speed which 

 they deserve, in order that the wisdom of Congress 

 may provide the most necessary rules, for the au- 

 thorities of the Union to adopt in these cases, in a 

 manner compatible with the internal sovereignty of 

 the States. 



There also remained pending the project concerning 

 the regulations of mints, and the projects for a con- 

 cession for the opening of the Tehuantepec Canal, 

 which, if it shall prove practicable, will be of great 

 importance to the republic, and to the commerce of 

 the whole world. 



There will be speedily presented several projects 

 of laws, concerning some points relative to the ad- 

 ministration of justice, and to public instruction. 



There will also be submitted a plan for the estab- 

 lishment of coast-guard vessels, the necessity for 

 which is proved anew by the recent painful occurrence 

 at Guayamas. With the object of obtaining such 

 vessels speedily, the Executive has already sent an 

 agent abroad, immediately after that affair took place. 



The inequality between our receipts and expendi- 

 tures requires a special consideration of every thing 

 which may conduce to the improvement of the con- 

 dition of the Treasury. Undoubtedly Congress will 

 regard this important matter with the attention it 

 deserves, in order to reconcile all possible economy 

 with the necessity for resources, with which to pro- 

 vide for all the indispensable requisites for the suc- 

 cessful progress of the administration. 



The patriotism and enlightenment which guide you 

 in your deliberations, citizen deputies, inspire me 

 with full confidence that you will labor in all things 

 for the highest good and prosperity of the republic. 



In the discussion which took place on the 

 amnesty question, a majority of the deputies 

 expressed themselves in favor of a generous 

 measure, including nearly all political offenders, 

 while Ministers Lerdo de Tejada, Yglesias, and 

 Saavedra, were endeavoring to introduce some 

 restrictions. The amnesty was voted on Sep- 

 tember 24th. The President returned the bill 

 to Congress with an amendment, which mate- 

 rially changed it, and which was not approved 

 by Congress. On October 18th the bill was 

 finally passed by the Legislature in the follow- 

 ing shape : 



HALLS OF CONGEESS OF THE UNION, MEXICO, ? 

 October 18, 1870. 



ARTICLE 1. Amnesty is conceded to allpersons who, 

 up to the 19th of the month of last September, may 

 have been guilty of infidelity to the country, of sedi- 

 tion, conspiracy, and other crimes against the public 

 order, as also the military men who, up to the same 

 date, may have deserted. 



ART. 2. There are not comprehended in the present 

 amnesty First, the regents and deputies of the so- 

 called empire ; second, the generals who commanded 

 divisions of bodies of the army who may have passed 

 over to the invaders. 



ART. 3. Every person embraced in the two former 

 fractions, whose fate may have been defined by the 

 Executive of the Union, will enjoy with all its pleni- 

 tude the favor of the present amnesty. 



ART. 4. The Executive is authorized to extend it to 

 individuals excepted in article two, when, in the judg- 

 ment of the same Executive, the public peace may 

 not be compromised. 



