MEXICO. 



441 



tors. With the desire of cooperating with Congress 

 in its important task, the Executive will present some 

 initiatives. 



One of them will refer to reforms in the ordinance 

 relative to maritime and frontier custom-houses, 

 recommended by experience. Another will be pro- 

 posed for the purpose of facilitating the transfer of 

 nationalized property, admitting as a part of its price 

 credits of the puolic debt. Another initiative will be 

 proposed indispensable modifications in the < laws 

 regarding mortgage which are now in force in the 

 Federal District, in order to facilitate the interchange 

 of riches, and that property shall not remain im- 

 movable. The Executive recommends also the initia- 

 tion, which was presented in the last period of the 

 last Congress, referring to colonization and the clear- 

 ing up of uncultivated lands. 



I do not doubt that the public credit will likewise 

 deserve the special attention of Congress, it being so 

 important a matter that a great number of values 

 ^hould have their deserving circulation. 



We have to congratulate ourselves, citizen depu- 

 ties, in the just anxiety which we have shown for the 

 progress of our country, that, following the solemnity 

 of our reunion, we are to-day to celebrate, in the city 

 of Puebla z the conclusion of the railroad which 

 unites it with that city. It is also a very satisfying act 

 to solemnize to-day the anniversary of our indepen- 

 dence, and to affirm our proposals for progress, in 

 order to realize other improvements like those, so 

 important for our national prosperity. Under these 

 happy auspices receive, citizen deputies, the sincere 

 prayer that, by prudence in your deliberations, the 

 Executive may, at the end of the two years of your 

 labors, congratulate you upon the benefits which you 

 shall have conferred upon the republic. 



A journey of Mr. Seward through Mexico 

 was the occasion of a manifestation of good 

 feeling and respect on the part of the Mexican 

 Government. Before and on his arrival at 

 Manzanillo, the following dispatches were in- 

 terchanged : 



MEXICO, October 6, 1869. 

 To the Governor of the State of Colima, Manzanillo : 



I beg of you that, on the arrival of the Hon. Mr. 

 William H. Seward at Manzanillo, you will be pleased 

 to welcome him, in the name of the President, ex- 

 pressing his desire that he may be pleased in his 

 visit to the republic. 



SB. LERDO DE TEJADA. 

 MANZABTILLO, October 7, 1869. 

 To tJie Minister of Foreign Relations : 



I have the pleasure to inform you that the Hon. 

 William H. Seward arrived to-day at three o'clock 

 in the morning, and that I had the honor to welcome 

 him in the name of the President, expressing his de- 

 sire that the visit of Mr. Seward to the republic 

 should be an agreeable one. 



I'RANCISCO JAVIER CUERVA. 



His tour through Mexico was a great ova- 

 tion, and regarded by the Mexicans as an 

 important event. Mr. Seward was received 

 with marked honors in the capital by the 

 President and his entire Cabinet. On the 8th 

 of December, a grand ball, attended by 4,000 

 citizens, was given at the Theatre National. 



The year 1869 began with the outbreak of 

 dissensions in the State of Jalisco, under Lo- 

 zada. Quiroga and other generals pronounced 

 in favor of Santa Anna. In February, General 

 Negrete, ex-Minister of War, was marching at 

 the head of a revolutionary army on the capi- 

 tal ; while General Doreo, commanding the na- 

 tional forces, defeated the rebels at Pachuca. 



Negrete was, however, checked, on February 

 22d, at Atexcal, in the State of Puebla, by the 

 loyal troops under the command of Generals 

 Alatorre and Garcia. The revolutionists in Ta- 

 maulipas were routed by General Escohedo, and 

 Canales fled across the Rio Bravo. The order 

 of the General Government to pass the gov- 

 ernment of San Luis to Bustamente caused a 

 pronunciamiento in that State in favor of the 

 actual Governor. General Alatorre defeated 

 Negrete again at Tlascala. General Malo was 

 killed in the action, and many of the rebels were 

 taken prisoners, Negrete himself escaping with 

 a few adherents, and going in a southerly direc- 

 tion. The merchants of Mexico City made a 

 present of $30,000 to the troops that saved the 

 conducta of $2,000,000 from being captured 

 by Negrete. In March, Colonel Palacios es- 

 caped from Mazatlan, and pronounced, at the 

 head of the -troops in Culiacan, against Juarez 

 and for Placido Vegas. He failed, however, to 

 revolutionize the State of Sinaloa. The state of 

 affairs in Guerrero continued threatening, and 

 culminated in a revolution in April. The 

 feeling of dissatisfaction with the present Gov- 

 ernment extended throughout the republic, 

 and the political struggle between the Govern- 

 ment and opposition was severe, each party 

 using all means in its power to gain the su- 

 premacy. Charges of corruption were freely 

 made on both sides. 



In May a vigorous campaign was carried on 

 against robbers and kidnappers in the States 

 of Jalisco and Michoacan ; numerous engage- 

 ments took place, in which the robbers were 

 worsted and many of them killed. The revo- 

 lution in Sinaloa assumed a serious aspect. 

 Palacio captured the town of El Fuerto, the 

 Government troops offering but slight resist- 

 ance, and 300 troops from Sonora joining 

 Palacio. Meanwhile the Apache Indians, hav- 

 ing been driven from Arizona, made terrible 

 inroads upon Sonora, devastating the whole 

 interior. Queretaro threatened revolution, and 

 1,000 men went there to support the Legis- 

 lature against the Governor. Troops were also 

 sent to Iguala and Guerrero. The outbreak in 

 Sinaloa was subdued; the disturbances in 

 Queretaro increased, the Federal party dis- 

 placing the State officers and executing part 

 of the prisoners for treason, and the Fed- 

 eral forces from Michoacan and Guanajuato 

 were sent to reenforce those in that State. 

 General Alatorre, unable to suppress the re- 

 volt in Puebla, resigned his command. The 

 revolution in San Luis Potosi increased in 

 strength. The insurgents in Puebla captured 

 several cities, defeated the Government troops, 

 and captured and executed General Bocardo. 

 The fear of a general revolution increased. 

 The entire republic was full of pronuncia- 

 mientos in December, 1869. Armed insurrec- 

 tion existed in Michoacan. On December 15th, 

 General Aguirre, with a force of troops, cap- 

 tured and imprisoned the Governor and the en- 

 tire Legislature of the State of San Luis. The 



