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MEXICO. 



in Toronto, on the 2d of February. The Wes- 

 leyan, Primitive, Methodist Episcopal, and 

 New Connection Churches were represented. 

 No delegate was present from the Bible Chris- 

 tians, but it was understood that that body 

 was favorably disposed. A free and friendly 

 discussion of the subject, and a comparison of 

 views, were had. Another meeting was held 

 on the 28th and 29th of March, at which gen- 

 eral recommendations were adopted and re- 

 ferred to the conferences. 



Many of the conferences approved of the 

 recommendations. 



MEXICO. A federal republic in America. 

 President, Benito Juarez, declared himself 

 Constitutional President on February 11, 1858; 

 elected President in June, 1861 ; reflected in 

 December, 1867, for a term of four years ; again 

 reflected in October, 1871, for the term from 

 1871 to 1875. Area 761,663 square miles. 

 Population in 1868, 9,173,052. The budget 

 for 1869-'70 fixes the revenue at $14,420,576, 

 and the expenditures at $13,046,742. The 

 number of vessels entering the Mexican ports 

 in the year 1869 to 1870 was 648 ; aggregate 

 tonnage, 542,045. The following railroads 

 were in operation : from Mexico to Puebla, 

 from Vera Cruz to Paso del Macho, from Vera 

 Cruz to Medellin, from Vera Cruz to Homa 

 Alta, and several roads from Mexico to neigh- 

 boring places. Total length of Mexican rail- 

 roads in 1871, 215 miles ; total length of tele- 

 graph-lines in 1870, 2,975 miles. 



Early in January, 1871, Minister Lerdo de 

 Tejada, who was a candidate for the office of 

 President of the republic in che coming elec- 

 tion, resigned, and again assumed the position 

 of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. 



The United States steamer Nipsic, convey- 

 ing the engineers of the railway company, 

 arrived at Minatitlan, at the mouth of the 

 Coatzacoalcos River, on the 6th of January, 

 and the ceremony of breaking ground took 

 place on the 9th, the United States naval offi- 

 cers, Mexican commissioners, and local author- 

 ities, taking part in the formalities of the oc- 

 casion. The proceedings were afterward duly- 

 certified and approved by the Government of 

 Mexico. Much excitement prevailed, however, 

 in the district, in consequence of conspiracies 

 against the lives and property of foreigners. 

 Many fled with their families, in order to save 

 their lives, leaving their property behind. 

 Posters were affixed to the houses of foreigners, 

 threatening the inmates with assassination. 

 Among the principal persons threatened was 

 Mr. Wolf, the United States consul. 



The Mexican Congress met in extra session 

 on March 8th, when 157 deputies were pres- 

 ent. In consequence of the coalition of the 

 supporters of Lerdo de Tejada and Porfirio 

 Diaz, Zamacona, a Diaz partisan, was elected 

 President, while 73 votes were given to Man- 

 cera. Lemus, a supporter of Lerdo, was cho- 

 sen Vice-President by 84 votes to 71, which 

 Valle, the candidate of the Juarist party, re- 



ceived. President Juarez, in his message, 

 which was sent in on March 10th, stated that 

 the republic was tranquil, except a small dis- 

 trict in the State of Guerrero. The relations 

 with foreign Governments were amicable, al- 

 though with some they continued interrupted. 

 Sefior Zamacona, in the House, replied to the 

 message, and complained that the Government 

 was interfering with freedom of election. 

 The extra session closed on March 31st, alter 

 adopting a new electoral law. 



Soon after the meeting of Congress, Presi- 

 dent Juarez reconstructed his Cabinet, which 

 now was composed as follows (the first three 

 being new members) : Setter Ignacio Mariscal, 

 Foreign Relations ; Sefior Savedra, State ; Se- 

 fior Castillo, Justice; Sefior Velasco, Govern- 

 ment; Sefior Romero, Treasury ; Sefior Ignacio 

 Mejia, War and Marine ; Sefior Balcarcel, In- 

 terior. Minister Savedra resigned on April 

 25th, and Minister Velasco on April 28th ; the 

 latter, however, consented to remain tempora- 

 rily, when 74 deputies petitioned him to take 

 back his resignation. 



The regular session of the national Congress 

 began on the 1st of April. Sefior Hernandez, 

 President of the Chamber, in his opening 

 speech, alluded to the fears expressed by many 

 of direct intervention by some officious agents 

 of foreign powers in the coming election for 

 President, and to muttered threats heard ev- 

 erywhere of refusal to accept the decision of 

 the people at the polls. He deprecated such 

 expressions, as foreboding evil to the country. 

 Minister Romero submitted to Congress a 

 scheme for the consolidation of the national 

 debt at a rate of interest beginning with half 

 of one per cent, per annum, and increasing 

 half of one per cent, semi-annually until it 

 reaches three per cent. He stated that the 

 debt of Mexico was domestic, not foreign ; its 

 foreign creditors were merely private parties. 

 Mexico had never contracted a public loan. 

 He was impeached and tried before the Supreme 

 Court, but acquitted. On his motion, a com- 

 mission was named to fix the limits of the re- 

 public bordering on Guatemala ; and also to 

 survey the coasts and harbors of the State of 

 Chiapas, in order to facilitate the development 

 of that rich but almost unknown State. The 

 session was closed on May 31st. Its last hours 

 were employed in considering the appropria- 

 tion bill, which, with some amendments, was 

 passed. 



On May 2d the garrison of Tampico, con- 

 sisting of 400 men of the Federal army, revolt- 

 ed under the leadership of Lieutenant-Colonels 

 Molina and Colleja. They repudiated Presi- 

 dent Juarez, and demanded that his place 

 should be occupied by the Vice-President, Se- 

 fior Lerdo, until the new election took place. 

 They held as prisoners General Lopez, the 

 military commander, Don Francisco Rojas, 

 the administrator of the custom-house, and 

 several other Federal officers. The Chief of 

 the Artillery, Don Juan Garcia, escaped to 



