MEXICO. 



497 



bers of Congress to encourage the naturaliza- 

 tion of American enterprises in the republic. 



Toward the end of the year a concession was 

 granted to a Mexican company for the con- 

 struction of the railway to the Pacific ; but, 

 as the project could scarcely be carried out 

 under auspices exclusively national, it, is sur- 

 mised that the privilege will eventually be 

 transferred to one or other of the two com- 

 panies above mentioned. During the session 

 of Congress in April aud May, the act author- 

 izing State governors to permit religions 

 manifestations in public was repealed. 



The late President of the Republic, Benito 

 Juarez, was declared by Congress Cenemerito 

 (well-deserving) in a high degree, and his 

 name has been inscribed in letters of gold in 

 the halls of Congress ; the anniversaries of his 

 birth and death are to be appropriately cele- 

 brated ; and a like honor has been decreed to 

 Father Hidalgo who took so active a part in 

 the inauguration of the war of independence in 

 1810. 



The Executive was authorized to appropri- 

 ate $50,000 to the erection of a monument to 

 the memory of Juarez ; the children of the lat- 

 ter are to have a pension of $3,000 each per 

 annum; and a premium of $2,000 was offered 

 for the best biography of him, to be presented 

 within six months from May 1st. 



The appropriation bills were the subject of 

 animated discussions : and one presented by 

 the Committee of Ways and Means retrench- 

 ing several millions from the Government esti- 

 mate, elicited an energetic debate in favor of 

 the latter. 



A new tariff was proposed by a committee 

 of financiers appointed therefor by the Presi- 

 dent, and a subsidy of $5,000 per kilometre was 

 granted for a railway forty kilometres in 

 length, intended to connect the Vera Cruz 

 railway with the celebrated mining district 

 of Pnohnca. 



Certain reform laws, issued by President 

 Juarez nt Vera Cruz, in 1859 and 1860, ef- 

 fecting the nationalization of Church property, 

 and the separation of Church and State in the 

 republic, were converted into amendments of 

 the Federal Constitution. 



Messrs. Jos6 Maria Iglesias, newly elected 

 Chief- Justice of the Supreme Court, Jos6 

 M. Lozano, and Manuel Castaneda y ftajera, 

 asssociate justices, took their oaths of office, 

 May 17th. The first session of Congress ter- 

 minated on the 31st of May. The President 

 delivered a speech on that occasion, in which 

 he referred with great earnestness to the 

 questions of public instruction, rail ways, and the 

 elections, shortly to take place, of members for 

 the seventh constitutional Congress. 



The elections were held on July 13th, and 

 were more peaceable, and attended by less 

 disorder, thnn in former years. Charges of 

 undue interference of the army and the admin- 

 istration were less numerous and less serious 

 than usual, and the majority of the members 

 VOL. mi. 32 A 



returned were supporters of the present Gov- 

 ernment. 



The national Congress assembled in prelim- 

 inary session on the 1st of September; but 

 the formal opening of the session did not take 

 place until the 16th of the same month. Here 

 follow the more important subjects, and the 

 speech delivered by President Lerdo on the 

 latter date : 



CITIZEN DEPUTIES : The installation of the seventh 

 constitutional Congress is an event doubly au- 

 spicious for the Mexican people. Besides the bene- 

 fits justly expected from the patriotism and the wis- 

 dom of Congress, it sees in the legal assemblage of 

 its representatives a new and satisfactory proof that 

 constitutional order is now firmly consolidated in 

 the republic. 



Receive, then, citizen deputies, my very sincere 

 congratulation, because you enter upon your high 

 functions under the most favorable circumstances, 

 with the assurance of a fortunate present, and cheered 

 by the confident hope of a still happier future. 



When the present Executive was called to office 



by a pop , 



constant rule of his conduct will ever be the faithful 

 observance of the Constitution and of the laws of re- 

 form, which have opened a new era for our country, 

 regenerating it with the principles of modern civiliza- 

 tion. In conformity with his promise and his duty, 

 the Executive has placed a check upon some advances 

 hostile to the laws of reform, which will soon be so 

 justly invested with constitutional sanction. 



Legal order is maintained throughout the States. 

 free from threatened disturbances, excepting a legal 

 question, which has excited between the State au- 

 tnorities of Coahuila diiferences much to be re- 

 gretted. Although this has given occasion to a call 

 for Federal aid, the Executive has thus far judged 

 proper to refrain from imparting such aid, as well 

 because in his opinion the occasion foreseen by the 

 fundamental code has not arisen, as because he con- 

 siders his neutrality entirely in accordance with our 

 federative system, and even regards the matter in 

 dispute as a question of State constitutional law, 

 which, it is to be desired, may receive a prompt and 

 pacific solution through the action of the local 

 powers. 



Our relations with the friendly powers preserve 

 the same spirit of reciprocal good-will and cordiality 

 as heretofore. The Republic of Colombia has ap- 

 pointed a new consul-general in Mexico. By virtue 

 of the resignation of the former representative of 

 the United States, a new minister plenipotentiary 

 has arrived, who, like his predecessor, has given 

 renewed proofs of the sentiments or friendship 

 fortunately existing between the two republics. 



The Presidents of Bolivia, Guatemala and Uruguay, 

 having communicated their elevation to the chief 

 magistracy of their respective countrieSjthe Execu- 

 tive has replied with the esteem and cordiality due to 

 the governments and people of those republics. 



Tne American Government, desiring to celebrate 

 the centennial of the independence of the United 

 States of America, has projected for the year 1876 a 

 great exposition of arts, manufactures, and products 

 of the soil and mines, to which it has invited the 

 people and the Government of Mexico. This invita- 

 tion has been accepted with satisfaction and de- 

 served esteem by the Executive, who will endeavor 

 to have Mexico worthily represented in the brilliant 

 competition at Philadelphia, relying, as he does, 

 upon the support, whicn, he doubts not, will be 

 given him by Congress, in all those measures which, 

 require legislative action. 



The ratification of the convention of November 27, 

 1872, which renewed that of July 4, 1868, having 



