500 



MEXICO. 



Victoria, has been received, which communicates 

 with the city just named. Since the establishment 

 of peace, in 1872, over 1,600 miles of Government 

 telegraph-lines have been constructed. 



The commission charged with the arrangements 

 for the national exposition, and the preparations for 

 the part Mexico is to take in the Philadelphia Expo- 

 sition, continues its labors satisfactorily. 



The law of November 10, 1874, for continuing the 

 recognition and liquidation of the claims of the pub- 

 lic debt is punctually observed. 



The stamp law, promulgated December 31, 1871, 

 was not carried into effect at once, owing to the lack 

 of printing apparatus for the stamps. The want 

 having been supplied, it was determined on the 1st 

 of last December that the law should take effect. It 

 is now in force in the Federal District and in most 

 of the States, and, thanks to certain modifications 

 introduced by the Executive, in favor of the public, 

 is unattended by the difficulties which other similar 

 laws are wont to give rise to. 



In pursuance of the decree of Congress permitting 

 vessels from foreign ports to enter our coasting 

 ports, for the purpose of taking on board cattle and 

 wood, the Executive has issued a system of rules 

 for the prevention of smuggling, without weakening 

 the effect of the laws in favor of exportation. 



To encourage the extensive traffic induced by ^ in- 

 creasing mineral products in the district of Mulige, 

 Lower California, and the fisheries along the coasts, 

 a port has been established there for the coasting- 

 trade. 



The Executive has been careful to keep the mili- 

 tary colonies in the frontier States well provided 

 with arms, equipments, and other elements neces- 

 sary to their proper organization, and to enable 

 them to fulfill their important mission of protecting 

 the persons and property of the inhabitants of those 

 States. 



The term of the session of Congress which 

 was opened on April 1st expired, by limita- 

 tion, on May 31st. We subjoin a translation 

 of the more important passages of the Presi- 

 dent's speech at the opening of the fall session, 

 September 16th : 



Citizen Deputies and Senators : For the first time, 

 under the political regimen established in 1857, the 

 legislative power of the Union comes to exercise its 

 functions composed of two Chambers. The institu- 

 tion of the Senate completes our constitutional sys- 

 tem, offering new hopes of prosperity, not only as 

 the equal representation of the States is now com- 

 bined with the proportionate representation of the 

 population, but also because the greater concentra- 

 tion of intelligence and the double discussion of the 

 laws will make of the Federal Congress a fruitful 

 centre of prosperity for the republic. 



This reform, initiated eight years ago, is now real- 

 ized, after being considered by various Congresses, 

 approved by the Legislatures of the States, and 

 sanctioned by all the requisites of the fundamental 

 code. 



Our relations with the friendly powers continue to 

 be cordially and happily cultivated. 



The necessary data are now collected upon which 

 to base the project of a treaty of limits between 

 Mexico and Guatemala, the conclusion of which will 

 be sought with zeal, it being desirous to hasten to a 

 satisfactory termination this subject, which has for 

 half a century occupied the attention of both coun- 

 tries. 



The reestablishment of the monarchy in Spain 

 having been communicated to the Executive, the 

 representative of Mexico in Madrid has been ac- 

 credited anew. 



The work of the mixed commission established in 

 "Washington is nearly terminated, the decision in a 

 few cases only being wanting, as also the decision 



of the arbiter in several cases in which the commis- 

 sioners were not agreed. 



The investigating commission in the States of 

 Chihuahua and Sonora has terminated its labors 

 satisfactorily, of which result the report has recently 

 been made, which will soon be published. 



Elections for magistrates of the Supreme Court of 

 Justice having been held in all the republic, the 

 final declaration of Congress is only wanting to con- 

 stitute that high tribunal complete. 



Under the authority conferred by Congress upon 

 the Executive, a law has been formed for the reor- 

 ganization of the tribunals of the Federal District. 



The project of reform of the respective commis- 

 sions appointed in compliance with the law which 

 ordered the revision of the code of civil proceedings 

 will be sent to Congress at once. 



Public instruction has continued to merit particu- 

 lar attention. Both in the primary and in the pro- 

 fessional schools efforts have constantly been made 

 to increase the elements of instruction, by estab- 

 lishing new professorships as well as by providing 

 all the instruments and other useful apparatus for 

 practical teaching. With the same desire of obtain- 

 ing .the most perfect practical instruction, various 

 pupils of the national schools have continued to be 

 sent abroad upon the successful conclusion of their 

 studies. 



The Executive sent an initiative to Congress, at 

 its last session, for the establishment of a normal 

 school for teachers. This subject is very worthy to 

 be recommended, in order to meet the growing wants 



of primary instruction. 

 In the c 



conservatory of music and declamation, 



Sractical instruction in the latter branch has been 

 laugurated, in order to encourage advancement in 

 national art and dramatic literature. The Executive 

 has ordered a dramatic company to be subsidied, 

 which is intrusted with the instruction of Mexican 

 dramatic authors, and the bringing out upon the 

 stage the plays of those authors, the latter sharing 

 in the pecuniary benefits. 



Notwithstanding certain difficulties, care has been 

 taken to continue with regularity the ordinary pay- 

 ment of the civil and military lists. 



On account of the imperious necessity of obtain- 

 ing some increase in the receipts of the national 

 Treasury, in order not to neglect improvements of 

 great interest and to meet the obligations of the Ad- 

 ministration, the Executive, as authorized by Con- 

 gress, has ordered a time to be fixed when the re- 

 duction often per cent, in the tariff shall cease and 

 the entire collection of the import duties shall be 

 made. In the last session of Congress the propriety 

 of this measure had already been indicated, which 

 has not been repugnant to public opinion, consider- 

 ing it as the most equitable and least onerous mode 

 of obtaining additional resources. 



According to the direction of Congress, more than 

 $200,000, representing almost the total of the cop- 

 per money m circulation in Sinaloa, have already 

 been withdrawn from circulation. It is expected 

 soon to be possible to withdraw the rest of this 

 money, which, on account of its depreciation in that 

 State, has occasioned serious injury to commerce 

 and to all social interests. 



The insurrectionary bands in the State of Michoa- 

 can, although they have not been entirely sup- 

 pressed, having been favored by the rugged charac- 

 ter of the country, have very notably diminished. 

 A competent Federal force constantly pursues them, 

 and frequently defeats them, it being expected that 

 very soon order will be entirely restored in that 

 State. It is also to be believed that the disturbances 

 which have occurred in Nueyo Leon, on account of 

 local^ questions, will soon disappear, with a happy 

 termination to those difficulties. 



The insurrection against the local government of 

 Chiapas has been effectually resisted by that govern- 

 ment. As a sufficient Federal force was also sent 



