MEXICO. 



465 



to some $50,000,000, on winch were many 

 years' arrears of in to rest due. Juarez being in 

 -iou of Vera Cruz, and Miratnon of the 

 capital, a British force demanded of the former 

 payment. He gave bills on the capital, which 

 were paid, and the coin, about $1,000,000, 

 lodged with the British Minister. The grow- 

 ing troubles compelled him to retire, and he 

 left the money in charge of the consul, from 

 whom it was speedily taken by force by the 

 Government. Towards the close of 1860 the 

 constitutional party gradually had become the 

 strongest, and Miramou, being defeated, left the 

 country, and Juarez was sent for to the capital. 

 The war was supposed to be at an end. Presi- 

 dent Juarez seems to have been more. disinter- 

 ested than many or most of his predecessors, 

 and in matters concerning general interest has 

 shown laudable activity, though that activity 

 has been paralyzed by the incessant wars in 

 which the Clerical party has involved him. 

 Thus, he has signed a treaty of commerce with 

 Belgium, in which a guarantee of religious lib- 

 erty is stipulated to Belgian residents ; and he 

 Las effected a reduction in the budget which, 

 from fourteen millions, has been brought to 

 nine, owing to the suppression of numerous 

 abuses in the Administration. He is exerting 

 himself to open outlets to the productive activ- 

 ity of the interior, by signing contracts for the 

 establishment of regular communication with 

 the West, New York, and Panama. 



Here surely is manifest evidence of good in- 

 tentions ; and it is quite possible that, if time 

 were given to him, the present Mexican Govern- 

 ment might be brought into such a condition as 

 would satisfy the wishes of industrious nations, 

 which, like England and France, have always 

 regretted to see that region, from the nature 

 of its government, so inhospitable and ill-dis- 

 posed to accept the doctrine and practice of 

 European commerce. 



Miramon, on his defeat, retired to Spain, for the 

 purpose of enlisting sympathy with the Church 

 party, so called, mostly because it respected 

 church property, which the Liberals did not. 



The new Administration of the United States 

 in 1861 sent Thomas Corwin, of the State of 

 Ohio, to represent that Government at the 

 capital of Mexico. He negotiated an extradi- 

 tion treaty, and has undertaken the modifica- 

 tion of that treaty made by Mr. McLane, and 

 which the Senate refused to ratify, and is con- 

 ducting a postal treaty to its conclusion. 



There are many large claims upon Mexico for 

 various causes, and her liabilities are nearly as 

 follows : 



British bondholders' debt $60,021,843 00 



Spanish convention 7.270,600 75 



English-Spanish convention 5,000,000 00 



French convention 263,49000 



American claims, at least 10,000,000 00 



Total foreign debt $S,156,133 75 



The existing Government has exerted itself 

 to restore some order in the finances. A de- 

 cree, fixing its disbursements, has been pub- 

 30 



lishcd, dated the 16th of August, 1861. Tl:<- 

 annual expenses of the different departments 

 are thus fixed : 



IVni.'n relations $21 0,340 00 



Int.ri.ir 1,191,88000 



Justice 587.050 00 



K.mi.-iito 69,179 00 



Finance.. . l,57S.ii24 ot) 



War 4,745,895 41 



Total expenses $8,827,413 04 



To cover this disbursement, the Minister of 

 Finance reports the following resources : 



Customs duties $5.500.000 



Contributions 400.000 



Sealed paper 250.000 



Custom-house of the district 1,'2UO,000 



Total receipts. $7,850,000 



From this statement it will be seen that the 

 annual disbursement will exceed the annual re- 

 ceipts of the Government by $977,418 04. To 

 cover this deficit a contingent is imposed upon 

 the revenues of States and territories, amount- 

 ing to twenty per cent. 



On the 23d of August a decree was issued 

 imposing a tax of 10 per cent, upon all fortunes 

 exceeding $2,000. This was a ruinous burden, 

 more especially upon foreign residents, and this 

 became a new source of complaint to the pow- 

 ers of Europe. At this time ex-President Mi- 

 ramon was at Madrid, and was present at a re- 

 view in general's dress, and formed a part of 

 the cortege of the queen. It was a public mani- 

 festation of the understanding which reigned 

 between the Clerical party in Mexico and the 

 Spanish Government, and the O'Donnel Cabi- 

 net was threatening to undertake an expe- 

 dition against Mexico in favor of the Church 

 party. 



This project now began to take shape and 

 consistence, but the interference of a European 

 power on the continent of America was in di- 

 rect contravention of the traditional policy of 

 the American Government in respect to the 

 Monroe doctrine, as contained in the Message 

 of Mr. Monroe, December, 1823, laying down 

 the principle that the American continents 

 ought not hereafter to be the field for European 

 colonization ; and that all attempts on the part 

 of European nations to extend their system to 

 any part of this hemisphere must be considered 

 dangerous to the peace and security of the 

 United States. Also, that the United States 

 would not see any European intervention with 

 the object of oppressing or controlling the des- 

 tiny of an American nation, under any other 

 aspect than that of a manifestation of hostility 

 towards the United States. 



This doctrine has been rigidly adhered to 

 through all succeeding administrations, but the 

 question of the intervention of the foreign 

 powers being submitted to the Government of 

 Mr. Lincoln, he was not in a condition to re- 

 sist it with that vigor and energy implied in 

 the declarations of Mr. Monroe, in consequence 

 of the war with the Confederate States, but he 

 insisted that it did not seem to be necessary to 

 carry intervention in Mexico further than to 



