No. 17.]
Legation of the United States of
America,
Mexico,
February 22, 1862.
The president has this moment sent the “oficial mayor” of the state
department to inform me that the preliminary treaty alluded to in my
despatch (No. 16) has been signed—embracing the three propositions named
in that despatch. It is further stipulated that the allied troops may
remove their encampment from the sickly climate of Vera Cruz, and
establish themselves in Orizaba, Cordova, and Tehuacan; and as soon as
they leave their encampment at Vera Cruz, the Mexican flag shall be
hoisted there, and Mexican jurisdiction restored. The commissioners of
the three powers are to meet the commissioners of Mexico, at Orizaba, to
arrange definite treaties with each of them. Thus the European
intervention, with a small degree of prudence on the part of Mexico,
will end in entire satisfaction of all foreign claims, and produce
substantial good to this country.
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State of the United States, Washington.
A, with No. 17.]
R. Preciat to N. L. Wilson.
United States Consulate,
Campeche,
January 9, 1862.
Sir: I had the honor on the fifth of this
month to receive your official note as consul of the United States
in the city of Tabasco, informing me of your desire of being
acquainted with anything that may happen in this port relative to
the southern vessels that can have any commercial operations against
the government which we both serve. I feel it my duty, sir, in this
intelligence, to inform you that we have only had in our port (since
the south and north are divided) one small schooner, the Lizzie
Mezik, arriving in a very bad state, and having lost at sea one
mast, bringing, nevertheless, the whole of her cargo. I could not
have any kind of intervention in this affair.
The government of this state disposed, at petition of the captain, of
said schooner, that the whole cargo should be transported off on a
Mexican schooner, the Amita, which has sailed for Havana a few days
ago. Said schooner sailed from Mobile with direction to Havana, but
was obliged, as I have said before, to arrive at this port on
account of the bad state of the vessel. She still lays in our port,
and bears the flag of the southern confederation.
It will be with the greatest pleasure, sir, that I will keep a
constant correspondence with you, and I hope you will honor me at
every opportunity with some of the commercial and political affairs
of Tabasco.
I am, sir, yours, very respectfully,
R. PRECIAT, United States
Consul.
N. L. Wilson, Esq., United States Consul, Tabasco.
