John Bigelow, Esq.,
&c., &c., &c.
[August 17, 1866.—Declaring null and void a decree of Prince
Maximilian closing certain ports in Mexico.]
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas a war is existing in the republic of Mexico, aggravated by
foreign military intervention; and whereas the United States, in
accordance with their settled habits and policy, are a neutral power
in regard to the war which thus afflicts the republic of Mexico; and
whereas it has become known that one of the belligerents in the said
war, namely, the Prince Maximilian, who asserts himself to be
emperor in Mexico, has issued a decree in regard to the port of [Page 339] Matamoras and other
Mexican ports which are in the occupation and possession of another
of the said belligerents, namely, the United States of Mexico, which
decree is in the following words:
“The port of Matamoras and all those of the northern frontier which
have withdrawn from their obedience to the government are closed to
foreign and coasting traffic during such time as the empire of the
law shall not be therein reinstated.
“ART. 2. Merchandise proceeding from the
said ports, on arriving at any other where the excise of the empire
is collected, shall pay the duties on importation, introduction, and
consumption, and on satisfactory proof of contravention shall be
irremissibly confiscated. Our minister of the treasury is charged
with the punctual execution of this decree.
“Given at Mexico, the 9th of July, 1866.”
And whereas the decree thus recited, by declaring a belligerent
blockade unsupported by competent military or naval force, is in
violation of the neutral rights of the United States, as defined by
the law of nations, as well as of the treaties existing between the
United States of America and the aforesaid United States of
Mexico:
Now, therefore, I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do
hereby proclaim and declare that the aforesaid decree is held, and
will be held, by the United States to be absolutely null and void,
as against the government and citizens of the United States, and
that any attempt which shall be made to enforce the same against the
government or the citizens of the United States will be
disallowed.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of
Washington
the
seventeenth day of August, in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, and of the
independence of the United States of America the
ninety-first.
[seal] ANDREW
JOHNSON.
By the President:
William H. Seward, Secretary of State.
