Office of the Historian

Mr. Romero to Mr. Seward

Washington, February 5, 1867.

My Dear Sir: I take the liberty to call your attention to the enclosed account of what occurred at a meeting in the city of Mexico on the 14 h ultimo, to decide whether the ex-Archduke Maximilian should continue to uphold his so-called empire or not.

In my opinion this call shows the want of confidence in the project to convoke a national assembly or convention to settle the above question, and that it is the general belief that the so-called empire cannot be sustained, for the assembly was composed of the counsellors and ministers of Maximilian, together with a few other persons favorable to Maximilian, and one-third of them voted against trying to sustain the empire.

I remain your attentive and obedient servant,

M. ROMERO.

Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.

The notables of Mexico.–Rickety state of the Empire.–Report of the French marshal.

The following are the names of the distinguished Mexicans who were called together at the capital by the emperor Maximilian, January 14, to consider the affairs of the empire:

Senors Lares, Lacunza, Marshal Bazaine, Marin, Garcia Aguirre, Mier y Teran, Campos, Pereda, General Marquez, Murphy, under-secretary of war, Almazan, Luis Mendez, Manuel Cordero, Estaban Villalba, Cortes y Esparza, Bonifacio Gutierrez, Robles Pezuela, Fonseca, Sarabia, Iribarren, Hidalgo y Teran, Arango y Escandon, Orozco y Berra, Linares,. Hernandez, Victor Perez, Lopez Portilla, Tomas Murphy, General Portilla, General Galindo, the archbishop of Mexico, the bishop of San Luis Potosi, Sanchez Navarro, Rev. Father Fischer, Vidaurri, Manuel Lizardi.

As at Orizaba, Senor Lares presided over the assembly in the name of the emperor, and offered the following question:

In the actual circumstances of the country, and in view of the figures presented by the ministers of war and of finance, ought the imperial government, and can it, undertake the pacification of the country ?

The minister of the interior then rose and read a list of the departments which still remained faithful to the empire.

The minister of finance then rose and said that the treasury counted at that time upon a certain revenue of $11,000,000, Once the departments of San Luis, Zacatecas, and Jalisco recovered, it would amount to $23,000,000. When the arm of the imperial government could embrace the whole country, it would amount to $36,000,000.

The minister of war rose and said that he counted upon an effective force of 26,000 men, immediately disposable.

General Marquez then rose and argued eloquently in favor of pushing on the war. He was supported by Senor Murphy, under-secretary of war, Senors Marin, Garcia Aguirre, Lares, Mier y Teran, and Lacunza. Marshal Bazaine then rose and read a discourse, which was translated into Spanish by Senor Lacunza. He said that it was the opinion of the French army, which had travelled through the whole country, that the republic had gained ascendency over the greater part of the people, and was in all their thoughts. He had had under his orders 40,000 French soldiers and 20,000 Mexicans. He had had all the neccessary resources of the country placed at his disposition, and he was convinced that the empire would be war, not peace. He believed that, therefore, the emperor ought to retire.

The archbishop of Mexico felt himself incompetent to give an opinion. So, also, the bishop of San Luis Potosi.

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Then followed divers opinions, and the result of the discussion was that by a vote of two-thirds to one it was resolved “to maintain the actual situation.” It was observed that at the vote General Vidaurri absented himself, and M. Lizardi refused to vote on account of his foreign nationality. On the assembly rising Senor Lares was charged with submitting their labors and their results to the emperor.

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Elsewhere we publish the names of the council of notables at the city of Mexico, the reports of the ministers of war and of finance, and the result. The opinions of individuals of fame and fortune in Mexico are interesting.

General Marquez was the first to speak. He thought that the government ought vigorously to push on the war; that it had more men and money than necessary to bring it to a successful conclusion. Why be discouraged ? It is certain the dissidents occupy points of great importance, but are we not accustomed to occupy the points to-day which they occupied yesterday ? Is it not the constant history of civil war ?

Senor Murphy, under-secretary of war, was of the same opinion. He considered that the dissident forces are composed of but a band of robbers.

Senor Marin was of the opinion of General Marquez. He said that if the public safety demanded it he would vote that an accommodation be proposed to the republicans. But as, fortunately, the entire country showed itself resolute in favor of the empire, he believed the government ought to pursue the war even till it obtained a complete pacification.

Senor Garcia Aguirre believed, likewise, that the war ought to be pushed on at any cost. If soldiers were wanted, forced levies could be made. If money were wanting they could seize it wherever it could be found—a very consoling fact.

Senors Lares, Mier y Teran, and Lacunza were of opinion that the imperial government ought and is able to undertake the pacification of the country.

Senor Arango y Escandon was of the same opinion as the ministry, and supported it by historical citations.

Generals Portilla and Galindo declared for war to the bitter end.

The archbishop of Mexico said that his office did not call upon him to resolve questions of this kind, and he had no means of judging the figures presented by the ministers of war and finance.

The bishop of San Luis Potosi said that when he received the invitation to assist at the junta he believed that it was intended to discuss some question of morality and religion. Like his colleague, the archbishop, he declined to give his opinion upon this question of war. But he added that the report before them of the dissident forces was inexact. He knew many of the republican chieftains to be honorable men, and to be worthy of high esteem.

Senor Hidalgo y Teran expressed himself in the same style as the hierarchs.

Senor Sanchez Navarro argued warmly in favor of the continuation of the war.

Senor Iribarren, imperial commissioner for the departments of Sonora and Sinaloa, sided with the ministry. He declared that if he had abandoned Mazatlan and the departments intrusted to him, it was because he believed the emperor had abdicated. He considered it every way easy to recover that region of the empire.

Senor Sarabia, imperial commissioner of the department of Durango, was of opinion that the emperor ought to abdicate, inasmuch as the actual state of things could not be maintained.

Senor Robles Pezuela expressed surprise to see the ministry counting on a revenue of $11,000,000. In the exercise of his functions as imperial commissioner at Guanajuato, he observed that the revenues, far from increasing, had diminished in a very perceptible manner. In view of this state of things he did not believe that the empire could sustain itself.

Senor Bonifacio Gutierrez was of the same opinion.

Senor Cortes y Esparza observed that this re-union was composed of heterogeneous elements, and that they lacked reports sufficiently precise to solve the question proposed, “whether the imperial government ought and is able to undertake the pacification of the country.” What documents have we to verify the correctness of the figures before us ? The $11,000,000 spoken of, do they really exist ? Is it not an illusion ? The 26,000 men upon whom the minister of war counts, are they soldiers or simply armed men ? Are they really upon a war footing? What person present can respond with certainty, yes or no, to these questions ? The emperor and his ministers are the only persons capable of entertaining this resolution with a perfect knowledge of the subject.

Senor Cortes y Esparza added that for some time past he had thought there would be an opportunity for the emperor to retire. He had expressed this opinion in the conference at Orizaba, and since that time his opinion, far from changing, bad become confirmed. They say the country is accustomed to the situation in which it finds itself to-day. That is true; but when he became attached to the empire it was precisely because he believed that he was giving in his adhesion to an order of things whose stability would lead to peace and national prosperity. His hope has not been realized, and there are but few chances that it would be realized hereafter. He should give the same vote he gave at Orizaba.

Senor Cordero looked upon the subject in the same light. He thought that by pursuing the [Page 526] war the emperor run the risk of lowering himself to the rank of a partisan chieftain. He believed, besides, that the empire, because of its youth, had but few partisans proper. He pronounced for the abdication.

Senor Luis Mendez was of the same opinion.

Senor Villalba read a discourse full of vehemence against the dissidents. He concluded by recalling to mind that the emperor had promised not to abandon the Mexicans, and he conjured him to keep his promise.

Senor Victor Perez took up the different misstatements in the list of departments reported to be faithful to the emperor, which the minister of the interior had read. He cited certain conscription districts where the government did not possess but a single point, and all the others were in the power of the dissidents. He wished the emperor to know the whole truth, and insisted that they should tell him. He declared for the abdication.

Senor Fonseca maintained the opinion that he gave out at Orizaba, in the commission charged to decide “whether the emperor ought or ought not to retire.” He was for maintaining the empire, but he considered it to be unwise to bring the question every month on the tapis.

The Rev. Father Fischer declared for the war of pacification.

Senor Almazan spoke in the same language as Senors Cortes y Esparza and Cordero.

Senors Orozco and Hernandez responded that the imperial government, in the language of the resolution, “ought and is able to undertake the pacification of the country.”

The opinion of Marshal Bazaine that the republic was dear to the hearts of the people, and that the empire could not be established by military force, and that the emperor ought therefore to abdicate, is given elsewhere.

Senor Pereda did not speak. General Vidaurri vamosed before the vote was taken. Senor Lizardi, an American, naturalized in New Orleans, excused himself because he was not a Mexican citizen. The junta stood two to one in favor of the emperors undertaking the work of pacification.

ANOTHER COUNCIL OF RICH MEN.—A FORCED LOAN OF 1,000,000 DEMANDED.—HOW THE NABOBS OF MEXICO ARE MADE TO BLEED.

A few days after the junta of notables was held, a meeting of eighty capitalists was called at the ministry of finance. About fifty were present.

Senor Campos set forth that, in counting up the ways and means, the treasury found itself in such urgent want of money that it could not meet its normal expenses. In consequence of this, the government had resolved to ask of the persons present the advance of $ 1,000,000, to be divided among them in proportion to their fortunes. This sum would be reimbursed, half of it in permits for the export of specie, and the other half out of the twelfth of the contributions to be made at Mexico on and after the month of April next.

General Santiago Blanco, and one or two other persons, alleged the impossibility of making any pecuniary sacrifice at the present time. Four or five foreigners, placed in the list of invited by error, on their side, also showed their right to exemption from all forced loans.

The under-secretary of finances then proceeded to the distribution of the loan, putting down the sum which each person was to pay. The quotas varied from $2,000 to $30,000. They were made payable, 50 per centum in twenty-four hours after Wednesday, 16th of January, and the remainder dans quelques jours.