No. 274.
Mr. Nelson to Mr.
Fish
No. 328.]
Legation of the United States, Mexico
,
December 22,
1870. (Received January 14.)
Sir: The Mexican congress during its recent session
failed to consummate, by appropriate legislation, the extension of the free
zone, and adjourned on the 15th instant, leaving the tariff bill, of which
the free zone forms a part, in an unfinished state.
In order to ascertain from an official source the present legal status of
this question, on the 21st instant I addressed a note to the minister of the
treasury, inquiring if the action of the congress at its recent session had
resulted in the extension of the free zone, and if further legislation was
not required before the extension could become a law, (A.)
[Page 609]
On the same day Mr. Romero replied that the congress of the union approved,
in the session of the 5th of November, the fifty-third article of the tariff
bill, which decrees the subsistence of the free zone and its extension to
the northern frontier, and that in the session of the 7th of the same month,
the proper committee withdrew the fifty fourth article of the bill, in order
to present it in another form. It was not presented, however, during the
remainder of the session, nor did congress finish the discussion of the
tariff bill; consequently it remains pending for the next session; Mr.
Romero further says that, although a portion of the bill was sanctioned by
congress, as it was not finished, nor sent to the executive for
promulgation, it cannot be enforced, even in regard to the portion
sanctioned. For this reason, although the article relating to the extension
of the free zone was approved by congress, it cannot be enforced until the
remaining articles are approved and sent to the executive for promulgation.
This cannot, in any case, be done until the next session, which will
commence on the 1st day of April, 1871, (B.)
A new congress will be elected in June next, which, it is to be hoped, will
exhibit a more judicious and enlightened policy upon this important subject,
more in conformity with the wise statesmanship of the executive department
of the government.
Your obedient servant,
Inclosures.
A.—Mr. Nelson to Mr. Romero.
B.—Mr. Romero to Mr. Nelson.
C.—Translation of the same.
A.
Mr. Nelson to Mr.
Romero
Legation of the United States,
Mexico,
December 21, 1870.
My Dear Sir: Please inform me what is the
present legal status of the free zone. Did the action of the Mexican
congress at its recent session result in the extension of the zone, and
is not further legislation required before the extension becomes a law?
An early answer will greatly oblige,
Very respectfully,
C.
[Translation.]
Mr. Romero to Mr. Nelson.
Mexico
,
December 21, 1870.
My Esteemed Sir: I have just received your
letter of this date, in which you ask me two questions in regard to the
free zone.
I have the honor to state, in reply to these questions, that the congress
of the union approved, in the session of the 5th of November last, the
fifty-third article of the tariff bill, which decrees the subsistence of
the free zone and its extension to the northern frontier, and that, in
the session of the 7th of the same month, the proper committee withdrew
the fifty-fourth article of the same bill, in order to present it in
another form. It did not present it during the remainder of the session,
nor did congress finish the discussion of the tariff bill, consequently
it has remained pending for the next session. Although a portion of the
bill was sanctioned by congress, as it was not finished, nor sent to the
executive for promulgation, it cannot be enforced, even in regard to the
portion sanctioned. For this reason, although one of the articles of the
bill which relates [Page 610] to the free
zone was approved by congress during its last session, this article can
not be put in practice until the approval of the remaining articles and
the sending of the whole tariff, or at least the part already voted, to
the executive for its promulgation. This cannot be done, in any case,
before the next session, which will commence on the 1st of April,
1871.
I am, &c.,
