into the Army; the intervention of this legation would not be accepted in his behalf, because he had not matriculated as a foreigner. For you will have observed that the question of citizenship is not the one with which the Mexican Government concerns itself. It does not look beyond the fact of matriculation, and bases its refusal to admit diplo matic interference on the ground of non-matriculation alone. It is true that in certain instances of imprisonment and impressment into the Army this position has not been taken, but in others it has, notably in the cases of claims made by citizens of the United States, or their beirs, for damages arising from torts committed on them. # It is also true that instances have occurred when, notwithstanding the denial of the right of intervention, the intervention has been successful.

I am, &c.,

P. H. MORGAN.

[Inclosure 1 in No. 962.-Translation.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND OFFICE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. His Excellency the provisional President has transmitted to me the following decree : "The citizen Benito Juarez, constitutional provisional President of the Mexican Republic, to whom these presents may come:

"Know ye, that availing myself of the authority conferred upon me, I have seen fit to decree as follows:

"ARTICLE 1. To the end that all foreigners residing in the Republic may establish their nationality and exercise the right to which foreigners are entitled under the laws and treaties with the nations, respectively, there shall be opened in the department of state for foreign relations a registry, to the end that they matriculate therein.

"ART. 2. Three months, without prorogation, to commence from the publication of this decree, shall be allowed for foreigners to be inscribed, who desire to enjoy their rights as such.

"ART. 3. To accomplish this, those who reside away from this capital shall apply, with their respective proofs, to the government of states and territories, who shall arrange directly with the minister of foreign relations to enable them to carry ont this decree, and who shall transmit the lists and descriptions of those who shall present themselves as above directed.

"ART. 4. Foreigners who shall return to the Republic are obliged to present themselves to the chief political authority at the port of their destination, and to ask therefrom the certificate which will be referred to hereafter.

"ART. 5. Captains of ports are obliged to transmit to the minister of foreign relations, as soon as possible, a list of passengers arrived thereat, and of their nationality. "ART. 6. Upon foreigners who shall not have matriculated within the time above specified, a fine shall be imposed of ten dollars, and one dollar in addition for each month thereafter until they shall have registered.

"ART. 7. No authority, office, or public functionary shall recognize as a foreigner one who does not present the required certificate of matriculation issued by the department of foreign relations.

"ART. 8. The tribunals and judges, upon the instituting before them a demand by any foreigner, shall exact from him the previous presentation of the certificate referred to, taking note of the date and number thereof, and he shall not be heard in judgment or otherwise if it is not presented.

"ART. 9. No writer (notary, &c.,) shall authenticate any document for a foreigner, unless the said certificate is previously produced, of which special mention shall be made in the public document which he authenticates.

"ART. 10. Neither shall there be admitted in any of the offices of the Republic any reclamation on action by foreigners unless, at the time of making it, they present the certificate of matriculation, of which mention shall be made in the record to which the reclamation or action relates.

"ART. 11. Foreigners, to obtain said document, shall establish their nationality by the passports which they brought into the Republic, or by a certificate of the diplo matic or consular officer of their nation without its being necessary that they should make any written application therefor to the secretary for foreign affairs.

"ART. 12. The functionary or authority who shall fail to comply with this decree shall be suspended for one month, and if he be a writer (escribano), shall pay a fine of fifty dollars.

"ART. 13. To those who have matriculated, certificates shall be issued to them from the department of foreign affairs, which alone has the authority to issue them. "ART. 14. To cover all the charges for the issuing of said certificates, one dollar each shall be demanded, which shall be paid at the moment of registry.

"ART. 15. It shall be the duty of the judges of the civil registry to make monthly reports to the department of foreign affairs of the changes which take place in the civil condition of foreigners.

"Therefore, I order it to be printed, published, circulated, and obeyed accordingly. "Done in Mexico, the 16th of March, 1861.

"To the citizen FRANCISCO Zarco,

"Minister of Foreign Affairs."

"BENITO JUAREZ.

And I communicate it to you that it may be carried into effect.

God and liberty.

Mexico, 16th March, 1861.

[Inclosure 2 in No. 962.-Translation.]

ZARCO.

LAW OF MATRICULATION.

Benito Juarez, constitutional President of the United States of Mexico to the inhab

itants thereof:

Know ye, that in the use of the ample faculties with which I am invested, I have thought proper to decree the following:

ARTICLE 1. Articles 6, 8, 9, and 12, of the law of March 16, 1861, are hereby repealed, and consequently foreigners who may come to the Republic or reside in it, although they shall not have caused themselves to be enrolled in the register of matriculation of foreigners, nor possess certificates thereof, may plead their rights before the tribunals, or otherwise sign contracts or other public documents, and present themselves to any authorities or officers, in use of the same rights as the other inhabitants of the Republic, according to the laws of the same.

ART. 2. The articles of the said law providing that foreigners who may wish to enjoy their rights as such, shall cause themselves to be enrolled in the register of matriculation and take out certificates thereof, remain in force. So far as may relate to the time previous to the date of enrollment and issuance of said certificates, they cannot allege any rights, nor be judicially recognized in the capacity of foreigners.

Therefore, I order the above to be printed, published, circulated, and duly obeyed. Given in Chihuahua, on the 6th of December, 1866.

BENITO JUAREZ.

No. 732.]

No. 418.

Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Morgan.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, February 17, 1885.

SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 962, of the 12th ultimo, in reply to the inquiries of this Department respecting the matriculation laws of Mexico. The Department has read with interest your careful review of the subject. It appears that matriculation of foreign ers consists in registering their names and nationality in the foreign office of Mexico.

The Mexican Government contends that the national character of the foreigner is proved by this matriculation, which entitles him to special privileges and obligations, called the rights of foreigners. These are

(1) the right to invoke the treaties and conventions existing between his country and Mexico; (2) the right to seek the protection of his own Government.

They further contend that the want of a certificate of matriculation will be considered sufficient to deny to this Government the right of diplomatic intervention in any case.

Against this contention this Government protests as an interference in its relations to its citizens. The Government of the United States recognizes the right of Mexico to prescribe the reasonable conditions upon which foreigners may reside within her territory, and the duty of American citizens there to obey the municipal laws; but those laws cannot disturb or affect the relationship existing at all times between this Government and one of its citizens. The duty is always incumbent upon a Government to exercise a just and proper guardianship over its citizens, whether at home or abroad. A municipal act of another state cannot abridge this duty, nor is such an act countenanced by the law or usage of nations. No country is exempted from the necessity of examining into the correctness of its own acts. A sovereign who departs from the principles of public law cannot find excuse therefore in his own municipal code. This Government, being firmly convinced that the position of the Mexican Government is untenable, cannot assent to it. You will so inform the minister for foreign affairs in such form as you may deem proper.

I am, &c.,

FRED'K T. FRELINGHUYSEN.

No. 44.]

NETHERLANDS.

No. 419.

Mr. Bell to Mr. Bayard.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, The Hague, September 17, 1885. (Received September 28.) SIR: I have the honor to bring to your knowledge that on the occasion of a recent demonstration of workingmen at Amsterdam there was a conflict between those taking part and the police authorities. Subsequently a meeting of the workingmen was convened in Amsterdam for the purpose of presenting a formal protest against the action of the police authorities. At this meeting a resolution was adopted protesting against the action of the police authorities and demanding an inquiry upon the subject of the excess committed by them under the pretext of repressing trouble. The speakers at the meeting advised those taking part to abstain from all tumultous demonstrations. The text of the resolution adopted at this meeting was delivered to the mayor by a delega tion appointed for that purpose. The mayor, in receiving the document, said to the delegation that all those who believed themselves to have been wronged by the authorities, and were in a position to establish the facts, were at liberty to address him, either verbally or in writing; at the same time he expressed the opinion that the public force on the occasion of the late trouble did not exceed their authority. The delegation after its audience with the mayor reported to the crowd the result of its mission.

A new meeting was then held, at which the complaints of the people were formulated and a proclamation issued under the direction of various associations, requesting all those who desire to participate in manifestations for the purpose of modifying article 76 of the constitution to take part in a grand demonstration, which is fixed to take place at The Hague on Sunday next, the 20th instant.

The manifestations which have taken place within the past thirty days in different parts of the country, and especially at Amsterdam, were directed chiefly against article 76 of the constitution of the Netherlands, which limits the right to vote.

Article 76 reads as follows:

The members of the second Chamber are elected in the various electoral districts in which the country is divided by Netherlands subjects clearly enjoying civil and political rights and paying a direct electoral tax, which (regard being had to local circumstances) is fixed by the electoral law, and which cannot be less than 20 florins ($8) nor to exceed 160 florins ($64),

The proclamation calling the meeting at The Hague on the 20th instant is issued under the direction of the following-named associations: universal suffrage: bakers, boatmen, cigar-makers, cabinet-makers, carpenters, house painters, tinners, carpet-makers, riggers, wheelwrights, stone-masons, printers, iron-workers, painters, plasterers, shoemakers, &c. The associations seem to be making an effort to secure a modification of the article in question by an appeal to the legal authorities by public but peaceful demonstrations. The proclamation itself is addressed to all those who desire to arrive by legal ways and without disturbance at the modification of article 76 of the constitution.

The meeting here is fixed for the 20th instant, the day before the opening of the session of the States General, and is no doubt fixed for that date on account of the expected presence at that time in this capital of the members of the States General. As the Government has at this time the revision of the constitution under consideration, no little comment has been caused by what is termed "the feverish impatience of the people."

The reports of the committee of the second Chamber concerning the propositions to revise the constitution have recently been made public, but on account of their voluminous nature I have thought it best to await the final action of the States General before forwarding a definite report. I have, &c.,

No. 420.

Mr. Bell to Mr. Bayard.

ISAAC BELL, JR.

No. 47.]

[Extract.]

LEGATION OF THE

The Hague, September 23, 1885.

UNITED STATES, (Received October 7.) SIR: As previously announced in my No. 44, of September 17, I have the honor to report that a manifestation on a large scale took place here on Sunday, the 20th instant, in favor of universal suffrage. The initiative of this demonstration and of the meeting which followed it was taken by the "Netherland League of Universal Suffrage" with the cooperation of the "Netherlands Workingmen's Associations" and the "So

cial Democrats of the Netherlands." Delegates representing over one hundred associations from all sections of the country took part in the procession, which was formed on the Bentenhof, in front of the legation. The procession, bearing flags and banners, but without music, quietly paraded the principal streets of the city, escorted by the police. Those taking part, some three or four thousand, subsequently held a meeting in one of the principal halls of the city, which lasted three hours, and during which time several important speeches were made. The speakers declared that if the people could not obtain universal suffrage through legal ways that they would obtain it by violence. The meeting finally adopted a resolution demanding for the last time "peacefully" universal suffrage. The resolution will be presented to the presidents of the two chambers and to the minister of the interior.

I have, &c.,

No. 421.

ISAAC BELL, JR.

No. 48.]

Mr. Bell to Mr. Bayard.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

The Hague, September 26, 1885. (Received October 10.) SIR: I have the honor to report that yesterday the minister of finance submitted the budget for the coming year to the second Chamber, by which it appears that a deficit exists of 16,500,000 florins ($6,600,000) for the home Government, and a further deficit of 4,500,000 florins ($1,800,000) for the Indian colonies.

In order to provide for this deficit as well as to complete the unfinished public works, it is said that the minister of finance will propose to the Chambers that a loan of 65,000,000 florins ($26,000,000) be issued payable in fifty-five years.

I have, &c.,

ISAAC BELL, JR.

No. 55.]

No. 422.

Mr. Bell to Mr. Bayard.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

The Hague, October 13, 1885. (Received October 24.) SIR Referring to my No. 48 of the 26th ultimo, I now have the honor to inform you that an examination of the documents accompanying the budget for the year 1886 recently presented to the second Chamber shows that economies are proposed in all the departments except that of war, through which it is proposed to dispense 500,000 florins more than in 1885.

The expenses of the interior department are to be diminished more than 1,000,000 florins. This arises principally from the suppression of normal schools and a reduction in the operations connected with public instruction.