alluded, this mistake would have been evident to him, and he would, the Undersigned feels assured, have rendered greater justice to the act and motives of an English functionary.

During Mr. Glennie's journey to Tampico the Undersigued was addressed by the Ambassador of Her Catholic Majesty in the belief that part of the money restored to Mr. Consul Glennie by the officers appointed by General Degollado for the purpose, was in sacks which had belonged, previously to the seizure of the conducta by that officer, to Spaniards, and which he claimed, if such were the case, as their property.

The Undersigned demurred to recognise a legal foundation for this claim, because the money had previously passed from the claimant's possession, not by an act of highway robbery (to which Señor Ocampo's view would level it, with a precedent of some importance), but by the act of a Government who had avowed their responsibility for it.

Concurring, however, most fully in the desire that the utmost good feeling should be maintained among the foreign residents in Mexico, the Undersigned entered into an agreement with his Excellency Señor Pacheco to restore to all foreigners any money proved to have been their property.

This agreement, the Undersigned has had the pleasure of ascertaining, would have been easily carried into effect, as he was informed by Mr. Glennie that by his directions the original sacks, with their marks, had been carefully preserved under Consular seal at San Luis. It was duly communicated to the Comte de la Londe, Chargé d'Affaires of France, the only other Foreign Minister interested then in the capital, but was not made known to the United States' Minister at Vera Cruz, in consequence of the ignorance of the Undersigned of the trifling claim held by citizens of the United States.

Señor Ballesteros was sent to Tampico by his Excellency Señor Pacheco to carry out the arrangement, and the Undersigned issued the necessary instructions to Mr. E. Giffard, acting as Her Majesty's Consul at that port.

Having thus put his Excellency Señor Ocampo in possession of the correct state of the matters to which he has referred in his note, the Undersigned begs to revert to the grave point at issue between Her Majesty's Government and that of Mexico.

It seems scarcely necessary to remark that the Mexican authorities, executive or legal, had nothing to do with any questions that might arise between the Foreign Legations with regard to the money handed over as British property to the Undersigned, for this is clearly avowed by the order addressed by that Government on the 2nd of November to General Garza.

In consequence of the urgent representations of the Undersigned, General Degollado was induced, in the exercise of his authority as the Representative of the Constitutional Government in the interior, to make over to him the supposed approximate amount of British property in the conducta, the seizure and appropriation of which that General had so wrongfully sanctioned.

The money was received on behalf of the Undersigned by Her Majesty's Consul in Mexico, who had personally charge of his communications to General Degollado; and having been placed by him, for greater security, in new sacks with the mark of Her Majesty's Legation, was conveyed under his care, by the instructions of the Undersigned, to Tampico.

At the entrance of that town it was arbitrarily taken possession of by Governor Garza, notwithstanding the reclamations of the Consul in charge, who, in his Protest of the 2nd of November, informed him that he had, in obedience to his instructions, brought the money to Tampico, "with the intention and sole purpose of depositing the same in Her Britannic Consulate, subject always to such arrangements as Her Majesty's Representative might deem it expedient to make in respect thereto;" and declared the Constitutional Government responsible for the seizure made.

The money thus taken from Mr. Glennie by the commission of an outrage towards Her Majesty's Government, secondary only to that so recently perpetrated in Mexico, was never restored, although some days

afterwards Governor Garza transmitted to Consul Glennie the copy of an order he had received from his Government, dated November 2, revoking some previous instructions with respect to this money, on the avowed ground that the Government had since found that it "had gone out of the jurisdiction of the authorities and forces of Mexico," thus distinctly recognizing the validity of the act of restitution of General Degollado. Governor Garza added, that he had given orders that the money he had seized should be restored on demand to Her Majesty's Consul; but it appeared on that functionary's immediate application, that, without ever being replaced in his possession, and while indeed still in that of General Garza, a detainer had been lodged against its removal by the order of the Federal Judge of the district.

Common report in Tampico not unnaturally asserted that one mode having thus failed to appropriate the money, which no legal evidence proved to have ever belonged to the first conducta, another plan was adopted, little less unworthy, by the connivance of the local authorities.

The Undersigned does not conceive it necessary for him to enter upon the question of the jurisdiction or of the legal course of the Federal Judge; it is a matter for the consideration of the Federal Government, whose credit would be affected by incapacity or misconduct on the part of their Judges.

His sentence, he will merely observe, carries an inexplicable misstatement on the face of it with regard to the sacks and marks, and his jurisdiction has been declared illegal by an eminent lawyer, whose opinion the Undersigned incloses.

By the foregoing brief statement of facts, his Excellency Señor Ocampo will perceive that the injury and the injustice done to Her Majesty's subjects by the appropriation of the conducta by General Degollado, have been aggravated by the outrage committed by Governor Garza at Tampico; and the Undersigned cannot but express his hope in the high sense of justice of the Constitutional Government, that they will freely admit the pre-eminent and exceptional claim to redress which this act has created.

The Undersigned feels it his duty frankly to state that his instructions from his Government are distinct and peremptory, precluding further reference to them, and while he willingly gives due credit to his Excellency President Juarez, and the Constitutional Government, for the spontaneous Decree for the payment of claims, inclosed by Señor Ocampo, he is unable to accept the terms proposed by that Decree, with no assignment of a definite time for the repayment of the loss incurred by Her Majesty's subjects on this occasion.

The utmost that the Undersigned can venture to take upon himself to do, in view of the declaration made by his Excellency Señor Ocampo of the actual impossibility of immediate repayment by his Government, is :

1. To accept the pledge of the Constitutional Government of Mexico to repay within sixty-five days of the receipt of this note, the amount that may be still due to Her Majesty's subjects from the money taken from them by General Degollado, with interest at the rate of 12 per cent. per

annum.

2. To accept a diplomatic apology for the outrage committed by Governor Garza, who shall further be reprimanded if he did not act under the first instructions of his Government.

To this proposal the Undersigned must request an early and definitive acceptance or refusal.

And he begs leave to avail, &c.

(Signed)

GEORGE B. MATHEW.

Inclosure 2 in No. 20.

Decree.

LE citoyen Benito Juarez, Président Intérimaire Constitutionnel des Etats-Unis Mexicains, à tous leurs habitants faisons savoir, qu'en vertu des amples facultés dont je me trouve investi, j'ai cru devoir décréter:

Article 1. Est établi, comme fonds spécial, pour le paiement des réclamations que, conformément à la présente Loi, devra satisfaire le Gouvernement en raison des occupations et dommages causés par la guerre actuelle :

1. Le produit total de la vente des édifices dont parle le Décret du 24 Octobre de la présente année, et des autres d'usage public qui sont entrés ou entreront dans le domaine de la nation, en vertu des préceptes de la Loi du 12 Juillet, 1859.

2. Le 15 pour cent de ce qui entrera, en argent effectif, dans les caisses du Gouvernement Féderal, pour rédemptions de capitaux

nationaux.

3. Le 50 pour cent des droits d'importation qui restent libres au Gouvernement dans le port de Tampico.

4. La part qu'il sera possible, des droits d'importation qui restent libres au Gouvernement, dans la douane de Vera Cruz, si, une fois déterminés le montant des réclamations qui devront être satisfaites, et la somme à laquelle s'élève le fonds destiné à leur paiement, il résulte que ce dernier se fait avec trop de lenteur.

Art. 2. Pour l'examen et la qualification des réclamations qui seront adressées au Gouvernement, il sera établi une junta de trois personnes, dont les attributions seront les suivantes :

1. Examiner les réclamations qui sont adressées au Gouvernement; dans ce but, elle pourra apprécier la légalité des documents qui lui seront présentés, exiger des informations de toutes les autorités et administrations publiques, et faire comparaître les personnes pour éclaircir les faits et provoquer les preuves contradictoires, chaque fois qu'elle le jugera nécessaire.

2. Donner des informations au Gouvernement, dans chaque cas de réclamation, sur sa valeur, et proposer également la somme qui devra être payée conformément aux préceptes légaux.

3. Administrer les fonds des réclamations et veiller à ce qu'y entrent scrupuleusement les sommes qui doivent le former.

4. Faire le paiement

(1.) De la somme qui a été occupée par M. le Général Degollado, appartenant à la conduite, et qui est préférable à tout autre paiement, la garantie, pour son remboursement, étant déjà reconnue et signalée, garantie qui, par ces présentes, se confirme et reçoit une plus grande extension.

(2.) Des valeurs en argent ou en effets qui ont facilité la subsistance de l'armée Fédérale et qui seront justifiées avoir été occupées par des chefs dont l'autorité a été reconnue par le Gouvernement Fédéral.

(3.) Des préjudices occasionnés par ordre des mêmes chefs.

Art. 3. La junta ne connaîtra pas des réclamations fondées sur des outrages ou des offenses qui emportent des délits de l'ordre commun, ces plaintes devant être portées devant les tribunaux qui statueront, à leur égard, conformément aux lois préexistantes.

Art. 4. Aussitôt que la conduite sera remboursée, la junta distribuera, chaque deux mois, ou à des périodes plus courtes, s'il est possible, et au prorata, entre ceux dont les réclamations seront déjà liquidées et mises en voie de paiement par le Gouvernement, les fonds qui auront été réunis dans les mêmes périodes.

Donné au Palais du Gouvernement Fédéral, dans l'H. Vera Cruz, le 17 Decembre, 1860.

(Contresigné)

(Signé) BENITO JUAREZ. ANTONIO ESCALANTE, Oficial Mayor intérimaire.

No. 21.

(Extract.)

Mr. Mathew to Lord J. Russell.-(Received February 28.)

Jalapa, January 30, 1861. THE occupation of the capital by the Liberal forces, which I had the honour to report to your Lordship by last month's mail, was followed by

the complete restoration of the Constitutional Government, under Señor Juarez, as President ad interim, until the meeting of Congress, and the election of a Chief Magistrate in the regular mode.

The members of the late self-appointed Government in that city have not been found, with the exception of Señor Diaz. Their army was somewhat prematurely dissolved by proclamation, and the two guerilla bands of Vicario and Megia, which some of the reactionary officers have joined, are the only armed bodies in the Republic by which the public tranquillity is disturbed.

There has not been a single act of bloodshed or of popular vengeance on the part of the successful party; and I cannot but entertain a sanguine hope that if the elections now in progress result in placing the Executive power in firm and able hands, Mexico may yet recover a position among nations. Señor Lerdo and General Ortega are the most prominent candidates.

I have had the honour to communicate to your Lordship in my despatch of January 28th their impolitic and offensive act in the expulsion of Her Catholic Majesty's Ambassador, and other Foreign Ministers. There is but one other occurrence worthy of notice.

The publication of the various laws of reform in the capital, and especially the Law of Religious Liberty, and the Civil Marriage Act, of which I annex a copy, has been attended by the most violent opposition on the part of the higher clergy. Upon the promulgation of the last-named law, the Archbishop issued a Decree, of which I inclose a copy, in direct opposition to the law; and refusing to withdraw it, he and several of the Bishops received orders to leave the country, and, I am informed, have accompanied the Spanish Ambassador to Vera Cruz.

The Civil Marriage has been in operation in France, the United States, and various other countries, without any similar hostile demonstration, either by His Holiness the Pope, or the resident Catholic clergy; and I do not see that in this instance the Government had any other course open but that which they have followed.

I believe that, although the most inflammatory appeals have been made by the Archbishop in the Cathedral of Mexico, and by others of the clergy, these have failed to create any considerable degree of excitement.

A portion of the public press is clamorous for their trial, and the small Conservative party appears to advocate this course in the hope of thus exciting a reactionary movement, but the people at large evidently take very little interest in their behalf.

The newly-appointed Envoy of the United States, Mr. Weller, has arrived in Mexico from California by way of Acapulco.

The Prussian and French Ministers are also in the capital, but have not as yet recognized the Government.

I have hitherto refrained from returning to Mexico, in the hope of giving, by standing aloof, greater weight to my demands, as stated in my despatch of January 29th; but should these be satisfactorily settled, and Her Majesty's Envoy not arrive by this packet, I shall venture to take upon myself, in the absence of your Lordship's commands, to do so, however personally inconvenient, as I believe that my presence may be of importance in various affairs pending, and may be of use to the British mercantile community, who urgently request it.

Inclosure 1 in No. 21.

Decree of President Juarez in favour of Religious Liberty and various Religious Reforms.

LE C. Benito Juarez, Président intérimaire constitutionnel des EtatsUnis Mexicains, à tous leurs habitants faisons savoir: Qu'en vertu des amples facultés dont je me trouve investi, j'ai cru devoir decréter ce qui suit:

Article 1. Les lois protégent l'exercice du culte Catholique et des autres cultes qui s'établiront dans le pays, comme l'expression et le résultat

de la liberté religieuse qui, droit naturel de l'homme, n'a et ne peut avoir d'autres limites que les droits des tiers et les exigences de l'ordre public. Dans tout autre cas, l'indépendance entre l'Etat, d'une part, et les croyances et les pratiques religieuses, d'autre part, est et sera parfaite et inviolable. Pour l'application de ces principes, on observera ce qui est déclaré et déterminé par les lois de réforme et par le présent Decret.

Art. 2. Une église ou Société religieuse se forme des hommes qui ont volontairement désiré en devenir les membres, en manifestant cette résolution par eux-mêmes ou par le moyen de leurs parents (padres) ou des tuteurs desquels ils dépendent.

Art. 3. Chacune de ces Sociétes a la liberté de régler, par elle ou par le moyen de ses prêtres, les croyances et les pratiques du culte qu'elle professe, et de fixer les conditions dans lesquelles elle admettra les hommes dans son sein, ou les en séparera, pourvu que, par ces dispositions, comme par l'application qui en sera faite aux cas particuliers qui pourront se présenter, on ne commette aucune faute ni aucun délit que prohibent les lois; dans ce dernier cas, ces lois seront strictement appliquées dans leurs prescriptions.

Art. 4. L'autorité de ces Societés religieuses et de leurs prêtres sera purement et absolument spirituelle, sans aucune coaction d'autre sorte, qu'elle s'exerce sur les hommes fidèles aux doctrines, aux conseils et aux préceptes d'un culte, ou sur ceux qui, après avoir accepté ces choses, changeraient, ensuite, de manière de voir.

Action populaire est concédée pour accuser et dénoncer les infracteurs du présent Article.

Art. 5. Dans l'ordre civil, il n'y a d'obligation, de peines ni de coaction d'aucune espèce en ce qui touche aux questions, fautes, et délits purement religieux; en conséquence ne pourra avoir lieu, même à la requête d'aucune église ou de ses directeurs, aucun procédé judiciaire ou administratif pour cause d'apostasie, de schisme, d'hérégie, de simonie ou tout autre délit ecclésiastique. Mais si à ces causes se joignait quelqu'une des fautes ou quelqu'un des délits compris dans les lois qui sont actuellement en force et vigueur, et auxquelles il n'est pas dérogé par le présent Decret, l'autorité publique compétente connaîtra du cas et prononcera sans prendre en considération ni sa qualité ni son importance dans l'ordre religieux. Ce même principe sera observé lorsque les fautes et les délits indiqués résulteront d'un acte qui sera jugé propre à un culte quelconque et autorisé par lui. En conséquence, la manifestation des idées sur les points religieux, et la publication des bulles, brefs, rescrits, lettres pastorales, mandements et tous écrits traitant également des mêmes matières, sont des choses dans lesquelles on jouira de pleine liberté, à moins que par elles on n'attaque l'ordre, la paix, ou la morale publique, ou la vie privée, ou, de toute autre manière, les droits des tiers, ou bien qu'on provoque à quelque crime ou délit ; car, dans tous ces cas, abstraction faite du point religieux, on appliquera irrémissiblement les lois qui prohibent de tels abus, en se conformant aux prescriptions de l'Article 23.

Art. 6. Dans l'économie intérieure des temples et dans l'administration des biens dont les lois permettent l'acquisition aux Sociétés religieuses, ces dernières auront, en ce qui touche à l'ordre civil, toutes les mêmes facultés, les mêmes droits et les mêmes obligations que toute association légitimement établie.

Art. 7. Sont abrogés les recours de force (" recursos de fuerza"). Si quelque église ou ses directeurs exerçaient un acte particulier de la puissance publique, l'auteur ou les auteurs de cet attentat suffriraient respectivement les peines que les lois imposent à ceux qui les commettent en corps ou séparément.

Art. 8. Cesse le droit d'asile dans les temples; on pourra et l'on devra employer la force qui sera jugée nécessaire pour y prendre et en extraire les coupables déclarés ou présumés, conformément aux lois, sans que l'autorité ecclésiastique puisse avoir d'intervention dans cette qualification.

Art. 9. Le serment et ses rétractations ne sont pas dans les attributions des lois. Tous les droits, obligations, et peines légales sont déclarés valides et consistants, sans avoir besoin de considérer, parfois, le serment comme ayant connexité avec les actes de l'ordre civil. Cesse, par consé