[Enclosure No. 7.] SUPERIOR POLITICAL PREFECTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SINALOA, Mazatlan, February 2, 1865. SIR: Don Ladislao Gaona writes me officially as follows: "MAZATLAN, February 2, 1865. "In reply to your note of to-day, I have the honor to say that I did not at first accept the judgeship offered me, for the sole reasons given at the time, and not intended as contumacious. I now accept the place. "L. GAONA. "The SUPERIOR POLITICAL PREFECT of this Department, present." I send you a copy of the above note, that you may order Mr. Gaona to be liberated and to take charge of the office to which he has been appointed. God grant you many years. Secretary General, G. MORENO. Superior Political Prefect, GREGORIO ALMADA. His Excellency General of the Division, DE CASTIGNY, present. [Enclosure No. 8.] MEXICAN EMPIRE, SECOND JUSTICE OF LETTERS, Mazatlan, February 3, 1865. I have this day taken possession of the second judgeship of first instance, by order of your note of the 29th January last, and have the honor to inform you of it. L. GAONA. The SUPERIOR POLITICAL PREFECT of this Department, present. [Enclosure No. 9.-Translation.] [From the Pajaro Verde, Mexico, 25th day of August, 1864. ] PROTESTS. We, the undersigned, in compliance with the order of the head prefect of the department that persons holding office under the constitution of 1857 shall present themselves at the prefecture and prove that they are not hostile to the imperial government, protest on our word of honor that we will behave like honest citizens, will live in a peaceful manner, and will engage in no act of hostility against the present government. FELIX DE LA PAZ, I signed because the penalty established in the circular of August 10th last is very severe, and I am told that it will be enforced. FRANCISCO B. JAYME. I signed this protest for the same reason that the Licenciate Jayme did. MIGUEL GUINCHARD. I protest that I have been hostile to no government up to this time, and I sign the present protest because of the penalty imposed by the circular of the 10th of last August. AGUAS CALIENTES, July 18, 1864. GUILLERMO R. BRAND. Although we have served none of the governments of the country, nor have joined any political parties, we sign this present paper to avoid the serious consequences that might occur in case of refusal. J. REFUGIO GUINCHARD. Although I never held any office, I have been summoned by the prefect to ask me to be neutral. I protest to be so to avoid me further troubles. A. C. BERRUECO. Not being employed by the government, but being partial to the liberals, I am called upon to make this protest that I will live in peace. I hereby declare to remain neutral under all circumstances. TRINIDAD PEDROZA. For the sake of suffering imprisonment or exile, I signed this protest. BRUNO DAVALOS. Although I am partial to the liberal party, I have never shown any hostility to the present government, and I sign this protest to save myself from banish ment or worse evils. LUZ G. BRAVO. There are a great many other remarks like the preceding ones. Mr. Seward to Mr. Romero. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 2, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge your communications of March 31, and April 3 and 7, 1865, with their respective enclosures, transmitting, for the information of this government, accounts of the condition of affairs in Mexico, and of the events occurring there connected with the operations of the forces contending in that republic. You will be pleased to accept my grateful acknowledgments for the interesting information you have so kindly communicated, while I avail myself of the occasion to reiterate to you, sir, the assurances of my high consideration. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Señor MATIAS ROMERO, &, &c., &c., Washington, D. C. i Mr. Romero to Mr. Hunter. MEXICAN LEGATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Washington, 10th of May, 1865. MR. ACTING SECRETARY: I have the honor to transmit to you, for the nformation of the government of the United States, a copy, in English, of a note which I this day received from Señor Lerdo de Tejada, the minister of foreign relations of the Mexican republic, dated from the city of Chihuahua, on the 23d of March last, and marked No. 102, in which the views of the Mexican government are communicated to me, with reference to the note which I had the honor to address to your department on the 6th of February previous, protesting against the acts of the French agents in Mexico, with which they are attempting to make the republic responsible. I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you, sir, the assurances of my distinguished consideration." Hon. WILLIAM HUNTER, &c., &c., &c. M. ROMERO. [Translation.] No. 102. DEPARTMENT of Foreign Relations and of GovernMENT, In the copy annexed to your note No. 31, of February 6 of this year, the citizen President of the republic has seen the protest which you communicated under the same date to the honorable Secretary of State of the United States, with reference to the report that the French government had resolved to order its agent, Maximilian, to sign a pretended cession of a large part of the territory of the Mexican republic. The President approves your conduct, although in this matter the republic has already protested from the beginning, by many of its legitimate organs, and of all its constituted authorities, against all the acts and consequences of foreign invasion. Neither the republic nor its government can ever be holden for the debts of the French agent Maximilian, whose only title to authority is that lent to him. by the presence of the armed forces of France, and who could not sustain himself in Mexico for a single day without the support of foreign bayonets. The Mexican people, represented in the national congress, has solemnly declared its intention not to cede any part of the territory, whether large or small, to any nation. For this reason, in the laws enacted by congress, which conferred the most ample powers upon the government, even that of concluding treaties with foreign powers, the restriction was inserted that, in any treaty, so concluded, the integrity of the national territory should be respected. If Maximilian, in obedience to the orders of Napoleon, has signed or should hereafter sign a pretended cession of a portion of the territory, this should not be surprising, for, in order to do so, he must have set aside every consideration for the rights and will of the Mexican people, all respect for the national honor, and even for the sentiment of personal dignity, from the moment when, through of assumed authority, he determined to play in Mexico the part of the submissive agent of the French government. I renew to you, sir, my very distinguished consideration. Citizen MAIAS ROMERO, LERDO DE TEJADA. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary A true copy: of the Mexican Republic, Washington, D. C. IGNO. MARISCAL, Secretary. WASHINGTON, May 10, 1865. Mr. Romero to Mr. Seward. [Translation.] MEXICAN LEGATION TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Washington, 12th of June, 1865. MR. SECRETARY: There has come into my hands a memorandum which contains some considerations on the question about Mexico, treated from the point of view of the laws of nations in what regards the United States. Without expressing at present any opinion respecting it, much less asking it from the gov ernment of the United States, I confine myself to sending to you a copy of said memorandum. I avail of this opportunity to renew to you, Mr. Secretary, the assurance of my most distinguished consideration. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c., &c., &c. (Memorandum.) M. ROMERO. 'Whatever were the causes which led to the war between France and Mexico, when it occurred it assumed the character of a war between two sovereign and independent nations. In such a war the United States had no right to interfere, for, in accordance with established principles of international law, the federal government was in duty bound to observe a strict neutrality. "But after the occupation of the city of Mexico by the French their real policy and intentions were unmasked. New tactics were at once adopted which changed the entire aspect of affairs. “Former grievances were lost sight off, claims for indemnities and spoliations ceased to be the order of the day. Assisted by a few leading and influential Mexicans, France set to work to remodel the political status of the country, and succeeded in organizing an imperial party, representing the minority, in opposition to the republican party, representing the majority. Hostilities ensued between the two, and civil war was inaugurated. In his last annual message to Congress, President Lincoln, alluding to the situation of affairs in Mexico, took this view in declaring that civil war was still raging in that country. "This change of policy on the part of France changed the position of the United States in reference to the Mexican question. The war assumed a new form, and, from one waged between two nations, degenerated into a struggle for supremacy between two parties. If the French considered themselves justified. in maintaining by force of arms one of these parties, the United States had undoubtedly the right to give their support to the other. International law no longer compelled them to observe a neutrality. "What was the result of this state of things? Simply that the imperial party, supported by French bayonets, and countenanced by other European governments who suffered the newly proclaimed sovereign of Mexico to contract loans and enlist soldiers in their midst, obtained the ascendency over an adversary who was fighting and still continues to fight alone, unaided even with the moral support of the United States. The United States have always proclaimed themselves to be the protectors of their sister republics on the American continent. What hopes can the latter entertain of their future security when they see a great republic, of which they are the feeble imitators, assisting with indifference to the spectacle of a handful of foreign soldiers successfully progressing, on her very borders, in the work of erecting a government framed and fashioned on the European plan? What will be their reflections when they discover that the United States have nothing but words to offer to friends steadfast in their attachment from motives both of interest and sympathy? "If, through the instrumentality of the United States, a republic should be reared and fostered on the frontiers of France or of Russia, would these nations be indifferent to the event and accept the situation? Unquestionably not. For similar and more cogent reasons the United States cannot suffer the establishment, on the confines of their territory, of a monarchy created and maintained by foreign arms. "The United States have no more co-operated in safe-guarding and perpetuating republican institutions in Mexico than the diminutive States of Central America, who have thought it sufficient to protest against this interference and encroachment on the part of European powers. But what may seem a matter of satisfaction to the pride of those States cannot be regarded in that light by so great and formidable a nation as the United States. The question at issue cannot remain in suspense; the United States must pursue one course or another— either to interfere actively in behalf of republican principles and against the French occupation in Mexico, or to recognize Maximilian and concede for ever to European nations the right of an armed intervention in the domestic concerns of the republics on the American continent. .Let the United States make this sacrifice, for they will then at least be spared, in the eyes of the world, the ridicule and mortification of not possessing the requisite energy to handle and settle a question of paramount interest to themselves and in which the right is incontestably on their side." Mr. Romero to Mr. Seward. MEXICAN LEGATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Washington, 25th of June, 1865. MR. SECRETARY: Among the documents relating to Mexican affairs which I have neglected to transmit to your department, and which deserves the particular attention of the government of the United States, is a treaty, signed at Miramar the 10th of April, 1864, between the Emperor of the French and the ex-archduke of Austria, Ferdinand Maximilian, who assumed on that day the usurped title of emperor of Mexico. In this treaty, of which I inclose you a copy in English, an alliance is agreed upon between the said ex-archduke of Austria and the Emperor of the French. I also enclose you a French copy, with English translation, of the address of Mr. Montholon, French minister near the said ex-archduke, when he was received by the latter on the 15th of June, 1864, and the usurper's reply. I embrace this occasion of renewing to you, Mr. Secretary, the assurance of my most distinguished consideration. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c., &c., &c. M. ROMERO. [Enclosure No. 1.-Translation.] TREATY. The government of the Emperor of the French and that of the Emperor of Mexico, animated with an equal desire to secure the re-establishment of order in Mexico, and to consolidate the new empire, have resolved to regulate by a |