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inquired whether I could furnish him with any information regarding the design attributed to the French Government of establishing a Monarchy in Mexico, under the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria. The Spanish Government had, his Excellency said, received no intelligence of this design, although it was much talked of, and, taken together with the avowed intention of the French Government to increase the force of the expedition against Mexico, had given rise to agitation and comment in certain political circles at Madrid.

What his Excellency, therefore, wished to know was, whether any communication on the subject had been made to Her Majesty's Government by the Cabinet of the Tuileries. In your Lordship's despatch of the 23rd instant, which I had read to him on the previous day, his Excellency remarked that there was certainly no direct mention of the particular design in question; yet there was, it seemed to him, an evident allusion to some plan of interference in the affairs of Mexico inconsistent with the terms of the Tripartite Convention, the prosecution of which Her Majesty's Government deprecated; and to which, as he had stated to me, whatever it might be, the Spanish Government would be equally averse.

I replied that I had no knowledge of any communication having been made to Her Majesty's Government by the French Government in regard to the design in question. M. Thouvenel had certainly stated to Lord Cowley that the French expeditionary force would be increased by 3,000 or 4,000 men, and placed under the command of an officer of equal rank with General Prim; but the reasons alleged for these measures were the necessity of guarding against any disaster to the French troops, now that it appeared that they would have to march into the interior, and because the French nation would not view with satisfaction any superiority of numbers on the part of another nation with which it was engaged in combined military operations.

Señor Calderon Collantes remarked that he was aware of the intended reinforcement of the French forces, and to the reasons alleged for it he had nothing to object. Of these the Emperor of the French was the best judge; but if these reinforcements were coincident with the announcement of an ulterior political object, the matter would wear a different aspect.

His Excellency went on to say that Spain having, from the beginning, set aside every idea of making a conquest of Mexico; having entertained no plan of establishing a Monarchy in that country under a Spanish Prince; having faithfully adhered to the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of Mexico, both at the time she had determined to act there on her own account, and afterwards when, by the Tripartite Convention, that principle

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became an engagement towards her allies;-Spain, he said, was naturally anxious to be assured that no candidate for the Monarchy of Mexico was about to be put forward in any other quarter. It was evident that the Spanish nation, although perfectly willing to go forward, in the course necessary for the vindication of its honour, upon the principle of non-intervention, would never brook the notion that it had been used as a tool to subserve other interests, and to forward other political designs. The Spanish Government had turned a deaf ear to the suggestions of an ill-understood ambition in regard to Mexico, and had been approved by the nation in rejecting the idea of a Monarchy under a Spanish Prince; but it might not be so if a Spanish Administration were to lend itself to favour and assist a similar combination in favour of a Prince of any other nation.

His Excellency said that this being the case he felt sure I would excuse him if he inquired whether I was aware of any overture having been made by His Majesty the King of the Belgians to Her Majesty's Government, with a view to putting forward a Prince of His Majesty's family, the Duc de Flandres, as a candidate for the future crown of Mexico: and if so, whether that Prince was to be regarded as the candidate of Great Britain.

I replied that I had received no information of any such overture having been made, and that I disbelieved the fact. I added that I felt assured Her Majesty's Government would entertain no proposal at variance with the provisions of the Convention they had concluded with Spain and France, and that, consequently, they would put forward or favour the claim of no candidate for the Government of Mexico, either as King or President, it being their fixed determination not to interfere with the Mexicans in the choice of their own rulers and constitution.

Señor Calderon Collantes expressed himself as entirely satisfied with these assurances, based, as I informed him, upon my knowledge of the principles upon which Her Majesty's Government had proceeded from the beginning of this affair, and from which I felt assured they had not the slightest inclination to depart. Earl Russell.

JOHN P. CRAMPTON.

No. 7.-Sir J. Crampton to Earl Russell.-(Received February 9.) MY LORD, Madrid, February 3, 1862.

As Marshal O'Donnell, in the conversation with me which I have recounted in my despatch of the 30th ultimo, referred to the Proclamation of General Gasset to the Spanish army and to the inhabitants of Vera Cruz, as showing satisfactorily that no uneasiness as to the designs of the Spanish Government need be felt in consequence of the premature departure of the Spanish expedition [1862-63. LIII.]

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from the Havana; and as I perceive, on the other hand, that its tone is alluded to by Her Majesty's Government as unsatisfactory, and that the omission in it of all mention of the French and English forces is objected to by the French Government, I have thought it right to transmit herewith to your Lordship a transla tion of it extracted from the "Gazette of Madrid."

It is to be observed that the report of the landing of the Spanish forces at Vera Cruz, and of General Gasset's Proclamation, first reached London from unofficial sources viâ New York, and that the official despatches relating the event reached the Spanish Government much later viâ Cadiz. I have, &c. Earl Russell.

JOHN F. CRAMPTON.

(Inclosure.)-Extract from the "Diario Español" of January 23, 1862. PROCLAMATIONS OF GENERAL GASSET.

Expeditionary Division to Mexico. Staff. General Order of December (Translation.) 16, 1861, on the Coast of Mocambo.

SOLDIERS, The Spanish army finds everywhere glorious recol lections of its valour and self-denial. On these very shores there is still a trace of Ferdinand Cortes, who with a handful of Spaniards planted, with the banner of Castille, the sign of the Cross and of civilization, astonishing the world by his marvellous feats.

Our present mission is also glorious: it is intended to demand. satisfaction from the Mexican Government for the insults offered to our flag; to exact the fulfilment of Treaties; to prevent the repeti. tion of acts of violence towards our countrymen, and to prove here, as was lately proved in Africa, and as our companions in arms prove by their deeds in Asia, that Spain is never insulted with impunity, and that distances disappear when her honour is called in question.

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On taking command of this division, I did not hesitate to guarantee the success of the enterprise, because I know that an appeal is never made in vain to your valour and enthusiasm, that your cipline is equal to your ardour, and that you will be as humane and generous to the vanquished, as strong and terrible towards those who are opposed to you in action.

Soldiers, Our brilliant navy shares our labours, and has inaugurated them with a prosperous voyage-the presage of certain victory; and the fortress itself of Vera Cruz, has comprehended that all resistance would be useless against those who have conquered so many times in these very regions, without counting their own number or that of their adversaries.

If, therefore, your enthusiasm does not meet with obstacles, do not let it diminish on that account. Your mission will not yet be

fulfilled; you will still be at the commencement of it. Opportunities will offer to you to prove that you are Spaniards, and that you will never depart from the path of honour, and then our magnanimous Queen, and all Spain will say, "These are they who have avenged on Mexico the insults offered to our flag, and recovered the affection of those who in former times were our brothers." Soldiers,-God save the Queen!

The Major-General,

MANUEL GASSET.

Vera Cruz, December 17, 1861.

INHABITANTS of Vera Cruz,-The Spanish troops who occupy your city have no mission of conquest, no interested views. They are led solely by the duty of demanding satisfaction for the nonfulfilment of Treaties, and for the acts of violence committed upon our fellow-countrymen, as well as by the necessity of obtaining guarantees that similar outrages shall not be repeated.

Until these objects are obtained, the Spanish army, both here and wherever events may lead it, will be enabled, by means of its vigorous discipline, to preserve public tranquillity at whatever cost, to afford protection to the pacific inhabitants, and to punish with severity the disturbers of order, who will be submitted to the Military Commission, to be appointed to proceed against every kind of criminal.

Inhabitants of Vera Cruz,-You have nothing to dread; you know the Spanish soldier, and your attitude has just proved to me that you do. Devote yourselves, therefore, to your ordinary occu pations, and rely upon it that the greatest pleasure which can fall to the lot of this army, after fulfilling the mission which the Queen has entrusted to it, will be to return to its own country with the certainty of having secured your affection.

The Commander of the Spanish Forces,

MANUEL GASSET.

Vera Cruz, December 17, 1861. DON Manuel Gasset y Mercader, Grand Cross of the Royal and distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, and of the American of Isabella the Catholic, Knight Commander of the Grand Ducal Crown of the Evergreen Oak of the Low Countries, Commander of the Royal and Military Orders of San Ferdinand of the first class and of San Hermenegildo, and many others for distinguished conduct in action, Major-General and Commander-in-chief of the Spanish Forces in Mexico;

Having assumed the superior political and military command, having regard to the especial circumstances in which the country is

placed, and being determined to punish with all the severity of military law all who in any manner whatever offend against public order, and the personal safety or property of the pacific inhabitants, I hereby decree as follows:

ART. I. The town and the other places occupied by Spanish troops are declared in a state of siege.

II. A permanent Military Commission is hereby established, to take cognizance of every description of crime.

III. Slight faults and offences will be punished summarily.

IV. Every person having in his possession fire-arms of any description whatsoever, shall deliver them at the main guard of this fortress within the period of 24 hours, to be counted from the publication of this decree, without fail.

MANUEL GASSET.

No. 8.-Sir J. Crampton to Earl Russell.-(Received February 9.) MY LORD, Madrid, February 4, 1862.

I WAITED on Marshal O'Donnell, and fully explained to his Excellency the position of Her Majesty's Government in regard to the question of establishing a Monarchy in Mexico under the Arch

duke Maximilian of Austria.

I said that Her Majesty's Government did not understand that the French Government had proposed the Archduke as a candidate for the throne of that country, as the Spanish Government had inferred from the telegram they had received from Señor Isturiz; that the French Government had not made any such proposal to the British Government, but asked whether, in case the Mexican people should choose the Archduke for their King, Great Britain would oppose such a settlement. I added, that the reply of Her Majesty's Government was, that they could not oppose the wish of the Mexican people, but they should not take any part in promoting such an arrangement; and I concluded by saying that I would now reiterate what I had already repeatedly stated, viz., that Great Britain adheres to the Convention, and will not consent to any modification or addition to it.

Marshal O'Donnell observed that he received this communication with great satisfaction, because it proved to him that the views and intentions of our two Governments in regard to Mexico had all along been, and continued to be, identical. No communication had been made to Spain by France in regard to the Archduke or a Monarchy, but if it were, their answer would be precisely the same as that of Her Majesty's Government. The Spanish Government had no candidate to put forward, and had no intention of interfering with the internal affairs of Mexico. It followed as a necessary conseononce that Spain would neither give her support to any other

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