Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-08 00:00:00

SPAIN.

MADRID, JUNE 1.
The influences brought to bear, to envenom the
quarrel between Spain and Mexico are such as to
render it •by no means improbable that, unless
England and France interpose their decided veto,
hostilities will shortly break out. The doubtful
creditors of the Republic, those, I mean, whose
claims the Mexican Government declares ill founded,
and urges Spain to admit to revision—leave no stone
unturned to embitter matters. Senor Carrera, a
Mexican,whc has got himself naturlized a Spaniard,
who claims upwards of a million of dollars (claims
transferred to him by Mexican subjects), and who
was the agent of the body of creditors, but now is
so only of the smaller half of them, is particularly
active in mischief-making. He it is who wins over
newspapers, works upon deputies, and various ways
stirs the cauldron of discord. The motives of the
doubtful creditors of Mexico for exerting them-

selves to prevent an amicable solution of the ques
tion at issue, are pretty evident. They fear a re-
vision which would greatly reduce their claims.
In case of war, they are sanguine that
Spain would triumph and Mexico be com
pelled to submit to the terms dictated
anti pay all demands. I, by no means accuse
the Spanish Government of seeking war, or of being
determined to risk it, rather than admit a fair inves-

tigation of the claims which Mexico declares unjust,
but if public opinion, excited and irritated by a
portion of the press and by speeches in the Cortes,
attains a certain force and violence, the Govern-

meta can hardly help being, to some extent, in-
fluenced by it in the line of eonduct they adopt ;
and the longer the question is allowed to drag on,
the more dangerous become the manoeuvres of the
anti-Mexican agitators, the greater the irritation

and ill feeling, and themors powerful the pressure

on the Cabinet.

Unfortunately, the course

adopted by this Government• is, precisely the one
best calculated to protract the settlement of the
difficulty. The cause of quarrel is the murder of
some Spanish subjects, the ill-treatment and
robbery of others ; and these outrages are alleged
to have been committed—at least in part—by the
troops or armed bands of Alvarez. Now, if the
question were limited to this it might perhaps ,be
easily settled. The Spanish Government demands
the punishment of the offenders and compen-
sation for the injured. The first point Mexico at
once concedes—not within eight days, as was arro-
gantly and imprudently demanded by Senor Sorela,
but within such reasonable period as may be
needed for investigation and for the action of the
tribunals. Upon the result of such investigation
must depend the question of compensation. If it be
proved that Mexican troops or government officials
are the authors of the excesses complained of,
Mexico, as I am positively informed, admits that
there is a claim for compensation. But if, on the
contrary, it is shown that the crimes have been
perpetrated by lawless ruffians and marauders,
not in Government pay or employ, there is nothing
in the law of nations to entitle Spain to insist on
compensation for her injured subjects. It is
certainly deplorable that, owing to the weakness of
the Executive, or other causes, such outrages
should have been perpetrated, and such bands of
ruffians be suffered to infest the land, but foreigner's
resident there must take the consequences of the
situation, and not expect compensation which Mexi.
can subjects would have no right to claim. But, be-
sides the question of the San Vicente and Cuernava -
ca outrages, the Spanish government brings forward
all its other claims and causes of complaint against
Mexico, and demands their settlement before
diplomatic relations shall be resumed. This is, to
say the least, an unwise course. The plain and
prudent one would be first to settle the most irri-
tating point in dispute, that out of which the rup-
ture of diplomatic intercourse arose, and then,
when the present heat should be allayed, and
Senor Latragua, now here_as a negeotiator, (that is
to say, in an officious rather than an official
character,) should have been recognised as the
Mexican Minister Plenipotentiary, the Older
questions in dispute might be discussed, and, with
temper, moderation, and fair play on both sides,
might, doubtless, be amicably adjusted. This,
however, is not the view taken by the Spanish Go-
vernment, which insists on lumping its grieiances,
and, pending their settlement, makes warlike pre-
parations, and suffers the press and Opposition
orators, stirred by various, and, there is reason to
fear, in some cases, by discreditable and unpatriotic
incitements, to rouse a feeling of hatred and hos
tility to Mexico, and bring Spain to the brink of a
war. The tone of some of the Madrid papers is
most irritating and intemperate. In their columns
one finds the terms caribs, barbarians, savages, &c
daily applied to the Mexicans. With the censor-
ship that exists such offensive terms could not
be employed without the consent of the Govern-
ment and the natural inference (although,
perhaps, not strictly correct one) is that it
approves this aggravating course, and is not dis-
inclined to the appeal to arms to which it may
probably lead. The Good offices, strenuously
exerted, of the English and French Ministers
at Madrid, have as yet been without effect, and, as
I have already informed you, matters are for
the moment at a standstill, and the parties
interested await the arrival of.the next mail from
Mexico with the rather vague hope that it may
bring something or other hat will facilitate the
settlement of the question. It may very possibly
bring news of the condemnation, and perhaps of
the punishment lof some of the-persons guilty of
outrages on Spanish subjects, but it cannot be
expected to bring the solution of the question of
compensation, of that of the claims of Spanish
creditors, and of the various other matters which
Spain hits thought proper to associate in her
demands for satisfaction.
Lord Howden yesterday gave a magnificent ban
quet to the Prince and Princess Galitzim Thirty-
five persons sat down to dinner. Marshal Narvaez
was indisposed, and, at the last moment, found
himself unable to be present. Senor Pidal, the
Marquis de Target, and other members of the
Diplomatic Corps, Senor Isturitz (who is on the
eve of departure for Russia), Senor Gonzales
Bravo, General Lemery (Captain General of New
Castile), and other persons of distinction, were
present, The dinner was followed by an evening
reception.

their request, but without success. At length
the following evening, after waiting three hours,
they were admitted when the Pope was retiring to
rest. The meeting was consequently short, and
was confined to an exchange of compliments. The
municipality of Perrugia was admitted to the pre-
sence of the Pope at the last moment, and' when
they began to speak it was announced that his
carriage was waiting, and the deputies were forced
to withdraw without having executed their com-
mission. The writer of the letter adds .
As to the reception which the population:in general gave
His Holiness, it was silent and respectful, but there was
no demonstration of enthusiasm. They gratefully received
the benediction of the Pontiff, but they showed no mark
of affection for the Sovereign. It is to be hoped that his
journey may prove to His Holiness that his ministers have
represented the state of the country in a false point of
♦iew, and that he will do well to make the changes in the
Government which are so much required.
A letter from Turin of the 3d inst. announces
that the Minister of the Interior has given orders
that the body of the Protestant which was refused
sepulture in the churchyard of Fara, shall be dis-
interred and buried within the consecrated ground.

JUNE' 8, 1857.