The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-01 00:00:00

,LOCKADE OF MEXICO.

The following memorial was agreed upon at a meeting of
the South American and Mexican Association held yesterday :
talikveig,an's-court, Aug. 30, 1838.„
" My LORD,-The CornmTagli-of the South American and
Mexican Association are under 'the necessity of again address-
ing your Lordship, in reference to the continuance, by the
French Goverment, of the blockade of the ports of Mexico.
" The position of this question has assumed a very remark-
able character, since it has transpired that the French Go-
vernment has declined to entertain the suggestion of submitting
the matters in difference between itself and Mexico to the
friendly mediation of a third and independent Power. This
state of things opens out the consideration of a source of
danger and interruption to all commercial pursuits such as has
never heretofore been contemplated.
" In their last representation on this subject the Committee
were unwilling to enter into the discussion of the right of
France to establish this blockade. Limiting themselves to
pointing out the grievous injury it was the means of inflicting
on innocent parties, and to the respectful expression of their.
hope that her Majesty's Government would, by the offer of its
medi story influence between the two States, put an end to this
hostile demonstration, they felt that it did not become them at
that time to proceed further.
" But the attitude now taken by France is so peculiar, that
the Committee cannot refrain from expressing their humble
hope that the Government of Great Britain may have it in its
power to direct a sufficient influence towards that of France, to
induce, on the part of the latter Power, a reconsideration of
its present course of proceeding.
" The Government of France makes certain claims on that
of Mexico, and in doing so it states, not that it is willing to
leave the adjustment of them to the decision of some inde-
pendent tribunal, but that, if they be not conceded in their
full dimensions, as demanded by France herself—if the an-
swer to them by the Mexican Government' be negative upon
only one point,' or even doubtful upon only one point,' the
commander of the French naval forces (already assembled on
the coast) is to carry into effect his instructions, the tenour
of which turns out to he, that bythe blockade of the Mexican
ports the rest of the world is to be cut off from all commercial
intercourse with that State.
" Upholding, as the British Government has always done,
the right to blockade the ports of en enemy, it does not appear
that it has" at any time assumed, or that any other State has
assumed, die authority to exercise this right against any nation
with which it was not previously at war. But, without enter-
ing into a close examination of this distinction, the Committee
would earnestly press 01)00 the consideration of her Majesty's
Government, whether all civilized nations are not interested
for the sake of the common and natural rights of all, in pro-
testing against the doctrine that any one power is entitled to
constitute itself the sole judge and arbiter of the amount of the
claims it may conceive itself to have on any other power, and
disclaiming ail reference to any intermediate tribunal, to pro-
ceed by the force of its arms to exclude the rest of the world
from intercourse with that power until its claims, measured
and computed by itself alone, shall be conceded.
" That Mexico is on its part perfectly ready to submit the
claims of France to the decision of the British Government is
already known to her Majesty's Government. Of the inde-
pendent losition of the British Government for undertaking
such an office no doubt can be entertained, since the French
Government has itself, within a recent period, not hesitated to
avail itself of the same mediatory influence for the adjust-
ment of claims made on it by the Government of the United
States, the discussion of which claims, it may without offence
be remarked, had previously occupied a somewhat longerperiod
than that which has been consumed in the discussion of the
French claims; on Mexico.
" The Committee need not remark, that in cases where no
question of territorial aggression has presented itself—where
the relations of peace have previously subsisted—where, in
short, differences have arisen between twoStatea of the charac-
ter which have now arisen between France and Mexico, a
reference of such differences to the friendly mediation of an
independent power forms part of the history and practice of
all civilized nations.

" The principles of international law are all founded on the
assumption, that force is only to be employed or continued when
all other means of obtaining justice shall fail. It cannot be
contended that Mexico remains in this latter predicament,
when ske has expressed her willingness to submit all matters
in difference to a neutral tribunal.
" The French Government, on the occasion of differences
between itself and Brazil some few years since, adopted no such
course as it has now done. Reprisals only were then threat-
ened ; no attempt was made to interrupt the intercourse of
other States with the Brazilian empire.
" The Committee, in respectfully expressing their sentiments
on this matter to her Majesty's Government, are bound to ad-
mit that both French subjects and others have had but too
much reason to complain of tardiness on the part of the Mex-
ican Government in the adjustment of claims which, from
time to time, have arisen upon it. Some allowance may pro-
bably be claimed by an infant State for the unavoidable diffi-
culties and casualties of its position. But whatever ground
of complaint may have been reasonably conceived on this
score is at once removed when the Mexican nation places
itself in the attitude of a party willing to meet every just de-
mand, and claiming only the right—never denied to any body
of persons, under any circumstances—of having the amount of
its liabilities ascertained before a competent tribunal.
" The Committee trust it will appear to her Majesty's Go-
vernment that there are the strongest motives for not per-
mitting this matter to remain in its present state. The wel-
-1 fare of the commercial community largely interested in this
question would not be urged as a sufficient motive for any
suggestion derogatory from the national honour, or injurious
to the national security. But in the present case the highest
object of all government—that of the preservation of peace—
is concurrent with the prayer of the mercantile body.
Europe has looked to the establishment of the independence
of the States of the western hemisphere as a means of open-
ing out and extending useful intercourse between nations
having reciprocal wants and capabilities. The spectacle of
one of the oldest European peelers claiming the right to exer-
cise an arbitrary and compulsory dictation towards one of these
new States is not calculated to inspire them with respect for the
principles of European justice, or with a sense of European
magnanimity. The issuing letters of marque and reprisal by
Mexico, the next step of necessity consequent on the conti-
nuance of French hostility, will not be calculated to improve
the security of navigation in seas from which the most perse-
vering efforts have only recently removed the evils of piracy
and plunder. The compelling the Mexicar. nation, greatly
in need of peace and repose, to engage in foreign warfare,
can advance no useful object or interest to any power. Every
consideration, moral, social, and political, seems to rise up
against the continuance of this most revere proceeding on the
part of France, and the Committee cannot but earnestly hope
that the pressing these views on the notice of the French Go-
vernment with that friendly influence which Great Britain can-
not fail) o pessess, will have the effect of bringing about a settle-
ment of the difference in question, consistently with the honour
and dignity of both the powers interested therein.
" I have the honour to be, my Lord,
" Your most faithful servant,
"J. D. POWLES,
" Deputy Chairman of the South American
and Mexican Association.
" To the Right Hon. Viscount Palmerston,
Secretaries of State, Arc."
M. P., one of Her Majesty's Principal

THUNDER STORM.—On Tuesday night last,
about seven o'clock, a violent thunder storm commenced in
this neighbourhood, accompanied by remarkably vivid lightn-
ing and heavy rain. The storm continued till after midnight
and appeared to rage most to the north-west of this town, but
also extended far to the east. We arc apprehensive that ex-
tensive damage has been done, and that the storm passed over
wide extent of country. As a youth of the name of Rad-
ford, who had been out of the town with a cart load of bread
was returning home over Holbrook Moor, about ten o'clock,
the horse was struck down by lightning; the young man for
some time was deprived of sight, and it was with very great
difficulty that he got the horse forward but a very short dis-
tance, to the farm-house of Mr. Joseph Morley, where he was
oblif,ed to r. A c;" wai kilLd in a field
near Pentrich, belonging to 'Mr. Booth, and a calf was also
killed belonging to Mr. John Slater, of Shottle.—Derby Re.
porter.