The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-20 00:00:00

AFFAIRS OF MEXICO.

The following summary of affairs in Mexico (from
the New Orleans Picayune) is valuable, from its minute-
ness and general accuraey, and will be read with interest
by those who take an interest in the condition of that
sad spectacle of a republic:—
The discourse of General Paredes before tho Mexican
Congress was pronounced on the 6th of June. It has
already been received and published in the United
States. Congress proceeded at once to organise the
t.xecutive power, by a decree that it should be deposited
provisionally in a magistrate elected by a plurality of
the votes of Congress, and that a Vice-President should
be elected at the same time to act in the absence of the
President.

This decree was passed on the 10th of June, and on
the 12th the election was held. General Paredes was
elected President, receiving 58 out of 83 votes. General
Bravo received 13 votes, and General Herrera 7 votes.
General Bravo was then elected Vice-President, re-.
ceiving 48 out of 82 votes. The highest opposing can-
didate was D. Luis G. Cuevas, who received 17 votes.
General Paredes took the oaths of office on the 13th
as provisional President, and at the same time pro-
nounced another discourse, in the most notable passage
of which he expresses his confidence that Congress will
grant all the supplies and make every effort necessary
to defend the national cause. He reviews at length the
wrongs which Mexico has endured at the hands of the
United States, and concludes with desiring permission
to assume the command of the army in the field.
In the absence of Senor Bustamente, who was ill, Dr.
D. Louis Gonzaga Gordoa presided over Congress. He
replied to the President in substance, that every ques-
tion of domestic policy shrunk into insignificance com-
pared with the invasion of the country on the frontier
of the Rio Bravo; that the Mexican who should think
of aught else than the injustice and treachery with which
their soil was trampled, and the necessity of avenging
their outraged honour, had no right to claim a share in
their patriotic devotion.
On the 18th permission was granted to Paredes to
place himself at the head of troop?, and proceed to join
the army of the north. General Gonzalez Arevalo was
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frontier, had marched for 'Guadulajara to put down the
insurrection.)
General Bravo left Vera Cruz for the city of Mexico
on the 24th, to discharge the functions of President in
the absence of Paredes. Our papers are not late enough
to contain his arrival.
The committees of Congrees upon "foreign relations
and upon war made a joint report on the 16th on that
part of the message of Paredes relating to the United
States. The report recommends the passage of a bill
declaring Mexico to be " in a state of war with the
United States." We do not find that the bill had ac-
tually been passed. The project of the law or bill will
be found below.

The cannonade between St. Mary's and the three
Mexican gun-boats, Quereiana, Union, and Poblana; at
Tampico, is mentioned in all the Mexican papers.
They claim no great victory, but express themselves
satisfied with the valour displayed by the Mexicans.
We see no mention of any loss which was suffixed. A
report is mentioned in our correspondent's letter and in
the papers before us, that the Americans had taken
Altamira, a sea-port lying directly north of Tampico,
and only a few miles distant. There seems no impro-
bability in the report.
The General left in command of Vera Cruz on the
30th ult., formally declared that city to be in a state of
siege, in order to prepare all the people for an antici-
pated attack upon it. The garrison of the castle had
receiNtd orders to be on the alert, particularly at night,
as the danger of a night attack was thought imminent.
Our correspondent writes—" It is said" an attack was to
be made on the 10th instant, but we know nothing more
on the subject. The G, neral to whom the command of
Vera Cruz was intrusted is Rodrigo, z de Cola.
A report had reached Vera Cruz that the Californias
had separated themselves from Mexico, but nothing is
said to let us know whether Commodore Sloat had any-
thing to do with the separation. The subject is men-
tioned by our Havannah correspondent.
A communication has been received in Mexico from
the commander of the troops sent to put down the insur-
rection in Jalisco, in which he attributed little impor-
tance to the events which occurred there, and expressed
the hope that he should be able promptly to chastise the
authors of the movement.

The latest dispatch from Guadalajara is dated June
IS, at which date General Pacheco informs the Govern
went that he has possession of a good portion of the
public buildings of the city, and the insurgents numbered
only 1,200 and were daily dispersing.
General Tomei has again assumed the functions of
Minister of War.

A large quantity of ammunition has beent sent to the
city of ➢lexico from the tle of Perote, together with
some mounted cannon and muskets.

The papers are full of individual tenders of money to
aid in carrying on the war.
The Mexican Government has declared the ports of
Mazatlan and Matamoros closed to foreign commerce.
The publication of El Ticmpo, the Bourbonist paper,
has been discontinued since Congress has commenced its
session.
El Indicador, of Vera Cruz, of the 23d ult. states
that the English war steamer Vesuvius (which arrived
at Sacrificios on the 14th) had left for Tampico to de-
mand from the commander of the St. Mary's explana-
tions as to his motives for not permitting the steamer
Clyde to take on board specie, as the English steamers
had hitherto done. It also says that the commander of
the Vesuvius would take it on board his own vessel.

In this connexion we -may mention, that beside the
Vesuvius, another English war steamer, a 50 gun frigate,
and a brig of-war, arrived at Sacrificios on the 14th,
from Jamaica. The Vera Cruz editor is at a loss to
account for the concentration of such a force there by
the English. A Spanish frigate and brig, and a French
bark and brig, all vessels of war, were lying there on
the 18th ult. _

On the 21st news was received at Vera Cruz that an
American brig-of-war was blockading the port of Al-
varado. The next day intelligence reached there that
some boats from the brig had pursued a Mexican boat
across the bar. Some boats from the Mexican vessels of
war went to the assistance of the boat, and the people
were called to arms. The Mexican boat made its
escape. Say the Mexicans, " The victory was ours ;
but there was none killed or wounded, as the Americans
did not venture to measure strength with ug." The
American boats were by signal ordered back to the
brig. Subsequently to this tremendous affair the brig
went to sea. The whole is reported as a great outrage.
An American sloop-of-war arrived off the port of
Vera Cruz on the 30th ult., and an American brig-of-
war at the same date was seen sailing towards Isla
Verde. On the 18th ult. there was an American frigate
at Sacrificios, and a brig-of-war. On the 29th, the Spa.
nish ship Flar de Llanea spoke an American vessel •of
war twenty leagues from Vera Cruz, which he supposed
to be the flag-ship Cumberland.
The Committee of the Mexican Congress to which
was referred the report of the Minister of Finance, in
relation to obtaining resources for the war, on the 20th
of June. reported a law to the following effect:—
" 1. During the existence of the war which the United
States is making upon the Mexican nation, the Govern-
ment is authorised to raise the sums necessary for the
war in the manner most convenient and efficacious, (but
without taking possession of the private property of indi-
viduals or corporations), allotting to each class the
amount of money which it should contribute to the pub
lic defence, in the order it should judge equitable.
"2. The Government is authorised to make use of all
the national revennes, taking care to apply them in tl e
best manner the circumstances will admit, to the fulfilment
of the objects to which each of them is appropriated.
"3. The Government is authorised to regulate the
payment of the national debt.
"4. To take measures for the regulation and improve-
ment of the public revenues and their administration ;
consulting in everything relating to the organisation of
the bureaus and the administration of the revenues the
superior junta of the treasury, which it will organise in
the manner which it shall deem most suitable."

This report, signed by Senor Alaman among others,
was objected to at once asd in toto, as being too indefi-
nite as to the powers with whiclr it would invest the Go-
vernment. Two members were then added to the com-
mittee, and the subject referred back to them.
On the 23d June, Paredes issued a decree for the
organisation in the capital, of a battalion of infantry
and two squadrons of cavalry from the commercial
classes, which were to find their own equipments, and
e.hose sole duties should be the preservation of order
in the capital and the protection of private property.
This 111t,i31.11 was adopted with a view to leave the
gairisoa at liberty to march to the capital.
On the 20th a Committee of Congress upon the form