The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-11 00:00:00

TILE _ROBBERY BY THE MEXICAN

GOVERNMENT.

The news of the robbery committed by the Go-
vernment of Mexico on the property of the bond-
holders placed under the security of the seal of
the British Legation, and deposited in the same

house, will, it may be assumed, supposing it to
be confirmed, settle all doubt as to the course
which our authorities will now adopt. The affair

stands thus :—The Mexican debt contracted in

this country amounts to £10,241,650.

After

many previous sacrifices the bondholders agreed
in 1850 to accept the reduced rate of interest

of 3 per cent., and as an inducement they received
a mortgage of 25 per cent. of the import and 5 per

cent. of the export duties. These payments were

to be made under certain regulations in the various
ports, and to be remitted to the Bank of England for
distribution under the cognizance of the Mexican
Financial Agency in London. Up to January, 1854,
the dividends were paid by this means, but since
that time the country has bean a political pande-

monium, and the collections at all points have been
lessened by open obstruction or covert fraud, and

often suspended, in violation of every legal and
international principle, on the plea of temporary
exigency. Still some occasional payments were
made, and about three years back a visit to Vera
Cruz and Tampico by her Majesty's ship Basilisk
frightened the party in possession of those ports
into a recognition of their liabilities. But at this
period Vera Cruz and Tampico were held by the
forces of Juarez, who claims to be Constitutional
President, while the Government of Mexico was
that of the Ecclesiastical party, represented by
Miramon, and recognized by the diplomatic repre-
sentatives of all the foreign Powers, Juarez, even
up to the present time, never having been recog-
nized by any foreign Government, with the excep-

tion of that of the United States. Hence, although
we could compel some kind of respect to our claims
at places where a naval demonstration was practi-
cable, it was found difficult to protect, not merely
the property, but the lives, of our people resident
at the capital. In this state of affairs a contin-
gency arose which has led to the result now an-
nounced. The Juarez party at Vera Cruz, while
admitting their liability to pay the stipulated pro-
portion of the Customs' dues, urged, with perfect
truth, that from the scarcity of dollars it would be
almost impracticable for them to disburse the
amounts in specie. They could get draughts on
Mexico drawn by the Vera Cruz importers on
their mercantile correspondents in that city, but
this was the only shape in which they could offer
payment. These bills were accordingly taken and
sent to Mexico for collection in specie. The silver
thus obtained was duly boxed up from time to
time, each box receiving the seal of the British
Legation, and being deposited in a strong room ap-
propriated especially for the purpose in a residence
jointly occupied by Messrs. Schmidt, the bankers
employed to collect the bills, and the British Mi-
nister. Gradually the sum accumulated to £173,000,
or more than the equivalent of a half-yearly divi-
dend, and Mr. Whitehead, the agent of the bond-
holders in Mexico, was exceedingly anxious to remit
it to this country. Such remittances, however, can
be made only under formal escort, and during the
past two or three years only two conductas have
left the city of Mexico for Vera Cruz, and in neither
of these cases did the British Minister think the
prospect of security sufficient to warrant Mr.
Whitehead in availing himself of it. That gentle-
man therefore very properly refused to assume the
risk, seeing that if a robbery should be effected on
the road the Mexican Government would say, on
the one hand, that they had afforded all the pro-
tection in their power, while the British Minister,
on the other, might point to the fact that his recom-
mendation had been wilfully disregarded and his
protection set at nought. Thus matters remained
until October last, when the atrocities of Miramon
became so frightful and his disregard of all inter-
national reclamations so complete, that Mr. Mathew
the British Minister, resolved to cease intercourse
with him by withdrawing to Jalapa. The bond-
holders' money was then left to the protection of
Mr. Glennie, the British Consul, and it was an-
nounced that, notwithstanding the departure of
Mr. Mathew, the Mexican Government " would
afford every protection to the persons and preperty
of her Majesty's subjects." The next news, received
about a week back, was to the effect that General
Miramon had resigned, and that General Robles
had succeeded to the Presidency. This personage
last summer distinguished himself by taking £B,OOO
in cash and bills from one of the conductas which
left the city of Mexico, and there was consequently
little reason to augur that he would respect either
the British authorities or British property. Accord-