Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-04-18
Our Minister in Mexico.


A correspondent of the New York Her
aid, writing from Mexico, relates the fol-
lowing:
Il called to-day on Mr., Clifford, the
American Minister. He lives in very good
style, in the front Of spacious domiciI, in
the rear of which resides Mr.. Hargons, the
well known Mexican merchant, whose busi-
ness extends throughout all Mexico, and
who hasa branch of his house in New FORK.
Mr.. Clifford thinks well of the administra-
ton of Herrera. He says it is the best gov
ernment the Mexicans have ever had yet
In this city it has not a single press devoted
to its interests. The stories about Santa
Annals arrival here Mr.. C. does not believe.
Mr.. Clifford was just concluding a des-
patch to our government, to announce that
he had at last concluded an arrangement
with the Mexican authorities, by which they
had agreed to allow over half a million
pounds of tobacco, imported into the coun-
try while in the possession of the American
troops, to be restored to the owners, and to
be disposed of free of duty. 1t has hitherto
been kept in possession by the Mexican au
thorities. Mr.. C. likewise says that he is
in hopes to be able to induce the Mexicans
to admit American cotton upon duty of
four cents per pound; it is now six cents
Referring to the gold excitement, Mr..
Clifford stated that, at diplomatic dinner
he gave on the 22d of February, the Minis
ter Of the Interior assured him that be had
full faith in all the stories he had been told
about the discovery Of gold in California,
and, indeed, that he doubted not that yet
more important discoveries would ultim ate
ly be made.
STRONG FACTS FOR FARmERs-THE
BRITISH Corn LAWS While the whig
papers are republishing the letter Of Mr.
Clay, of ls46-the letter of Mr.. Meredith,
of 164S-and the speech of MIR. Clayton,
of ls47-all in favor of the principles, and
the two latter in favor of the restoration of
the tariff of 1912, it may be useful to look
at the last act of Great Britain, by which
she abolished the duty on her corn laws,
no doubt led to that measure Of justice by
the liberal policy of this country as assert
ed in the tariff Of 1916. A glance will
show how far our country is interested in
preserving that tariff, and how vastly the
farmers will continue to benefited by ad-
herring to its wise and equal provisions.
We. ask the farmers to look at the facts
On the 1st of February, ls49, the corn
laws which had plundered the toiling mill.
ions of Great Britain for more than a CEN
tury, were literally repealed. The trade
in bread-stufs, by the operation of the En-.
glish act of 1s45, is virtually free the
fixed tax Of one shilling per quarter, or two
and half cents per bushel, being merely
nominal. The state of things now exist
ing, is that the duty on cotton is abolished,
reduced upon rice, and wholly abolished on
corn and all kinds ofgrain. The duty on
provisions is also greatly modified. We
have noticed Mr.. Labouchere's recent pro.
posal TO amend the British Navigation laws
so as to open still wider the door for the
introduction Of bread stuffs, and to aid the
commercial marine of nation whose ships
are now in every sea under Heaven, and
whose sailors and ship-builders are without
superiors in the world! And yet, in order
to protect few wealthy manufacturers in
our country, who have made large for.
tunes by unequal laws, and by grinding
the faces of The laboring poor, the leaders
Of the whig party now in General Taylor's
cabinet, would shut out from the agricul-
turists the prospects that is before them,
and deprive the people of an opportunity
to realize commercial superiority never
euualled in the history of mani p;,oy,,o