Polynesian., 1852-11-20

than that occupied by other private claimants. Mr..
Ramirez therefore announced that the question had
been settled, to the entire satisfaction of Mexico
and consequently there was no longer any obstacle
to his reslgning his post. The Mexican papers
were loud in their congratulations of this happy,
and, as they declared, to them entirely unexpected
termination of the difficulty. They had evidently
looked upon the threatening and determined atti-
| tude assumed by the United States as serious
cause of alarm, and therefore greatly relieved
| when the announcement was officially made that
the American Government had withdrawn their
pretenslons.
| In the meantime under law of the Mexican
! Congress, imposing the most stringent conditions
on those who might undertake the enterprise, pro-
posals had been invited by the Executive for the
opening OF the Tehuantepec route. A number of
bids were sent in, but at the very outset difficulty
| arose 8s to the construction of the Mexican law,
the natives claiming that under its provisions they
should be preferred to foreigners utterly regard
less of the favorableness of the terms.
The Executive, after much hesitation, refused
to sanction this interpretation and announced that
it would assign the contract to the lowest bidder,
independent of his nationality, but would, in ac-
cordance with the requirements of the law, give
the preference to native company, In the event
of the proposals being equally advantageous to the
country.
time was fixed for the opening of the bids, but
on the demand of the native companies it was again
and again postponed Four different companies
have sent IN their bids-one of Mexicans, headed
by Sr. Munoz Ledo another of Americans, repre-
sented by Mr.. Sloo. On the retirement of ST. Ra-
mirez from the cabinet, President Arista offered
the Portfolio of Relations to this very Sr. Monoz
Ledo, upon whom would have devolved, in right
of his position, the duty of opening these bids and
deciding to whom the contract should be awarded.
Ramirez, to avoid the possibility of his successor
being influenced by self-interest in giving his de-
cislon, organized a commission, composed of
statesmen of influence, at the head of whom is Sr
Luis de la Rosa, by whom the bids should be
opened and the contract adjudged. Sr. Ledo,
therefore, refused to accept the seat in the cabinet
offered to him.
After postponing the opening of the bids to FIVE
different periods, 1t was finally determined that It
should take place on the 10th of September. Our
dates from the city of Mexico reach the 18th of
September, but it was not known at that time
whether the Commission had performed the duty
imposed upon them. Sr. Rosa had in fact declared,
that the route never ought to be opened, as it
would enable an enemy to obtain a foothod in the
country, that might day prove dangerous to its
nationality.
One of the Mexican papers pointedy remarks
that such piece of craftsmanship is about on
par with the man who should determine not to ac-
quire riches for fear of robbers.
ceedng in this matter without the slightest regard
to the American holders of the Garay grant. 1t
had been frightened by the bold stand at first taken
on that point by our Secretary Of State, and doubt
less the repeated postponement of the time appoint
ed for assigning the contract, arose from desire
not to take an irrevocabie step until the American
Government could be paciied. Sr. Ramirez, hav
ing announced that this had been accomplished, it
is probable the bids were opened and the contract
al ,ho eCf TOD
The effect of course, will be to vest rights in the
successful company, which Mexico is bound to
guaranty.
But while that country has been overfowing
with satisfaction at the idea of having gotten so
happily out of serious difficulty, and have com
mitted themselves beyond the possibility of recall,
storm has burst at Washington, which looks very
much.as if war might grow out of the question:
1t seems Senor Ramirez was sadly mistaken, in
declaring that the American Government had re-
signed all its pretensions, or had refused to make
it a national question. The Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations, to whom the subject had been
referred. reported through Mr. Mason, series of
resolutions strongly supporting the justice of the
American Tehuantepec Company, and declining
any further diplomatic intercourse, until these
claims were recognized by the Mexican Govern
ment.
Senator Brooke had gone further, and offered a
that unless Mexico did recognize these claims,
the United States would enforce them at the point
of the bayonet. 1t is true, that these resolutions
were not passed. They were not intended to be
at the last session, but were simply laid over for
consideration until the next session, to allow
Mexico time to recede from her position, or know
what she had to expect if she did not.
Now we have seen, from the history of events
in Mexico that it is impossible for her to back out
if she would. She has irrevocaby committed
herself, by assigning to another company the con-
tract tor the opening of this very Tehuantepec
Route, which the American assignees of the Garay
grant claim belongs of right to them.
Thus stands the question at present. Mexico
has got herself into worse predcament than ever,
and unless our Government recedes, which, from
the determined attitude assumed by the Committee
on Foreign Relations, body of great influence in
the Senate is scarcely to be expected-it is hardly
possible that war between the two countries can
fail to grow out of the questions. f. Heratd.
Summary.
Bayou Sara, in Louisiana, suffered severely from
the same element.
The selkirk settlement, in the extreme north of
l.. n