The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-06-30


The Mexican Congress adjourned on the 2ls
ult, as we have stated. without making any pro
vision for the necessary resources which the ad
mlnlsfrason must have at its command to carry
on the government during the interim. That
ls the Mexican administration is placed in the
predicament that we imagine the govern
ment Of the United States would be in if the
United States Congress adjourned sine die with
out making any of the usual appropriations.
The Mexican administration fully appreciates
he condition of the distracted country which il
is called upon to govern without means. This
will be seen by the note addressed by the cabinet
to the chamber Of deputies, just before its ad
Journment, and by President Arista's speech al
the adjournment. We translate the cabinets
communication, as follows:
"Already, on several occasions, the govern
ment has made known to the national legisIa.
ture the vertable situation of the republic and
o-day, at the very moment of the final adjourn
nent it again asks the august chambers to take
some decided step whereby to rescue the gov
eminent from the difficult position in which it
will be placed, without powers or resources, and
to save the nation from the necessary conse-
luences of such a crisis
"This measure demanded might consist in
the simpllfication Of the action Of the govern
nent, IN circumstances cases which NIGH
Arise during the congressional vacation, by au
thorizng it to take in concert with the govern.
mont council, or with special committees, to be
named by one chamber or both, the resolutions
necesstated, such resolutions to be put in exc.
,ntion under the responsibility of the ministry
"The cabinet does not misunderstood the no.
sition in which it places itself in demanding q
measure which seems to embrace an increase of
the powers OF the executive; but it does not
So A
reality, it is not the ministry which will have to
in taking this step, it accomplishes its imposed
duty, to hesitate at no personal sacrifice for the
safety of the country"
This communication, signed by Messrs. Ram
req, Fonsecca, Esparzs and Robbez, was referred
to an appropriate committee, which Immediately
rendered report. 1t concluded thus:
"There is no reason why the demand made to-
day by the government for extraordinary powers
should be granted"
The report was Immediately taken into con
sideraton and discussed long and animated
debate followed, and the committees report was
finally adopted by a vote of IA yeas to 10 nays
1t was thought that, after this decided check, the
ministry would resign, but it did not
The Presidents address to the Congress all
The last moment of its session was as follows ]
"Gentlemen Deputies and Senators-The fund.-
amental law has placed term to your legisla
tive task in closing period which will be mem
orable in the annals of the republic by the great
and notable events which have marked ts|
course. The critical circumstances which ac-|
companed your Inauguration made it to be seri
ously feared that your mission would result
2only in the fulfilment of the last and the sadd
AZ A,tt tn I'll hof 81
sisting at the burial of his country The flames
Of war, unexampled and condemned by the|
law of God as we'll as by the law of nations,|
still blazed on frontier which separated us|
from friendly power; the negotiations, pend
ing with that power, to facilitate the means oil
Communication which may render our territory
the centre of the commercial world, had termin-
tted in manner to make us fear perhaps al
runture of the peace Of the two continents; theI
commercial crisis, commenced in the last daysl
Of the former Legislature, bad reached formi
liable development, threatening troubles in the]
interior and the weakening, at least, of the ALI
,nces that had been so recently established in
our foreign relations; to conclude, the financial
crisis, which daily showed an increase in the
,um OF the deficit, and the civil disorders which
.owed dstrust and discordance among the de
positaries of the public administration, had
placed in imminent danger the fate of the ma
ion, which, agitated during so many years by
civil COMMISSIONS fatigued by its disorders,
weakened by it's dissensions, and surrounded by
terrible perils, appeared to be unable to prolong
it's painful existence for another day. The gov
eminent itself does rot know how to account
Tor its preservation among so many and such
grave dangers, except that it is due to the
special aid and protection of Providence, which
has exhibited its favor to US even by the punish
nents it has inflicted, by clearly giving us the
proof that we still possess the means Of national
safety, and that we have only to will it to at
Tain it,
"Guided by its convictions and sustained by
It's hopes, the government has employed all the
; means at its disposal to avert the perils which
threatened us, and has asked for grant of those
which were wanting to execute its duties in al
proper manner. The legislative corps, assuming
all the difficulties of the occasion, has provided
for them in the way it deemed the most Judi
.ious, and the government, progressing as it hasl
always done up to the present time, in the mar
row path prescribed by the law, will essay to|
lraw all possible benefits from it's resources|
stopping only when the lack of these resources|
will arrest its action. Fearing that this event
may very speedily happen, in consequence of
the extremely complicated state Of the affairs
of the republic, the government has, at the last
hour, made known its situation by proposing, inI
place of the exercise Of discretionary power
by the executive, the simpliication of the pow
ers reserved to the legislature, in case somel
pressing necessity demanded such action during|
the congressional vacation. But this measured
has not met the favor with which it was hoped i'll
would be received, and consequently the gov
eminent, considering its responsibility protected
4 Al. Lib,
to fulfil its difficult and delicate mission
The vice president of the chamber of deputies
replied to President Arista, by trying to enumer.
ate the lahors Of the sesson--a difficult task ]
In touching upon the governmental demand forl
extraordinary powers, he spoke as follows:
The grave question which was presented to.
day for the Legislative donation Of extraordinary
powers to the government, could not have BEEN
decided in the affirmative without violation of
the Constitution; the executive should be deeply
impressed with that fact