Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-03-27
FROM MEXICO.
EDITORS CORRESPONDENCE.

CrrY Msuco, MARcH ], 1852.
MEssHs. EDITORS: As / am sojourning in this
delightful capital for few days, and have become
possessed Of political items of public interest
| have concluded to put them upon paper, with the
hope that they may not prove unacceptable to your
readers. AT the present moment one Of the most
exciting topics agtatng political circles here is the
Tehuantepec treaty, which, as You are aware, has
been ratified by the Senate of the United States and
is now pending before the Mexican Congress for its
approval. In my judgment this treaty is of vast
Importance, not only to the world at large but
clay to the United States hence the action of the
Mexican Congress upon it will be looked to with
much interest regret TO- state that, so far one
can judge from rumor, there is scarcely room for a
hope that the Mexican Congress viii rasify the
treaty. The opposition to it is very emphatic and
decided and, from present indications, the friends
OF the treaty in the two Houses will constitute
very meager minority. There are several causes
which have conspired to produce this result In the
first place, there prevails here most extraordinary
and unfounded prejudice against the United States
which is most industriously fostered by the repre-
sentatives Of other foreign Governments. This pre-
JUDGE may be traced, perhaps, in great degree, to
the late war, and the events connected Herewith
But there appears to be settled conviction with the
Mexican people that the United States are only
awaiting reasonable pretext to absorb the whole Of
Mexico into Confederacy, by the process Of an
nexation, which successfully practised in the
case of Texas The recent movements on the Rio
Grande have greatly strengthened this suspicion,
whilst the Lopez expedition against Cuba has given
additional force to the idea that we are grasping
and ambitious people, seeking on frivolous pretexts,
to extend our territory The Tehuantepec grant
being held by an American company, the people
here strongly suspect that it is to be made the pre-
text by the United States for getting foothold on
Mexican territory, which will speedily rpen into an
imaginary claim for further privileges These and
other causes c0nspire to render it extremely difficult
for our Minister here to conduct negotiations with
SO suspicious people as the Mexicans But there
are other causes ALSO which lie at the bottom of this
opposition. The clergy are dissatisfied with the adj
ministration of General ARIsTA, and there is de-
cided hostility to- him the part of what is here
termed the Conservative party. The opposition is
seeking to prostrte the Administration by means Of
the Tehuantepec treaty, to which General Arista
has assented, and is understood to be friendly You
may therefore readily comprehend the difficulties
which embarrass our Minister in the conduct of this
important negotiation. But whatever can be accom-
plished by untiring industry and skilful diplomacy
will be effected by excellent Minister, the Hon.
ROBERT p. LETcHER, who maintains in his official
relations here the same frank manly bearing which
rendered him so great favorite at home.
| understand also, from an authentic source, that
the agent appointed by the Government of the Uni
ted States to obtain testimony in this country
touching the Gardiner claim has forwarded his re-
port together with numerous dispositions, with the
contents of which you and your readers will doubt
less soon be made acquainted.