New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-25
THE THREE MILLION NsTALIMENT.

To me Editor Of The y. L. Ifionse
SIR: Some weeks since there appeared in your Jour
nal an opinion adverse to the fairness and legality of
the bills drawn by Santa Anna on account of the de-
ferred iustament of the late treaty with Mexico and
upon that ground objections were made to the pay
mtnt of those bills by the Government. Ii this
opinion was wrong, the holders of the bills have to
blame their own reserve and apparent rcckessncss OF
public opinion in suffering incorrect allegations be-
come current throughout the whole country to the
time and manner in which their negotiations with the
Mexican Cove eminent were made.
The case as appeared to stand before the public
at the date of your reference to the subject, was, that
certain American capitalists, through their agents in
Mexico had barganed at great discount with repu-
dated and flying yrant, for moneys about to become
payable to that country, as the purchase-money OF
part of the State of Sonora. But from authentic pa
pers lately placed before the writer he finds that Santa
Anna consummated sale on asst nmen of the greater
part of this deferred instament, some months before
any serious outbreak against his authority had oc-
Cured and at q time when he a. completely ruler
as any one had been for years past in that country
The first half of the loan is stated to have been con-
tracted for with the late Dictator early as Novem
Der 1884, and the money not only paid into the
public treasury of Mexico but the public purposes
to which it applied, are all set forth IN the
published fiscal report of the Government for that
year The remainder Of the negotiation IS also shown
to have been paid into the same Treasury at various
times in various sumshe last not later than the rst
day of June 1885, and the whole is vOuched for by
official receipts given by the different Ministers OF the
Mexican Hacienda, rectng even the pages OF the
Day-Books of the Treasury in which the credits were
originally entered. These receipts verified before
two Notares. public and by the American Consul in
Mexico, leaving no doubt of their truth anu validity
In addition to this it appears that the Mexican Gov
eminent, through its Minister at Washington, dis
.:-., ond formally notified tho nf the
United States at the time, OF having thus drawn DIS
in favor of certain American merchants, account Of
the deferred nstalment under the Mesla Treaty, and
desired that the drawers of the bills might be recOg
nized as the only persons authorized to receive
"this mOney"-the use of which the Mexican Govern
ment had in this way been enabled to anticipate. The
premium-generay supposed to have been large fig
urC-by the terms Of the contract Is only five per cent;
to which is to be added the current rate of exchange
between this City and Matchmaking the whole
profit ten or twelve per cent.
There can be no doubt that any established Govern
nen is competent to bind nation in its foreign trans
actors and that according to this representation,
Santa Anna had much right, for public purposes,
TO dispose Of this nstalen of the treaty to receive
the first payment, to authenticate the treaty
it.elf If fairly done, OF done without improper col
lusion with the parties purchasing the assignment
las would seem to have been the case,) there is no
good reason why our Government should refuse to re-
mburse its citizens, who have thus simply purchased
a portion of the admitted public debt OF their own
country offered in commercial city. If this debt had
not been purchased by them, as they very well aege
il would doubtless have gone into the hands OF English
or French capitalists at much higher profit, and the
question been presented in form quite as complicated
and embarrassing as at present.
The protest Of the new temporary or PrOVl5ohai
Government of Mexico against the payment OF the
bills under such circumstances, would appear 10 De
unfounded and unjust. Upon the plainest principles
of international law the change in the personnel OF inc
Mexican Government cannot change its objections
Contracts made in the name OF State by its author
lied public agent the nation continues liable to per
form, whatever changes may have occurred IN itS
rulers. The Secretaries Of State and the Treasury
and Mr. Gushing said to be in favor OF paying tue
bills. while the Secretary of War i in oPpositon-ior
what reason we do not know. let simple justice
however be done the parties in question: Tor surely
i roSsible 10 arrive OF the truth. r.
Nee Yak jan =, 1856.