The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-05

II in the midst o our own perplexites we still
retain any interest in Mexican affairs the hostile
attitude which Great Britain has assumed towards
that country affords abundance Of matter both fer
comment and for speculation. No one doubt
that the course which it is understood that the
British Ministry HIS adopted, is one which is
amply justified by the many acts of provocation
Of which the Church party in Mexico has undenia-
bly, been guilty. Ever since the struggle for as
tendency between the JUAREz, or Constitutional,
and the MlRAMoN, or Reactionary party, COM
menced about three years ago, there has heen no
security for foreigners in that Republic either in
regard to person or to property. They have been
harassed with forced loans and other arbitrary
exactions; they have been subjected to mprison-
ment or banished the country upon the shalowest
ofpretexs and without even the form of trial, and
the instances have not been few in which
they have been massacrei by brutal SOL
dery. Repeated ourages Of this kind elci-
ted indignant remonstrances and protests
without number, frem the official repre-
sentatives of the Powers whose subjects or citi-
zens had been despoled or murdered, but they
produced no effect whatever, and the difficulty of
obtaining reparation enhanced by the fact
that the government of JUAREz, which held all
the ports on the seaboard, disclaimed all RESPONSE
bility for the acts of MIRAMoN: whilst MRAMoN
himself, holding possession only Of the Capital
and the Central provinces, could not be reached
except by marching an army into the interior
against him. But although this condition of
things may be said to still exist, and the Govern
ments aggrieved have shown themselves dis.
posed to await the close Of the civil war
before making their reclamations, the bold
and daring seizure by MIRAMoN of mil
lion of dollars belonging to English bondholders
and deposited for safe keeping in the house of the
British Minister in Mexico, has determined the
British Government TO take at once such measures
as the honor of the country and the
rights of its citizens appear to demand
1t is to carry out this purpose that British feet
has been ordered to the Gulf; but what course it
is TO take when there can only surmise. In
the attempt which was made in 1857 to exact the
payment of the annual interest on the bonds a
temporary adjustment was effected by taking from
President JUAREz, who was then, rs he is now, in
possession of Vera Cruz, bills drawn on the City
of Mexico, ard forwarding them to the Capt.
tai TO be cashed. 1t is the money which was thus
obtained which MIRAMoN has recently seized, and
as similar process of settlement, at this time
would, in all probability lead to a similar denoue-
ment, itisscarcely to beexpected that Mr.. MATTHEW
the British Minister, who is waiting at ia
lapa for fresh instructions from home, will consent
to any settlement which falls short of an mme-
diae restoration of the money of which he was so
uuceremonously robbed Still, it must be con-
Jesse that the matter is one that is surrounded
with so many complications that it is impossible
to foresee how it can be arranged without infct-
ing serious injury to the Liberalists, who are
not the aggressors, and to the corresponding ad-
vantage of MlRAMoN, who is actually the guilty
party. That JUAREz, upon whom the demand WILL
in all probability be made is in no better condition
to pay over the money in hard coin than he was
three years ago, is perfectly understood. IT, then,
it should follow, in the event of the demand not
being promptly complied with, that the instruc-
tions Of the British Government contemplate the
capture of Vera Cruz ausl the retention of that
seaport until such time the claims of English
subjects against Mexico are satisfactorily adjusted
the immediate downfall Of the JUAREZ govern
ment would ensue, and MIRAMoY and the Church
party to whom all these excess are attributable,
would attain to undisputed power on the strength
of the wrongs which they had committed, and for
whose commission they alone are omenable to
censure Apart, however, from this, there is
another aspect of the case which touches the UNI
TED STATES still more nearly Our trade with
Vera Cruz though not so important as it once was,
is still considerable, and the possession of that |
port by the British authorities, however clearly il
might be justified by the provocaton which led
to its seizure, would nevertheless be regarded by
our people with a Jealous eye, and might give rise
to disputes with commercial marine, which,
if they occurred, would seriously affect the
friendly feeling that now exists between the two
nations