, 1863-02-02

A Strange Chapter In Dlplo-
macy.


In the correspondence between our sccrc-
tary Of State and Mr.. Romero, the Mexican
chorye d. Afdira at Washington, recently laid
before the Senate, there is what sofpc people
would call falsehood, very much iu want Of
4 father. Falsehoods arc common enough In
these days to be sure, and q certain person is
said to be the father Of all of them. This par
ticular one is 60 disguised that am not sure
that It has not tHo fathers. Let us sec. Sig
nor Romero writes to Mr. Seward Noy. %,
1sGo,) urging that this Government shall OBJ
serve neutrality in the war between France
and MEXICO, and in TINT spirit 1t shah forbid
The expectation Of wagons, mules and other
contraband OF Wat from NeW York and New.
Orleans to the French army at Vera Cruz. Mr..
Seward replies, (Nov. q, 1882 enclosing a
note from Secretary Chase, referring TO certain
authorities and precedents, showing that
this country Is not bound to prevent such
shipments and, in{erentia1ly, that it will not
Mr.. Romero rejoins dec. 10, 186e,) stating,
among other things, that some Zine months
previously he had made. application to this
Government for permit to clear 80. 900 mus
r,cts thanronertr nrthc Mc1icon c,r.,,,,,o,,t
Hull Ne" Ao1h-Ln8S' eupposlng lnere "ouio
be no objection to it, he had applied to the
Secretary of the Treasury merely to assure
~. 80 ~. o-.,. tn,,,,,o9 ~ Mex,co and
414An t4'~s 'ae tt4as o 49, 49, o..
were not intended TOT thc rcocls-tn 1oe eee-
retary OF the Treasury referred him to the sec-
rct,r3es of War and the Nary-that the secre-
.ar.sa No. -,,dc ~ oh;oct;,, hnt ~.
.a's " ~. - se1s 49,. u wv 1"e
secretary ~ q oA4o .A.3 ~ tetuseo 70 re-
lax the order previously Issued forbiddipg the
expectation of arme. This occurred In Feb.
rr,rv or Marob ,eea r1;. -,.- 49,
.""' " 0'0'~o' +oV-. @As otucf, mr..
,'~o 1r' "as ~" Ano"n ~ tne COL
rho aacratorr or Ain ,rroor So
- 49, Is u. ~ tl4e i'ea'us'. ny anrms,
also, that the arms were an inferior lot Of
fiussion nAushesS' n.nt 1oek, Altered to per-
euss1on, land OF such quality that the army
of the United States would never use them -
Be esays also TINT the clcaranccs for arms , ,.aro
subsequently granted at New York to oth.~
49,. 1f.w,s - AeA0 ~ o'Acf
'han heA'can ports. IN 1act, a clearance was
subsequently granted Tor Ntse san,e arm, IN
c,onoo ,r+ hofo-o ,.,;.- =, ~
Roeoee' wv oe1ofe CROSSING Inc line they were
scizcdsby our Government at Rouse's Point,
Wr Seward Vita IHen * 1oc,> ..-4
u -:nhii'It;a,, - 49,. ~: :AOec ~. 1oo-, tnat
is " Tns rns shlpnent o. aims IN the
Gliding all other nations as well as Mexico,
On the ground Of the military necessities Of
the United States, which, while engaged in
suprrcssing Formidable insurrection, cannot
consent thnt ilte-arms OF any Kind shall be
sent ou' OF the country as merchandise. ~
so, according to Mr. Seward, there actually
was ploHpltlon at Tue time referred to,
namely, February or March, 1862.
Mr, Romero writes pgai1, {Dec. 90 1862,
pressing the point that there was no such or
DER OF. prolibltlon In existence. The follow
ing are his reasons for the faith that is in
him:
er order wheh prohibts the aho gcn
arme from the United States ia the cause thai the
clearance Of those purchased By Mexico should
hare been denied: hrst, because the date Of The
~ Tis InnwicJuo ,Ta ~ thot ~ ~ M4cu nas come
Ecr YnIs ia sybeeonent - +b,+ tne raflaef q
lave been cleared for t6cr norts ,shic ~ al1s s
McIfcan porta: thfrf1tC hecenaa tha hann.L9 H.
Secretary Of lie Treasury issur .n nranr ~ t
collector of the custom.house Of New Yort ~. ~.
pressT prohibiting the cics1ance ~ IN ar,,s u =,
ferredta which wonId have hne, c,t;ro, .1ao,s ~
If there had hcen osnsrof nr5or frItS aseless Is
honsa ~ H,r ~ Vor 1n1 ofsaase t me custom
sane arms purchaeed hV Ma@ica han ~ ~ ne
asked for Qutbec a wken III Wnen II w1s Ia
10 mexican port 1t ordered them tn hr dpfa3rad
and returned to New York" >~''''''~N
Mr. Seward rcjoins, {Jan. Z, 1867 utterly
ignoring the above paragraph, and not seem.
ing to be aware TINT Mr.. Romero lus politely
insinuatcd that be has told an untrnth. Ac.
cordlngty Romero writes again (Jan. II. 1859
at considerable length, informing Mr.. Sew
ard, IN diplomatic phrase, that he sees through
Inc whole game, and inasmueh rs he has been
assured, in previous communication from
the Secretary If Efnta that tha ,,rnhih;+;or l.
only ft1qro1Iv1,. he nr,.snmes fl,,t T. III ha
,,,nI, eI.ASu ~ soon us tnc french shall hnve
olockaaed The whole Mexican coast and rem
aefea It impossible to introduce the nrms into
Dir. Seward's last letter is unique. It has
been much admired bg the agent OF the Asso-
cmteu ffcss ut washington. We print 1t
entlfe:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WAsHRoTos, Jan. IT, 1868.
-, 5ae nndeEsignea Secretary Of State Of the Uni
TED states, has had the honor to receive the note
" Mn1Gn Vas aaosesscd 70 nm on the 1tth instant By
Denarmc1t IN reatnn IT, ahinmanta ~ .a =; 1917 =
New York for Mexican norts. "a s's0e ~
The undersigned, while seeing no cause furthc,
70 cxpattate upon the reasons heretofore offered
II explanation Of that mcagare. avai1s himself ol
snrsuee ~ s 'G I 10 a.. h9eso renewed as
Senior Matt;as Romero. Sc " r. r. % A''o'
IT,. ~. - N~ 49, 49,
rt.E q iL.s uGen mummy ~ 4IA, ~ tnis hiHce
rals.an tcptigu 10 pue QGlsk!ys aenana Tor
n" ,,'oro a"s1snt ise saes e. - t,,.
etr.nea on o,c,,tf,, l,Ist utlie ~ eno 70 tms
,'ro',I5';ii;s,' ;tsaif ssS. ~ u " oloef OF
p4on''''1on ''seit, "A'cn lcaus Us 1oHo"s:
"EAEcUT1rE AAs1soN. |
WASHINGTON ci1f' November 20, 1864
.orderfd, That no arms, ammunition, or mu.
atlons o. War 6e cleared q allowed to be exported
nng e'ne tnG 1naea ssa.es Until insttr order That
nq issnrd bcratofa,, IN I'M or mnn,toas
mcnt be vacated # he sT+icca hs1e no+
tue United States, and the articles stopoed p FIAT
the Secretary Of War hold possession ofthe arms.
g.. seetnlg ssi-ed ~ his order At Rou<es Fbinf,
noufa 1or canada.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
1t will be observed that the date Of this or.
der is several months subsequent to the acts Of
which Ar. Romero complains, and that If It
had been without any date, It contains evi-
dence, in the words italicized, that it was
iesued subsequently. Moreover, it appears
to have lcen Issued about the time that Mr..
Homero made hls first representation to onr
government OF the intention Of tue French
Cruz NJ sc Seward avn e~ n o hia 10 no
euHs .s ~ aass oe.o.i Mr. ho1neIo adaressed nm
Cnro-a1 n TYn,rC, ff- par,o.otn F.,t go