Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-05-14
General News.


Mexican Matters.
| WASHINGTON, May 13.-The last install
ment of documents relative TO Mexic
makes between 500 and 600 pages. It ap
pears from this mass of correspondence tina
on the sth of January Mr.. Romero sent doc
uments to Mr.. Seward showing in the frs
place that the assassination of General Or.
tego was an accomplished fact notwith
standing the endeavors of the French t.
conceal it, and moreover that it was pre-
meditated and executed by orders from
! Mexico, or by command of the French Gen
eral-in Chief OF the invading army, or by
| French agents in that city, on whom they
! lay the responsibility of their conduct.
He adds that the asssssins have not had
| the manliness to assume the responsibility
| of their crime but have tried to conceal it
or impose the guilt of it upon an unhappy
traitor-the officer who has joined the con
querors of his country.
In subsequent communication, dated
February 10th, transmitting to Mr.. Seward
additional documents, in order to keep the
United States Government informed Of the
conduct of the invaders of Mexico. He
says; now call your attention to the in
consistency of treating Mexicans as bel
ligerents after having once denied them
that right. The French agent Maxamilian,
after having denied all the rights
of beliigerentS to the soldiers Of the
Republic whom no claims as outlaws IN his
decree of the Sd of October, and shoots
without trial, in conformity with the de-
cree, even though they claim to belong to
regular organized forces, now negOtiates a
formal exchange of prisoners with General
Riva Palalio, whom he calls General, and
hatte-s with courteous language for his hu-
manitY to the French prisoners, signifies
an acknowledgement of the right Of belhg-
erents to the forces of the Republican army,
and the evident object of this inconsistency
is to gain the release of the French.
Seward replies, March 14th, 1865: Sir
have the honor to acknowledge the re-
ceipts of your communications Of January
9TH and ed, February goth and March 10th,
1866, with their enclosures, which relate to
the decree Issued October Sd, 1865, by the
so-called Emperor OF Mexico, and in which
the penalty of death is declared against all
Mexicans found in arms defending the in
tegrity and independence Of their country
against the forcible Intervention of France
in that Republic. You further inform me
that this penalty has actually been visited
upon Gen. Jose Marcia 0rtego and part Of
his companions recently made prisoners by
the French. In reply, it's scarcely neees-
ment Of the United Ststes deeply regrets
the untimely fate which has overtaken these
champions Of the cause of liberty and re
publican institutions in Mexico, and fully
deprecates the practice system of warfare 50
little in consonance with the ussges of en-
lightened states. l beg to state that the
subject will receive the attention to which
it is SO justly entitled from this govern
ment. WM. H. SEWARD.
The following correspondence took placs
between General Weitzell and General
Mejia
HEADQRs. DISTRICT OF THE RIO GRANDE,
BROWNSVILLE, Texas,
January 2, 1886.
General understand you have taken
seventeen prisoners from the Liberal force
and that you intend to execute them. In
the name of the entire civilized world
protest against such horrible act of bar
Oarity- 1 believe it will stamp the power
you represent with infamy forever. To ex-
ecute Mexicans, fighting in their own
country and for the freedom Of their coun-
try against foreign power, is an act which
at this age will meet with universal execra-
tion. cannot permit this to be done under
the eye of my government without, on its
behalf, entering this protest.
l am, sir,
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
Q. WEITzEL,
Major General Commanding.
IMPERIAL ARMY OF MEXICO DIVISION !
MEJIA H'Do'T'Rs, MATANoRAs, Jan. 2, '66. J
GENERAL.-I acknowledge the receipt OF
your communication this day. find my
self under the necessity of repelling ener-
getically the participation which you pre-
tend to take in the internal concerns Of
this country. The business to which the
protest in your note refers has now been
brought before competent tribunals and nc
one has right to suspend the proceedings
For your individual cognition l will add
that the papers in question was the cause Of
having taken by force of arms wagons and
26 mules and robbed Is prisoners. It would
be very strange, General, if in the middle
Of the nineteenth century the bandits and
fighting robbers are to receive help and
protection from the civilized world. By
the same occasion see myself obliged to
retnrn without answer all communications
of the character, and conclude in the Ian
guage of the one now before.
Accept, General, my esteem and consider
alton, (Signod)
THOMAS MEJIA,
General Commanding the Rio Grando.
Burned.
ST. LOUIS, May I3.-The works of the
Marine Dock Company in South Carondolet,
seven miles below the city, together with
the steamer Jennie Dean, was burned last
night. Loss on the machinery snd build
ings of the Dock Company $50, ,OOO-n1 in
suranee. The steamer was valued at $50,
600, not insured. The FIRE was the work Of
an incendiary.
Serious ARRAY.
FoRT Monroe, May ia serious fracas
occurred at Hampton yesterday afternoon
between Mr.. Latimer, Deputy Sheriff, and
a merchant doing business in town. The
latter was stabbed in four different places.