Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-01-05
The Mexican Minister on New Years Day.
- WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 1866.

and Mr. Romero, the Mexican Minister, in caIiin
tne attention OF Secretary Seward to it and otne
papers IN October last, says:
In the usurper's proclamation ofthe Cd instant, th
Duke SIppoSes contrary to the fact that the Constu
j 5lona resident OF the Mexican Republic had abau
d"ned the national territory. From this false hy
pothesi he concludes that the defenders of ipdepen
dence. whom he calls banditti in obedience t. order
received from the French, have no leaders II i
nothing for the usurper to ca II those patriots VIII
sustain the cause of Independence, and the institu-
tlons OF Mexico. bandits. Nor is it new for him t.
treat them as such, with severity that would bt
called excessive II applied to criminals of the loves
order. lie showed the same determination in hi,
Proclamation OF the Sd OF Noyember last Now Max
lmhan WISHES To- regulate this established system O
assassination. His decree, issued on the Sd inst mt
creating most informal military tribunals extendiu.
ther jurisdiction to every in the country ounC
armed without license from his sO-caled Government
regardless OF the numbers and character of the party
he belongs to.
In this Decree excessively tyranicaI, he condemns
10 deeth AeveFy armed man who is not French sol
dler or traitor and even those who vii profer in
formation which may aid the defenders of their coun.
try and sanctions severe penalties for the mere act
OF concealng patriot circulating alarming news
And 1T has been carried out by his French directors
VINO nave been by tins system Of court martals send.
log TO the scaold the captive patriots called gueri
las and even military officers of the national army
who could not be called So This extraordinary
severity Is IN open cOntraventon to the mild promises
made IN the hrst proclamation on landing at Nera
Cruz, dated May 3d. 1864, etc, etc.
Mr. Romero. in another letterto Secretary Seward
dated November 90 says: This barborous and bloody
decree, the most cruel ever yet seen, has already
Desun 10 De executed 1t Is now painful duty q
inform you that the 18th Of October last the Genis
ArEega and Salazar, and Coils Diaz Pararcho,
lila, Goucez; Perez, Miluca, and Millans five lieu
tenant cnionels eight commandantS and number OF
subordinate otlcerS were SuTprizcd and taken pTi-
Soners by the French forces in the town of Santa
anna State OF MlchoaGap, appears from the official
dlSpatch sent to tEG usurper, of which / enclose a
copy in French. Those generals and colonels be-
longed 10 the regular army Of the republic were
fought for the independence of their country from
the time the French first landed in Mexico.
These distinguished MeXicans were executed in
accordane9 with the above mentioned bloody decree
of the usurper of Mexico and have information of
the truth OF which unhappiy, there is doubt that
two generals and lieutenant colOnels were barba
rously sacrificed in laSrant violation of the laws of
war and every principle Of justice. 1t further ap-
pears from the document that the 2Sh of October,
Charge D Affairs Corwin informed Mr. Seward tn
1t had been reported at tie City of Mexico on the
preceding day, and generally believed, that on the
2lst OF that month Generals Ortcga and Salazar and
the four colonies, were shot, but that no official hc-
count made Of them had been published.
Mr.. Gorwin also refers to the de rec, particularly
to the st article showing that all those belonging to
the armies fighting for the Republican government
Will be shoL, If taken prisoners by the Imperial
troops:
Mr.. Seward on the Sd of November addressed a
letter &c our Minister at Paris saying:
Il am directed by the President to request YOU TO
ask the serious attention of the French Government
TO the proceedings in Mexico, by which brave Mexi-
cans taken captive while adhering, in war to their
own republican government are denied rights which
the law 0l nations invariably accords to prisoners of
war"
And en- the 28th of the same MONTH Mr.. Seward
addressed another letter toMr. Bgelow in which he
says-With reference to my despatch of the Sd inst
1t Is now my painful duty to acquaint You that in
formation has been received from the Minister of the
Republican Government of Mexico accredited to this
Government to the effect that the slnpuinary policy
reterrei to IN tho above named despatch has actually
beeq lnaugurated by the execution of several distn-
guShed officers Of the Liberal forces who had been
surprised and captured by the Imperiaist forces in
the town Of Santa Anna Amatlan namey:-Generals
Qrtega and Salazar and Coils. Dias Paracho Villa.
Gomez, Perez Nlilchia and FilienoS i've ieut coils
eight commanders. and number of subordinate Of
fcerS.
the serious attention of the Imperial Government to
this subject. and Mr.. Drouyn de PIIuys that these
reports have been received with much concern by the
Government of the United States If upon inyesti-
cation, they should prove. as there is too strong
ground for believing that thev are well founded we
cannot uer ourselves to doubt that far as the Gov
ernment OF France Is concerned it can never coun-
tenance proceedings which are so repugnant to The
sentiments OF modern civilization and the instincts
OF human nature.
Mr.. Bigeow, under date of Paris, November 50,
1863, writes to Mr.. Seward as follows:
MN. Drouyn de pHuys has referred to the rem
NJ Mexcan prisoners taken IN war and also to the
not go to President Juarez? We are not the Gov
ernment of Mexico and you do us too much
honor to treat us as such We had to go to
Mexico with an army to secure certain important
interests, but we are not responsible for Maximilian
or his government. lie is accountable as TO any
other government, if he violated its rights and Won
', Mr.; seward, under date of December 10TH informs
Mr.. Eomero that the atters dispatch and lis accom-
panlaments iorwhlch he tendershiS thanks have re-
celyed the consideration to which they were Justly
entitled by this government.
THE FREEDMEN'S BUREAU.
Senator Trumbull, just previous to the holidays
which he has since divided into two and will submit
them to the Senate Tomorrow. One of them is to
enlarge the powers OF the FreedmenS Bureau and
the other is to protect all persons in the United States
IN t9elr clvll rights and furnish the means of their
yndlcatlon The first provides that in the insur-
rectloaary districts; when by State law custom
any of the civil rights belonging to white persons are
denied TO negroes or mulattoes, or when they are
subject to different puns shment than is prescribed
Tor whites. the officers and agents of the Freedmen's
Bureau SHALL so long such discrimination contin-
ues have JurS leton of all cases which effect such
negroes or mu!attocs.
1t also provides for furnishing by fine and impris-
onment, through the courts of the Freedmens Bu-
reau, all persons who shall subject negro or mulatto
IN consequence OF his race color to any other or diff
erent punishment than is prescribed for white per
sons or S9al deny MN any civil rights which belong
to the white race The judicial power conveyed by
the treedmens Bureau is to cease whenever the
States where it is exercised fully restored in all
their Constitutional relations to the Union.
The other bill Is OF permanent character to apply
to all parts of the United States 1t declares that the
inhabitants of every race and color without regard
to former 81 avery shall have the right to make
sue and enforce contracts sue be parties; give
dence; to Inherit purchase, deed, hold and convey
benefit of all laws and the security of person and
property; all be subject to like punishment, pains
u
contrary notwithstanding.
Other provisions of the bill make it criminal of
fence for any person under color of law or custom
to deprive of any of his equal civil rights and i'm
munites; gives the United States Courts exclusive
jurisdiction of the of all persons thus discrmi
mated against and all offences committed against the
provisions of this act; makes it the duty of the Judi
cial authorities of the United States aided Necessary
by the military forces toexecute the same and pro-
yldes all the machinery for making the bill effective
Nearly all the provisions of the old fugitive slave
act incorporated with this BILL and the statute
originally framed to keep men in slavery is now re-
vlSed to secure their freedom. The severe penalties
once imposed for aiding men to escape to freedom
are now to be imposed for trying to keep in slavery
those who have just issued therefrom.
PENSIONS.
The number of invalid pension cases admitted at
the Pension Bureau, during the year 1855 was IS
and the number of widows, orphans and mothers
q ,922 The number at present before the CommiS-
sloner for his consideration, including the classes
above named, is $1,000. About % per cent. Of the
invalid claims presented were rejected, being much
classes.
THE PIRATE sENMEs.
Judge Hughes, one of the counsel for Alabama
Semmes, to day made application to the Secretary of
the Navy to have the day fixed for the trial of the ac-
cused; The Secretary of the Navy declined making
an order OF the character requested, the ground
tha 1t is at the present time mpracticable to make
the detail Of officers to constitute the court there not
being a sufficient number of the proper grade now
unemployed; The counsel engaged for Semmes are
MesSrs. Hughes Denver and Peck, of this city, and
Pendleton Colson, Esq, of Boston. Semmes has not
yet been removed to the Old Capitol.
SPECULATION IN THE SOUTH.
George L. Little, ESQ., special agent of the Treas
ury Department, who has recently returned from an
extensive tour through the South reports that he
finds much money in hands of Southern men now
as was ever before possessed by them. Northern
speculatorS are numerous in most regions of the
South. and have been and are purchasing large
y of the Southern staples, well of landed prop
erty, thus placing the hands of the people imme
amounts of ready money.
ORDER TO MUSTER OUT.
The Secretary of War has ordered the following
of which have been mustered since the publica-
ton of the order:-l9th Connecticut infantry com
panies A, f. II, l, K, and field and staff; 4th Calfor-
MIA infantry; Company B. lst battalion Dacotah cav
airy; 18th. 43d and 46th Illinois infantry; and 3D. th
10th, and l1h companies c. I, / NJ, Illinois cavalry;
L, F, G, II, |: X. and field and staff: 7th Michigan
cavalry lst Nevada infantry 195th Ohio infantry; I'd
Wisconsin cavalry; llth, 18th, 18th, 2lst 33d 41tb
18Th 55th 6ls 65d, 10Th. 75th cd l0Oth 1O4th u S.
coored infantry; I'd light batteries c. D, F. and l,
Officers and men of company A. 10th heavy artillery,
cavalry.
Major General Terry, Commanding Department of
Virginia. acting under Instructions from Major Gen
raj Meade; has directed the immediate muster out
Of the "a Pennsylvania heavy artillery and the Sth
Maine infantry.
SANITARY COMMISSION
The number of claims received by the Sanitary
COMMISSION during the month of December 1855,
were as sfolloWs-W idOws pension claims. 325 invalid
pension clams 4oi naval pension claims. l6 claims
for arrears OF pay, bounty, &C. 1S5 Total received
1853.
The following is the number of claims allowed dur
ing the same month and their cash yalue.-Widows'