New-York tribune., 1867-07-17

cannot be otherwise 1t is as true OF ourselves
and of Mexico now as it was of the Northern
and Southern States in 1861 that, rs President
Lincoln then expressed it, "They cannot but
" remain face to face, and intercourse, either
amicable or hostile, must continue between
them" Recent events tend to bring us more
Immediately into contact with Mexico. Her
policy (unwise as our readers well know we
regard i) in putting Maximian to death has
had the effect of detaching her, i'll measure,
from European sympathies and this, i'll the end,
if Mexico act wisely in the future Will have the
effect of drawing closer the bonds between
that country and ours. Under these clrcln-
stances we are glad to perceive that our State
Department has acted carefully and prudcntly
in a recent case, in which lack of care and pru-
dence might have embroiled IT'S at once with
our Southern neighbor. A memorandum
from Mr. Seward, already before our readers,
discloses the facts. Santa Anna has been play
ing the fool and the lSnave. Mr.. Seward in'
forms us that the ex- Dictator "on more than
Zone occasion made application to the Presl'
"dent of the United States for confidence,
sanction, material aid and assistance to ena-
"ble him to carry on bclligercnt operations III
Mexico that Enquiries were made
"by the United States which resulted
in declarations by the Republican Government
"of Mexico that Senor Santa Anna was an enemy
of the Republic" that thercupon the United
States persstenty refused to hold any CORE
spOndcnce or communication, personal OF
otherwise, with SchOr Santa Anna on ms
agents, and has constantly enjolned upon its
civil and military agents yigilant ana ener-
gctic proceedings to prevent any unlawful
expedition by Selor Santa Anna from the
United States against Mexico When we call
70 mind that this man, some time after an I'm
perial Government had been declared in Mex
leo, approved, in the most fulsome terms tlic
usurpation, rendering his services in support oil
it, and that he was repelled only by Gen.
Bazane's imperative order that he should III
stantly leave the country, the impudence oi
such application to n Government that has al
WAYS protested against the Imperial usurpa-
ton appears in elarng cOlors. Disappointed
in this Santa Anna, in May last, chartered
merchant steamer of the United States the
Virginia and landed at Vera Cruz on June 3.
At that time but two Mexican cities, the capt
tai and Vera Cruz, remained III possession oil
the Imperiaists, MAMMALIAN being already a
prisoner. Negotiations were in progress for the
surrender of Vera Cruz On the 2d of june,
after repeated solicitations on the paIt Oi the
Macmillan Commissary i'll that city TO the
United States and British Consuls these two
gentlemen proceeded to the camp OF the LIB
eral Gen. Benavides, then besicging Vera Cruz,
they being authorized by the said COmmlssary
TO acccdc to certain terms that had been pro-
posed on the part of the Liberals, and TO express
10 Gen BcDavides the desire of the lmpenallsls
TO surrender Vera Cruz, its castle and fortllca-
tons The Consuls returned the same alter
noon with q complete ratification of the org
inal terms proposed by the lmpcrialist Com
missary and Gen. Bcnayides suspended
fire from his batteries. The Commissary, ac-
cedng at once To the terms, asked little time
TO reconcile his officers to them AT this juno
ture, the marplot Santa Anna having aniyed
and communicated with the Commissary, that
functionary changed his tone and informed the
COnsuls that he (Santa Anna /" brought letters
from President Johnson and the United States
Government authorizing him to assume the
charge of affairs in Mexico" and that a
" squadron of ships was ordered to sustain him,
4" and troops were also on the way to Vera
Cruz We quote literally from the dispatch of
Commander Roe of the United States steamer
TacOny, then lying in the harbor of Vera Cruz.
The United States Consul fully corroboratcs
this statement, and it is confirmed by the re-
port forwarded by that officer TO the state
Department of the proceedings of the Council
of War held upon the proposals of Santa Anna
at Vera Cruz. which report of proceedings ia
certified by the officers composing the said
Council of War. Santa Annals agent G.. Ma
phegyi, denies this, but the above evidence
shows that our CODsul's statement is substan-
tally correct when he says, THAT Senor Santa
"Anna entertained him with a long discourse
Gas to his plans, and said that, after interviews
with President Johnson and Secretary Sew
card, at their solicitation he had come to Vera
"Cruz; that they had offered him men and
"m0ney to sustain him that Maximilian had
Offered to deliver the situation of the country
"to him. &c.
The true character of the transaction is thus
summed up by Commander Roe: "The atti-
" tude of Santa Anna was this He was on
{" board of an American ship, under the flag of
" the United States, in a city besieged by the
Government of Mexico declaring and foment-
ing the civil war against that Government,
" with which the United States are in friendly
relations, under an assumed authority from
the United States; and while he claimed TO
abe under the protection and shield of their
flag, he preuented The act Of the surrender Of
" Vera Cruz after the terms of that surrender
had been agreed to and accepted by both
Fl" partiesn Nor was this all. Commander Roe
received news from the shore that reyolu-
tionary conflict was on the eve of breaking out
in Vera Cruz in favor of and against Santa
Anna, who, it was supposed, had been appointed
by the United States Government to supersede
Iuo,o, onJ oil ntbcra II yos unlcr these cir