The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-25
MEXICO.
The Free Zone Question Before the IexIcnn
COnaress-The XOIe on the SMbiccI.

Conaress-The Vote the subject.
MEXICO, Nov. lion the 5th OF this month the
Congress of Mexico passed the law not only con-
tinulng the free zone within the limits it has al
e interior IA the TO "a NueT
Leon. The hfty-third article in the Tarin bill
under discussion authorizes what is known as the
free by the reading public the text of which,
as it has just passed the Congress OF Mexico by
vote of eighty five to thirty y-seven is as folows:-
Article 53 Foreign goods destined for consumption
the following o. Gn%PsIgo NJ Ma
Of Rio GraDde in Coahgs' Lampazes and Cerraioo in
kuevo Leon PIesdio del Nore and Paso del Norte in
Chhushuashall be free from all duties except muni
cipal.
The greater portion OF three days was occupied
by Mr.. Romero Secretary Of the Treasury, in COM
batting the bill and attempting to secure its abolish
ment but In vain The opposition to these deputies
was too strong, and vote OF eighty-dve to thirty
seven was rolled up without much apparent effort.
Secretary Romero, among other things, replied as
follows to Mr. Guzman, who favored the continu-
ance and extension of the "free zone":-
Another mistake which the orator to whom refer
incurred, is the assertion that the Government of
the United States solicited, by the urgency OF the
usurpers Miramon and Maximilian the abolition OF
the free zone. Continuing his design OF making
Congress believe that the opinion OF the Executive
opposed the free zone because OF his condescenson
to the Cabinet of Washington, he makes the con-
if it were the condpct Of the present ad-
ministration. doubt whether this Deputy
believes what he has told us, aud II he should be-
lieve it he thus manifests with how much readiness
he gives assent TO the most unfounded and most
lmprobaole rumors, ana Win wnat lrankness ne
to this Congress. The Government OF the United
States could not solicit from Mramon or Maxi
MILAN either the suppression OF The free zone
anything else, for the simple reason that
it never had relations with them. 1t is true
that Mr. Forsyth, Minister OF the United States TO
Mexico In 1885, recognized Felix Zuloago as Presi-
dent OF the Mexican Tepublc; but 1t Is also true
that he did so without Instructions from his Gov
ernment, and that soon afterwards he had to sus-
pend his relations with said administration or Mr.
Felix Zuloaga before Miguel Miramon usurped the
power After that the Government OF the Uuited
States recognized the constitutional President
OF the republic, then established In Vera Cruz,
nd ms nfaip pad W ~ nj no
war of reform. All the world knows-and it Is sur
prising to ind that there may still be those who are
never recognized the intervention or the called
empire had relations of any kind with enc or the
other. IL is not comprehended, then, how 1t may
have manifested its wishes in respect to the free
TO the reactonary party or TO the intervention
Persons who may not be acquainted with the
rules which regulate the conduct OF the Cabinet in
Washington can say that In one or the other case,
II manifested its wishes by means OF confidential
lutte ignorance of the usages established by the Gov
ernment OF the United States. Moreover, even sup
| posing that really there should have been some
Indication on the part OF the Cabinet OF Washington
| to those usurpers, the existence OF the Free Zone
might be explained by the simple reason that the
reaction did not ntopossession OF the frontier
and it would he bad TO legslate for territory which
| IL never possessed; and, although the empire held
Matamoras and sometimes all the fronJer, its oc-
cupation OF II was always precartous. Further
more neither one nor the other order OF things had
ever the necessary tranquility to occupy Itself with
considering and accomplishing the changes and
reforms which the public administration required ;
| suppress the free zone, even should they not
think 1t convenient, knowing that with the suppress
sion of the free zone they might incur decided hos
tty from the towns which enjoyed that priv ilege,
in circumstances under which they attempted to
cause the wish OF tue whole nation to submit.
| Macmillan would probably have abolished the free
zone dozen times 70 secure interchange the recog-
! milton OF the United States. Persons wholmay have
known the interest which he had in the recognition
will not doubt the correctness OF this assertion.
| Mr.. GuZman, in favor OF the extension OF the
| zone" thought proper to make long speeches from
| which The fOllowngl Is an extract:-
| Il have said the Executive, because in his name
the Minister of the Hacienda has addressed us; but
may be permitted to take exception to this, noting
that the present President OF the republic remains
| in power the came time that he npho.ds the law of
| the free zone; that by establishing the
| ratified by the Congress OF 1861,
| without any observations On the part OF the
| Executiye and afterwards Mr.. Juarez has been in
vested with extraordinary faculties at different pc
| RODS OF his administration when he could have
| abolished it, and l have only seen DEGREES which
! regulated it The Hon. Mr. Igesas is one OF the
Secretaries OF Hacienda, who, In Mexico and
| Monterey. has issued more circulars and de-
1 crees, amplifying and lmodifYing. j the law OF