New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-15
which covers most of the inquiries con-
tanned in your communication.
| remain, with great respect, your Cpe-
dent servant. THOMAS III. NELSON.

! MIR NELSON 70 Mr.. FISH.
| LEGATION OF TEE UNITED STATES. I
| Mexico, November i, 1870.
SrR-In compliance with the Instructions
| contained in the circular from the Depart
| ment of State dated the nineteenth of August
| last have the honor TO submit the follow.
| ing facts and considerations respecting the
| present state of commercial intercourse be-
| tween the United States and Mexico; the
| causes OF the present PROSTATE condition OF
| American interest here, and means which
might probably be eficaciously employed
by our government to bring about more
prosperous state of affairs.
On the first of August, 1869. ! addressed
confidential circular TO all the American
consuis and consular agents residing in the
republic of Mexico, requesting them to fur
nish me with data concerning the political
and material condition OF the States in
which they respectively reside. Replies
we've received from most of these officers,
and copies of several Interesting and vain
able communications We're transmitted 10y
this legation 10 toe State Department in the
closing months Of 1869, and the earlier poT>
ton of the present year. | respectfully
suggest that collation. of these documents
will furnish data upon many OF the points
covered by the Senate resolution
As the chief practical inference from 80
MANY communications, and from my own
observation, experience, and inquiries, /
may state that the present commercial In
tercourse between the United States and
Mexico is in state of the utmost prostra-
ton and decadence. The reports of our
consuls are unanimous upon this point In
this city, which is one of the largest in Span
ish America, the number Of American mer.
camille houses does not exceed two or three,
and the total number OF American resi-
dents is but score or two. The same Is
the case in Vera Cruz, and in the principal
ports of the Pacific. as well as, with greater
reason, in the large cities of the interior.
The commerce of Importation into this
republic is almost exclusively in the hands
of European merchants, chiefly English,
French and German. The large number of
citizens of the Southern States of the Union
who came to Mexico immediately after the
rebellion, have almost all returned TO the
United States. The agricultural colony
near Cordoya, from which so much was
expected, has been completely broken up
and dispersed, and there is not at this mo-
ment in Mexico single notabilIty remain
ing out Of the many Confederate refugees
OF the few American commercial houses il
Mexico, the greater part import more for
eign than American goods, there being, |
believe, but one house which deals exclu-
sively in articles of American manufacture
that is to say, in arms and ammunition.
On the Pacific coast our commerce via San
Francisco is almost limited to the vessels
Of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company,
which complains OF a loss of trade, and Is
even said TO be running at loss. The i'm
portations BY this line are chiefly confined
to arms. and agricultural and mining i'm
plements, with small quantities of hard
ware and Chinese goods. The causes OF
this low state of American commerce II
Mexico are but too easily explained. They
may be summed up as follows:
l. The force OF habit; the Europeans
having preceded us IL establishing comIneS
cial relations here.
,. The low rate of interest which EURO
peans pay for their borrowed capital, COZ
trasting with that of the United States, u
the proportion Of tGOm live 20 zen per
centum.
g. The fact that European manufacturers
of cotton and fancy goods invariably con-
suit the Mexican taste, thus enabling them
to make little account OF durability 81 mate
rial, and successfully TO compete with Amer
lean articles o. stronger TEXTURE out ot
subdued cOlors.
4. The chronic insecurity Of life ana prop.
erty, which has exerted and still! eXeT.s .
fatal influence upon all foreign capital il
the country, and whose effect on Americans
has been absolutely to preclude lts sn;Soe
luction.
). The entire wan. OF saiHroa8 ana
communication between GIG
two countries alon. oug 1900 Gls,es al
frontier.
In respect 70 tic proper remeiie. which
might be employed by the government OF
-he United States 70 enable Americans grade
lally to assume that commercial importance
n Mexico in which our proximity and poo
itical sympathies entitle US, they may be
summed up, in general as being chose
measures which will most sIectualiy ope-
ate for the remo.a. Or naturalization ~
.lese five causes.
Undoubtedly. under favorabfs c;ecur.
stances, something may be accomplished
automatically to place the commerce Of l.;
he United States upon more favorable !
'ooting as toward the Mexican revenue sys- |
em. Bv the continuance Of ehe wise !
policy of giving moral aid and con'enance |
% the present liberal and PATRIOTS govern /,
nent of Mexico. we shall also contrib Ite 90 !
ne rapid development of that energetic !!
to life and property which 5 81 |
,uch urgent necessity, and which shis GOV |
is doing all in its power to estab. |
ish In the line of active promotion 81
American interests in Mexico, l know 81 |
nothing more important 30 be consulted |
han the facility and rapidity OF intercom-
nunication by means of railway and steam
,hip lines and telegraphs, both as between |
he two countries, and as within the ezteB-
i've Mexican territories, where the almost !
,otal absence of good means of cOmmuni- |
,ation is proveI bal. However desirable
American colonization may be to Mexico |
md to our interests, it can not be etfectu-
lily promoted in any other way. The con- !
truction of railways, then, through the |
State OF Texas and the Territories OF New |
ilexco and Arizona, to the Mexican from
Ter, is an object of the first Importance Tor
he interests to which this inquiry is d.
ected. When such roads once exist |
o the frontier the Mexican government |
will undoubtedly make great efforts 20 pro-
note their extension through the vast
states, fabulOusly rich in mines and ia agrl- |
cultural wealth, of her northern zone. The
legislation which, under the
lame of the coma Hbre, and other burden
ONE clogs upon our commerce, would then
disappear. The growing pros
'erity OF our Southern States. and especially }
he gratifying progress of the port OF New I
orleans, is destined to exert speedy and
beneficial influence upon our commerce with
feXicO. 1t is worthy of inquiry whether |
ur government might not properly do
Omething in aid OF the re-estabhshment of
ines of steamships from New Orleans to the
Iexican ports of the Gulf.
Finally, everything which promotes q
in detail of the vast but unde-
eloped resources OF the several States of
IexicO will inevitably exert a powerful in
uence for good in the desired direction.
he speedy construction of the Tehuantepec |
abroad will be an inestimable boon to the .
Increasing community of interests between
be two republics. The survey about to be
lade of that isthmus by an expedition I'm.
er the auspices of the American Navy De
artment, will, if successful in its object of
The feasibility of interocs anic
avigatiOn, do more than anything else that
Ould be suggested 20 excite in our CONNER.
ial houses that interest and curiosity
yhich are rhe precursors Of enterprise.
'eside giving the widest publicity 10 the