NUMBER 4. FIRST FRENCH CONVENTION.-JANUARY 21ST 1851. By the decree of the 18th of January 1851, the Government was empowered to regulate, conditionally, the payment of what was owing to Messrs. Serment P. Fort & Co.; and Don José Luis Huici, Chargé of the Department of Finance, informed the Foreign Department that he had made the following contract with the creditors: "The claim of Messrs. Serment P. Fort & Co. and Drusina, proceeding from the contract of the 21st of February 1846, ordered to be fulfilled by a sentence of the Supreme Court of Justice of the 24th of January 1850, is arranged upon the following terms: Its fund is formed of what is owing of the $616,625,, 48 which were delivered in cash, and of other $616,625 48 which were delivered in recognized "creditos", both of which bear interest; and of one per Cent. upon the sum paid in cash for the time it may have been in the possession of the Government. "The amount that may result therefrom, after the account is adjusted, shall be paid in the following form: "Three hundred thousand dollars shall be given of the American Indemnity which falls due in 1851 and 1852, the half in each one of these periods, and $600,000 in the half of the circulation and export duties on money in all the ports; it being understood with regard to the ports of the Pacific, that the obligation shall commence when they are free from the compromises they are under at present. The Balance shall be paid in Bonds of the common fund, at par. "In case the importation of Foreign Cotton should be decreed, permits to the amount of 250,000 dollars shall be given to the parties interested, if they should ask for them, and which shall be considered equivalent to the payment of $300,000 of the $600,000 assigned from the fund of the circulation and exportation duties. "The parties interested shall, moreover, deliver 600,000 dollars in "creditos" of those already mentioned, for the difference there is between these and the Bonds of the 20 per Cent. Mexico &c.-Serment & Co.-Drusina & Co." NUMBER 5. SECOND CONVENTION OF THE 10TH DECEMBER 1851.-CLAIMS OF MESSRS. JECKER, TORRE & Co. On the 10th of December of last year, the Convention hereinafter inserted was made and signed between the Supreme Goverment and His Excellency the Minister Plenipotentiary of France. "The undersigned Minister of Finance of the United Mexican States and the Minister Plenipotentiary of the French Republic having met in diplomatic conference, with the object of regulating the payment of the sums due to Messrs Jecker, Torre & Co., according to the sentence pronounced by the Supreme Court of Justice on the 13th of February 1850, for the execution of which, authority was given by the General Congress in the decree of the 17th. of October last, and taking into consideration: First. That orders having been drawn on the 21st. of the said month of February for the payment of $99,773,, 18 in the Maritime Custom Houses of San Blas, Mazatlan and Guaymas, of the part remaining free to the Government of the import duties caused therein by the said Messrs. Jecker, Torre & Co.: Secondly. That the sum to be paid to them for the interest to which they have an incontestable right, for the privation they have suffered of their money in so longa time, not having been settled, and which they calculate in $134,647 43: Thirdly. That the sum which they consider they have a right to claim for damages and losses referred to in the sentence amounts to $100,000; the aforesaid Minister of Finance authorized as has been expressed, and the Minister Plenipo tentiary of France, desiring to arrange the differences referred to, in a just manner and remove the motives that might disturb the friendship that reigns between the two Governments, at the same time conciliating the interests in question as far as the situation and peculiar existing circumstances permit, have agreed upon the following articles: Art. 1st. The Mexican Government, in use of the power it exercises, shall assign to the payment of the total claim,-which is confined to the interest alone, regulated in the sum of $109,143 represented by Messrs. Jecker, Torre & Co., as was done with the $99,773-18 of the orders of February 1850,-the free part remaining to the Government, of the import duties caused by these gentlemen in the ports of San Blas, Mazatlan and Guaymas. Art. 2nd. In consequence of this arrangement Messrs. Jecker, Torre & Co., renounce, in favor of the Government, all ulterior claim for damages or losses they may be entitled to, in virtue of the sentence given in their favor by the Supreme Court of Justice. "The purposes of this convention shall not be modified nor altered at any time, without the previous agreement and consent of the French Legation. "In Witness whereof, We the undersigned Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Mexican States and the Minister Plenipotentiary of the French Republic, have signed two originals of the present.convention, and have sealed the same with our respective seals in the city of Mexico, this 10th. day of December 1851." And His Excellency the President, having been pleased to approve the said Convention, I participate the same to you for your information and fulfilment in the part that appertains to you, by giving the respective orders to the Maritime Custom Houses of San Blas, Mazatlan and Gaymas, for the delivery of the sums to be paid to them, according to the stipulations of this Convention, and keeping an exact account of the payments made to Messrs. Jecker, Torre & Co., in du ties on goods imported by them or consigned to them, and arranging with those gentlemen in regard to the sum to be assigned to each Custom-House, which assignments you will endeavour to regulate in such a way that the preferable necessities of the said Custom Houses may not be prejudiced, nor the special assignments made in favor of the foreign or interior debt of the Republic, be affected. God and Liberty. Mexico April, 22nd 1859.- Esparza.-To the Ministers of the General Treasury. NUMBER 6. THIRD FRENCH CONVENTION, 30TH JUNE 1853.-VARIOUS CLAIMS. The undersigned Secretary of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Mexican Republic, and the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of H. M. the Emperor of the French having met in diplomatic conference, with the object of regulating the payment of the sums owing to subjects of the French Empire; desiring to proceed in conformity with the sentiments of loyalty, equity, and justice, which from the basis of the frank conduct of the representatives of the two nations,-between which there happily exists the greatest harmony, and to remove all motive that might hereafter disturb the friendship that reigns between the Governments, at the same time conciliating their reciprocal interests as far as the peculiar circumstances permit, have agreed upon the following articles: ART 1ST. A redemption Fund shall be established for the extinction of the French claims. ART 2ND. This fund shall be composed of the 25 per Cent. of the import and tonnage dues, payable by French vessels in the ports of the Republic. The amount thereof shall be remitted in bills to the Treasury General, and by this office to the "Montepio" of this capital, and when recovered, the amount shall remain in deposit for fhe time hereinafter expressed. ART 3RD. A commission, named by the Supreme Government shall revise the claims which from their origin may have belonged to French subjects, and are still in their possession, and shall adjust and fix their real amount; and each ereditor, either directly or by some person on his part, shall facilitate to the commission all the instructions and explanations that may be necessary. This adjustment shall be terminated by the 15th of December of the present year. ART 4TH. In this adjustment there shall only be taken into account the capital claimed, and the legal interest at 6 per Cent, which may have been duly incurred up to the day of the adjustment, without admitting any claim for damages or indemnities. ART. 5TH. According as the partial adjustments may be effected, Bonds shall be given to the creditor, with coupons for the value of the amount of the claims. ART. 6TH. Every four months a public auction shall be held, to redeem to the best bidder those bonds for the amount in deposit, as referred to in the 2nd article. ART. 7TH. These Bonds shall not bear any interest against the Exchequer, nor shall they be admitted except for their nominal value, at the most. ART 8TH. This Convention shall commence to take effect from the 1st of January 1854, therefore the first public auction, as mentioned in the 6th article, shall take place on the last day of April, and the others on a like day of the month at the end of every four months, according to the same article. In the mean time, all payments shall cease from the present date, that should have been made upon French claims that were not included in some Convention or agreement concluded previously, under the direction of the French Lega tion. Dated in triplicate at the National Palace of Mexico on the 30th day of June 1853. (Signed), Bonilla.—(Signed), Levasseur. GENERAL INDEX OF THE MATTER CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT. INTRODUCTION.. QUESTIONS WITH ENGLAND. Historical Extract of the Debt contracted in London from 1823 to 1862. Do. 7th. of February 1824 to date..... B.-Charges and Commissions paid by the Republic Do. C.-Account Current of Dividends.... Historical Extract of the First Convention.... SECOND CONVENTION.-Montgomery, Nicod & Co........... Liquidation A.-Primitive Capital of the English Conventions.. B.-Conversion of the English Conventions.... Do. Do. E.-Sums paid by the Treasury to various British Sub- PAGE. V 1 47 55 57 59 61 65 71 75 91 93 95 99 108 |