with an English house here of the highest standing, (then successfully prosecuting a claim of considerable amount on this government,) by which they assumed the collection of the $274,664 67 due to me as the representative of the American claimants, in addition to their own claim, and agreed to pay over to me the proportion to which I was entitled, gradually, as recovered by them from the Mexican government. Confident as I felt with respect to the propriety of this course, I did not, however, rely exclusively on my own judgment; for, before taking any step, I detailed to Mr. Shannon (then residing here as the minister of the United States) the facts which I have now mentioned to you, and received his entire approbation of the measure by which I proposed to protect the interests intrusted to my charge. In consequence of this arrangement, vouchers against different branches of the public treasury for the sum of $274,664 67 were handed over to the English capitalists; in return for which I gave the government a receipt for the same sum, as if actually paid this operation being in fact an exchange of documents, in perfect accordance with the established rule and practice of the financial department here, and the value of my receipt remaining inseparably connected with that of the vouchers given in exchange. I have to regret that an arrangement designed solely for the benefit of my constituents, accomplished with difficulty, and which gave so fair a promise of success, has not yet realized the expectations which led to its adoption. The revolution effected in December last year overthrew General Santa Anna's government, and transferred political power to another party in this country, who, adopting a purer policy than their predecessors, have nevertheless found themselves involved in financial difficulties of enormous magnitude, and, as a consequence, the vouchers assigned as a payment of the American claims for $274,664 67 remains as yet dishonored; and though still held by the English house referred to, these parties (as will be perceived by the letter from them which I annex) jusly regard the transaction between us as valid only in the event of this government fulfiling its engagements to them. I have myself great confidence in the good faith of the present Mexican cabinet, and I am pursuaded of their desire to settle this claim at the earliest moment possible. Had no efforts been made by me to effect the recovery indirectly of the two instalments which form the subject of this letter, the situation of the claimants would be in no respect better, for nothing could have been paid by this government; and in the absence of any extraordinary measure by the government of the United States to effect the collection, I still regard the chances of payment as improved by the steps which I have taken, and from which I have neither sought nor derived any private advantage. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant, EMILIO VOSS. Hon. JOHN SLIDELL, Page 9. Messrs. Tayleur, Jamison & Co., to Mr. Voss, December 17, 1845. Messrs. Tayleur, Jamison & Co. to Mr. Voss. MEXICO, December 17, 1845. DEAR SIR: In conformity with your desire to be informed of the actual position of the orders received by us against various departments of the public treasure for the two instalments due by this government, in July, 1844, to the American claimants, the collection of which has been assumed by us, we have to inform you, with regret, that up to the present date not a dollar has been paid on account of those documents. The government having failed to comply with its engagements to us, we of course can make no anticipation to you on account of those orders, but we continue our efforts to effect the collection; and, persuaded as we are, that temporary financial difficulties only have produced this want of punctuality on the part of the government, we are far from despairing of success. Should you, however, prefer receiving back the documents, which are Order on the treasury for bills arising from maritime duties at Mazatlan, payable here... $160,000 00 we hold them at your disposal, or that of any party whom you may name to receive them. We are, dear sir, yours respectfully, EMILIO VOSS, Esq. EUR, TAYLEUR, JAMISON & CO. Pages 10 and 11. Report of the ministers of the treasury on the petition of Mr. Voss. Report of the ministers of the treasury upon the petition of Mr. Voss. E. S. pide D. Emilio Voss, en esta instancia, que le sea devuelto el recibo que dió à tesorería general por la cantidad que importaron los dos plazos cumplidos en 30 de Abril y 35 de Julio del año proximo pasado por el prestamo forsozo destinado al pago de los Estados Unidos. Es verdad que la cantidad á que se refiere Voss no le fué dada en efectivo por esta tesorería; pero se le expidieron ordenes para su pago por lo que esta oficina considera que este negocio debe tenerso por terminado, y no puede accederse á su solicitud de devolverle el recibo, pues ademas del trastorno que se naturalmente en la cuenta y razon, hasta cierto punto padeceria el credito de la nacion, pues teniendo ya el conocimiento el gobierno de los Estados Unidos de esta pagada esta cantidad, si simplemente se devuelve el recibo á Voss aparecerà que el de Mejico aun sin conocimiento del apoderado aseguró estar hecho pago, lo que no ha sucedido, pues al espedirse aquellas ordenes por convenio tenido con el mismo apoderado, el gobierno cumplió por su parte, si las repetidas ordenes no han tenido cumplimiento por circunstancias que no ha sido posible evitar, puedo Don Emilio Voss solicitar que lo tengan por algun ortro fonde que el que estaba designado. Asi pensamos nosotros; mas V. E. resolverá lo que estime justo. MEJICO, Noviembre 11 de 1845. Los ministros de la tesorería general de la nacion certificamos: que la antecedente copia lo es à la letra del informe que dió esta tesorería general al E. S. Ministro de Hacienda sobre el asunto á que se refiere, y cuya copia se espide al interesado en virtud de orden suprema fecha tres del actual. MEJICO, Diciembre 5 de 1845. [No. 756.] A. BATRES, A. M. DE ESNAURRIZAR. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, I, the undersigned, consul of the United States of America for the city of Mexico, hereby certify that the signatures of A. Batres and A. M. de Esnaurrizar, subscribed to the preceding certificate, are in the proper handwriting of said persons, respectively, the same as used by them in all their official acts and deeds, who are both well known to me, and were, at the time of subscribing their names, in due exercise of their office as ministers of the general treasury, and that all their official acts are entitled to full faith and credit as such. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the [L. S.] consular seal, the day and year first above written. JOHN BLACK, Consul. Register C, folio 171.] [Translation of No. 5.] Don Emilio Voss, in this petition, prays that the receipt be returned to him which he gave to this general treasury for the amount of the two drafts which fell due on the 30th of April and the 30th of July of the last year, on the forced loan destined to the payment [of the debt] to the United States. It is true that the amount to which Voss refers was not delivered to him in effective funds by this treasury, but orders were issued for the payment; for which reason this department considers that this business should be held as finished; and it cannot comply with his petition to have the receipt returned to him, since, besides the confusion [trastorno] which it would naturally occasion in the account and statement, the credit of the nation would suffer, in a certain degree, as, the government of the United States being already informed that the said amount has been paid, if the receipt be simply returned to Voss it will seem Rep. 142-3 that the government of Mexico, even without the knowledge of the person empowered, gave the assurance that the payment had been made, which has not happened, inasmuch as, on the issue of those orders, by agreement with the said person empowered, the government fulfilled its part. If the repeated orders have not been complied with, in consequence of circumstances which it has not been possible to avoid, Don Emilio Voss may pray that they be given on some other fund than that which was designated. This is the opinion of us all; but your excellency will determine what you may consider just. MEXICO, November 11, 1845. We, the ministers of the general treasury of the nation, do certify that the preceding copy is literally conformable with the report made by this general treasury to his excellency the minister of finance on the subject to which it refers, and copy of which is delivered to the person interested, in virtue of a supreme order dated the 3d of the present month. A. BATRES. A. M. DE ESNAURRIZAR. MEXICO, December 5, 1845. Page 11. Mr. Slidell to Mr. Voss, December 20, 1845. Mr. Slidell to Mr. Voss. MEXICO, December 20, 1845. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt, on this day, of your letters of the 17th instant on the subject of your agency in the matter of the two instalments of the Mexican indemnity due in April and July, 1844, together with-1st, the letter of Messrs. Tayleur, Jamison & Co. to you, of the same date; 2d, copy of a letter addressed by you, on the 17th October last, to W. S. Parrott, esq.; 3d, certified copy of a communication from the Mexican government, when applied to by you for the return of your receipt for the said instalments. I have been instructed, formally, to make known to the Mexican government that your powers as agent for the government of the United States have entirely ceased, not only as regards all instalments subsequent to the two above mentioned, but as regards those two likewise, and that you are to be regarded as no longer possessing authority to receive money on account of the United States in any shape. I am further instructed to say to the Mexican government that the mere delivery to you of promises, in the shape of securities which have been dishonored, cannot relieve it from the performance of its treaty obligations. Not having, as yet, been accredited by the Mexican government, I cannot, at present, make the communication required by my instructions. But as Messrs. Tayleur, Jamison & Co. express their willingness to hold at your disposal, or that of any person whom you may name to receive them, the orders received by them on various departments, for the said instalments, I would desire that they should be placed in deposite in safe hands, to be held until the Mexican government shall reclaim them, in conformity with the request that I am in structed to make, when, I presume, as a matter of course, the receipt which you have given will be cancelled or declared of no effect. The act of deposite should, however, reserve to the accredited agent of the United States the right of reclaiming them, should it hereafter be thought expedient, for any reason, so to do. I would suggest that the consul of the United States, in this city, would be a proper person with whom to make this deposite. I shall communicate to Messrs. Tayleur, Jamison & Co. a copy of this letter. I am, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, JOHN SLIDELL, Envoy Extraordinary, &c., of the U. S. of America. EMILIO VOSS, Esq., Mexico. Page 22. Mr. Voss to Mr. Slidell, January 6, 1846. Mr. Voss to Mr. Slidell. MEXICO, January 6, 1846. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your two letters of 20th and 31st ultimo. In the first you inform me that my powers as agent for the government of the United States have entirely ceased, not only as regards all instalments of the Mexican indemnity subsequent to those due in April and July, 1844, but as respects those two likewise. While expressing my entire acquiescence in this arrangement, I may be allowed to say, that after the exertions made by me to protect the interests confided to my care by the government of the United States, under circumstances of great difficulty, it would have been extremely gratifying to me, on this termination of my powers, to have received such an expression of their approbation of my past services as I consider myself in justice entitled to. The letter which I now enclose, from Mr. T. Ducoing, (a highly respectable citizen of the United States,) confirms my statement of the conversation between Mr. Shannon and myself, respecting my arrangement with Messrs. Tayleur, Jamison & Co. In conformity with your desire, I have requested those gentlemen to place the whole of the orders applicable to the payment of the arrears of the American claims due in April and July, 1844, at the disposal of Mr. Black, the American consul in this city. In your second letter you accompany copy of one from Messrs. Tayleur, Jamison & Co., and call my attention to the apparent discrepancy between its contents and their unqualified offer to me on the 17th ultimo. My knowledge of the details of government transactions here induces me to regard this difference as immaterial. The supreme orders for the payment of the several sums to Messrs. Tayleur, Jamison & Co. exist in the treasury, and a communication from them to the minister of hacienda will transfer the right of recovery effectually to Mr. Black. My arrangement with Tayleur, Jamison & Co. was verbal. They were to receive immediately from the government $110,000, viz: $60,000 from Manning & Mackintosh, and $50,000 from specie duties, which their own house would have liquidated. On this condition, they agreed to advance the amount required to complete the two in |