MR. KINGLAKEasked, Whether, on the part of the Government, the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs can convey an assurance that before the Government advises the Queen to recognize the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian as Emperor of Mexico they will be prepared to satisfy the House that his authority is de facto established in the main portion of the States and Territories now held under the sway of President Juarez?
§ MR. LAYARDreplied that there was some difficulty in ascertaining exactly what portion of Mexico was actually in the hands of the new Mexican Government, or rather of the French troops. According to the latest accounts he had been able to collect, the French troops were in possession of the capital, Vera Cruz, Tampico, Alvarado, Minatitlan, Laguna del Terminos, San Juan Baptista, Sisal, Campeachy, and Puebla. The French troops were also blockading Acapulco, Tuspan, Nantla, and Tabasco. On the 1st of May last Juarez was established at Monterey, and Matamoras was also then in the possession of the Mexicans. That was the only information he could give to his hon. Friend with re- 2160 gard to the places actually in possession of the new Mexican Government. As his hon. Friend was aware, in that unfortunate country for many years past it had been almost impossible to say that at any time any particular Government had been in possession of the whole of the Republic. Recent Presidents had rarely held more than the capital, Vera Cruz, and one or two of the ports of the country surrounding the capital. The rest of the Republic had generally been in a state of insurrection. It had hitherto been the custom, from necessity, to recognize the Government that was in possession of the capital, and the Archduke Maximilian was now in possession not only of the capital, but of a considerable portion of the country. Her Majesty's Government had informed the Emperor of the French confidentially that when the Archduke Maximilian was actually in Mexico, and had notified to the European Powers that he had taken possession of the Government, it was their intention to advise Her Majesty to recognize the Archduke as Emperor of Mexico. He could give his hon. Friend no assurance that before that acknowledgment of the Emperor de facto was made the Archduke would have to be able to show that the greater part of Mexico was actually in his hands. The peculiar state of the country was such that he did not believe it would be possible for the Archduke Maximilian to do that. There were always a number of chiefs in arms, who took possession of a district and held it against the Government, and a state of anarchy was the consequence. He hoped, however, that when the Government of the Archduke Maximilian was established in Mexico a better condition of things would ensue. At any rate, it was very desirable for the interests of British subjects that there should be at least some de facto Government in Mexico in possession of the capital and some of the ports of the country.