§ MR. SOMERSET BEAUMONTsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, What obstacles stand in the way of the establishment of Diplomatic relations between this country and the Republic of Mexico?
MR. OTWAYsaid, in reply, that the state of the relations between this country and the Republic of Mexico had remained unchanged since a question identical in language with the present had been addressed by Mr. Kinglake to the noble Lord (the Member for Lynn Regis (Lord Stanley). It was very much to be regretted that we had not, from the absence of diplomatic intercourse, any means of aiding British interests in that country, which were great and numerous, but the state of things existing was not one of our seeking. When the Republican Government was established in Mexico, the President notified his intention of not holding official intercourse with those Powers which had recognized the preceding de facto Government of Mexico, and the British Consul in the city of Mexico was denied consular jurisdiction. Under these circumstances the British Legation in Mexico was withdrawn. He had reason to believe that there would be no indisposition on the part of Her Majesty's Government to renew official intercourse with the Republic of Mexico when that Government should notify its desire; but the hon. Member, he trusted, would be of opinion that the first steps in this matter could not, with propriety, come from the Government of this country.