Lord Lyons to Earl Russell. - (Received March 19) Washington, March 3, 1862 My Lord, Mr. Seward told me this morning that, wishing to be perfectly frank with the three allied Powers, he had to-day written a despatch to the United States' Ministers in London, Paris, and Madrid, on the affairs of Mexico, to be communicated to the Governments to which they are accredited. Mr. Seward said that he had stated to those Ministers that, although no official communication on the subject had been made to this Government, there could no longer be any doubt that the establishment of a monarchy in Mexico, and the placing a foreign Prince on the throne in that country, were objects seriously contemplated in some quarters. The President confided in the assurances of the allies that their armed intervention in Mexico was directed solely to the redress of their grievances, and would not lead to any interference on their part in the internal affairs of the country. The President was, moreover, informed that the negotiations for the establishment of royalty had not been carried on either in London, Paris, or Madrid, but at other places, and exclusively by Mexican exiles. He was assured that each of the three Powers disclaimed all idea of introducing a Monarchical Government into Mexico against the will of the Mexican people, or of imposing any individual Sovereign upon them. The President thought it nevertheless, desirable that the view taken by the United States of the matter should be made known to the three Powers. That view was not taken without a considerable knowledge of the feelings of the inhabitants of this continent. The President could not think that a Monarchy which, though not imposed by foreign force, was established in the presence of foreign armies in the country, and of foreign fleets on the coast, would possess any stability. He thought that the prospect of stability would be very much diminished if the person selected as Sovereign should be not of Mexican birth, but a Prince of an European reigning family. Such a Monarchy could only be supported by European aid. This would lead to constant interference, on the part of Europe, in Mexico, it would not improbably lead to disputes between European Powers themselves concerning that country, and would produce a state of things in the immediate neighbourhood of the United States, prejudicial to the interests, and uncongenial with the feelings of the American people. Mr. Seward told me, that having thus stated the views of the President, he had directed the three United States Ministers to caution the Governments to which they are respectively accredited against supposing that the refusal of the Senate to sanction the plan of the Cabinet for the giving pecuniary aid to Mexico, indicated any discordance either between the different branches of the Government or between the Government and the people; all would be unanimous if the question were put as one between the United States and foreign Powers. I believe the Cabinet were taken by surprise by the decision of the Senate. The Committee of Foreign Relations unanimously recommended three Resolutions; - 1st, to approve of Mr. Seward's original instructions to Mr. Corwin to conclude a Treaty in virtue of which the United States should advance money on account of the foreign debt of Mexico: and should take as security a mortgage on the mines and public lands of Lower California, Sonora, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa; 2nd, to disapprove the draft of a Treaty sent by Mr. Corwin, which did not specify the purpose to which the money advanced to Mexico was to be applied; 3rd, to approve the conclusion of a Treaty which should aid Mexico in satisfying the pecuniary demands of the allies, provided the allies concurred, and provided that there were no conditions onerous to Mexico, or likely to lead to a dismemberment of Mexican territory. The Senate, however, as I had the honour to inform your Lordship in my despatch of the 28th ultimo, rejected the recommendation of the Committee, and declined to advise the President to conclude any Treaty which might impose on the United States the obligations to pay the interest on the debt of Mexico, or which would require the concurrence of foreign Powers. The Senate very naturally think that there are already more than sufficient demands on the pecuniary resources of the country, and that it is better to stand aloof from interference in Mexican affairs, and from negotiations with Europe on the subject, at a moment when intestine troubles render it impossible to interfere with effect. I believe that the sentiments of the Senate are shared by the public at large; that the allied expedition against Mexico is extremely unpalatable to the American people, and that the establishment of monarchy in that country would be regarded by them as extremely offensive; but nevertheless, that it is felt that the intervention of the United States should be postponed until it can be effectual. (Signed) LYONS Back to Table of Contents: Booklet No. 8, Mexico 1861-67 Back to El Dorado List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by The South and Central Military Historians Society This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com