The New Era

NEGOTIATION WITH MEXICO.

“We are able, says the Union of Saturday evening last, to put an end, in a more explicit manner than we have hitherto been able to do, to all mystery and all doubt about the despatches by the Princeton. The preceding paragraph gives the true version of the transaction; the precise form of the correspondence which has taken place between the two republics, we presume, will be made known at no distant day. The gist of the matter is, that the Mexican government has not positively declined our overture—nor has she accepted it upon conditions—she has neither refused nor accepted it; but has referred our proposition to the constituent Congress of December, to decide the whole question.

“We are unable to say how far Santa Anna participated in this answer. We understand this reply was transmitted by General Rejon, the secretary of foreign affairs, and that only four days elapsed between the receipt of the letter of our Secretary of State and reply of the Mexican minister. But though Santa Anna might not have been consulted about the form of the reply, yet the character of it seems to correspond to the general principle which he professes to have laid down for himself—of throwing himself upon the wishes of the people and of the constituent Congress.

“We had a right to expect a frank prompt answer to our liberal and gratuitous proposition for negotiation. But the acting Mexican government declines to act without the advice and concurrence of the Congress of December. Thus three months will elapse between their letter and the meeting of Congress. How long they may spin out their decisions, before they advise the executive government, no man can conjecture. Another month perhaps might pass by. And thus we should have four months consumed in idle and unavailing procrastination. This is surely in the usual dilatory style of Mexican negotiation. But in the mean time, what sagacious politician can hesitate as to the course we ought to pursue.