[Translation.], January 5, 1868.

[Translation.]

hasten to address myself to you, informing you that by virtue of a political movement effected in this city on the 10th of December last, and which had for its result solely a personal change in the government of this State, the expelled governor has launched from the neighboring State of Campeche a decree which cannot but produce the gravest injury to the commerce and interests of the United States, if the supreme government of the republic does not speedily take the necessary measures to avert the evils which the tenor of the decree annexed hereto, already mentioned, is producing to foreign commerce.

The neighboring State of Campeche has taken part in favor of the expelled governor, and some days since there arrived in the waters of Sisal several small armed vessels of war to impede all mercantile movements.

The line of American steamers which for some time has been established between New York and Vera Cruz, touching at the port of Sisal, will be affected by this more sensibly than that of any other nation, as there is carried on by these vessels quite an active commerce between New York and Sisal.

Until instructions are communicated to me, that have to govern the conduct that I should pursue in these cases, I believe it to be my duty to pass to the port of Sisal, as the American steamer by which this letter will be sent, is momentarily expected, and to protest in due form in case the flotilla does not permit the steamer to enter.

The governors of the Mexican States having no faculties to decree laws of the tenor of the decree referred to, it is desirable that the American nation should not allow such abuses of authority to pass unnoticed whenever, as in the present case, they operate to the prejudice of the interests of our nation.

In this unfortunate country, where there is no other law than that of force, there have been imposed, more than once, forced loans upon American citizens established in it, and as no governor has ever been admonished to faithfully comply with the tenor of the treaties existing between the two republics, all, without exception, follow the same example of disregarding said treaties, the only protection that foreigners resident in this country have.

I beg you will take what I have said into consideration, and at the same time excuse me that I write to you in my native language, in violation of the circular of the 1st of June, 1853, issued by the Department of State.

I protest to you my consideration and respect.

R. JUANES Y PATRULLO, United States Consul.

The Hon. Minister of the United States, Mexico.

[Translation of decree.]

Manuel Cepeda Peraza, general of brigade, governor and military commandant of the State of Yucatan, to the inhabitants of the same maketh known: that in use of the ample faculties with which I am invested, I have thought proper to decree, and do decree, the following:

Article 1. The port of Sisal is hereby closed to the foreign and coasting trade, until it returns to obedience to the supreme government from which it has separated by the act of seconding the anti-national movement, which took place in Merida, on the morning of the 11th instant.

Art. 2. Vessels which have been dispatched, or which in future may be dispatched, for said port, will proceed to the adjacent port of Campeche, where their discharge and other custom-house operations will take place.

Art. 3. The duties which are paid on the importation or exportation of effects made in violation of this decree shall be considered as unpaid, and the violators will remain subject to the payment again of the duties caused without prejudice to such other penalties as are imposed in this case by the general ordinance relating thereto.

Wherefore, I order this to be printed, published, and circulated for its due compliance.

Dated at Jalacho, the 14th of December, 1867.