We should not be surprieed to hear by some arrival of the capture of the mines of San Luis and Zacatecas by two columns of Gen. Scott’s army, under special instructions from the War Department. We understand the expeditions were about to be organized for this purpose when the last official letters left Mexico for Washington. If we may believe the letters from the camp, written even before these expeditions were suspected, the effect will be to deal another heavy blow at the enemy, by cutting him off from some of his material resources. To show what were the speculations upon this subject, we lay before our readers the following extracts of a letter published in the last New Orleans Commercial Times, from a correspondent in the city of Mexico, of the 1st of December:
“The Mexicans — at least those who are sufficiently enlightened to think — feel that they have been for years enslaved, under the captivating name of liberty; its sweets, its national blessings, they have never enjoyed; and there is no bond of union between them and their government. Indeed, the latter would cease to exist altogether, if we were to cut off the resources which still remain to them. These are to be found in the rich mining districts of Zacatecas, Guanajuato, and San Louis Potosi. We should take prompt stepts to seize on these departments. A foreign gentleman here, largely interested in mining operations, and resident for twenty-seven years in Mexico, lately told me that the mines were never at any period so productive as at present.
Taking the annual produce at $20,000,000, three percent — the sum exacted by the government amounts to $600,000. This is an important item in a budget.
“The mine of Real del Monte, 30 leagues from here, pays the government $5,000 monthly. The house of Macintosh & Co., in the city, exercised predominant influence on the powers that were in his country; they had the controling of the mints in Mexico, Guanajuato, and Zacatecas, receiving the bars of silver from the miners at so much per mark (8 ounces.) As this silver, in bars, contained 16 grains of pure gold to the mark, this house made a handsome profit by the arrangement, since no allowance was made for the purer metal. It is the custom, I believe in every country, when bar silver is coined in any quantity, to give the owners the value of the gold, after the expenses attendant on separating it are paid. I have heard that the house above alluded to has represented to the government ofthe United States that it would be better for the latter to prevent the exportation of silves in bars, unless at a high percentage. I think sound policy indicates the propriety of taking the supervision ofthe mines into our own hands, if we contemplate making a long stay here.
“Many respectable Mexicans fancy that the great commercial house above spoken of is playing a double game with Santa Anna and our government. They say that Santa Anna, before leaving the capital, made over to the head of the firm his haciendas at Encierro and Mango de Clava, with all the real estate be possessed in tho public. This same gentleman is not in the base order, either with his own countrymen or Americans, for the conspicious part be played in the armistice at Tacubaya.”
Juliet Signal, Juliet (Joliet), IL, February 1, 1848