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The representatives of England, France and Spain on behalf of their government authorise the following:

Acknowledging that the United Mexican States has unilaterally declared its loans to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Empire of France (hereafter referred to as the 'Allied Powers') as void the Allied Powers thus:
  • That as a gesture of conciliation, expect that the previous declaration by acting President Juarez be rescinded, and the repayment of finances recommence after a period of 12 months, with all interest accrued within this period to be repaid upon its end.
  • That if the above is not met, the Allied Powers reserve the right to occupy the ports of Mexico, with the aim that all customs income be redeemed by the Allied Powers to meet the obligations of Mexico pertaining to the financial claims of the Allied Powers.
  • That none of the Allied Powers seek territorial, political or financial advantage from any operations that are a consequence of this treaty.
  • That within all reason and ability, any operations that are a consequence of this treaty shall not impede or affect the maritime commerce of the Allied Powers or neutral states.
  • That a commission of three men, one representing each of the Allied Powers, be empowered to enforce the financial claims of the Allied Powers and oversee the distribution of any and all reparations

Having thoroughly reviewed this draft response to the Mexican government with both Queen Isabella and Prime Minister Leopoldo O'Donnell, Spain finds this entirely suitable to her interests and wholly advocates for its finalization and use in this matter.

From the Offices of the Minister of State
Saturnino Calderón de la Barca y Collantes
 

The representatives of England, France and Spain on behalf of their government authorise the following:

THE GOVERNMENT STOP
AGREES TO THE DRAFT STOP
PROCEED WITH OFFICIAL DELIVERANCE STOP
-Telegraph from London
 
To Earl Russell, Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,

Your Excellency, Earl Russell,

Although the Foreign Office has expressed their support for the suppression of ethnic minorities in the Ottoman Empire, I, as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Greece, a nation who's people form a large minority in the lands of the Sublime Porte, express my concern with this support, for this could lead to further bloodshed, something which could harm the relative stability and peace that the region and Europe currently enjoy. Therefore, the Greek Government hopes that the Foreign Office would understand that sanction of this aggresive policy of the Sublime Porte against not only the Herzegovina Uprising but also to an independent and recognized nation, the Principality of Montenegro, could end the relatively stable status quo. We hope that the Foreign Office understand our distress and will take measures to maintain peace in the Balkans, even if these means certain changes to the administrion of certain less stable parts of the Balkans.

Yours sincerely,

Charalambos Christopoulis,
His Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs
 
To Earl Russell, Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,

Your Excellency, Earl Russell,

Although the Foreign Office has expressed their support for the suppression of ethnic minorities in the Ottoman Empire, I, as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Greece, a nation who's people form a large minority in the lands of the Sublime Porte, express my concern with this support, for this could lead to further bloodshed, something which could harm the relative stability and peace that the region and Europe currently enjoy. Therefore, the Greek Government hopes that the Foreign Office would understand that sanction of this aggresive policy of the Sublime Porte against not only the Herzegovina Uprising but also to an independent and recognized nation, the Principality of Montenegro, could end the relatively stable status quo. We hope that the Foreign Office understand our distress and will take measures to maintain peace in the Balkans, even if these means certain changes to the administrion of certain less stable parts of the Balkans.

Yours sincerely,

Charalambos Christopoulis,
His Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs


His Majesty's Government is greatly offended by these ludicrous accusations that this Government has expressed support for the suppression of ethnic minorities. We do not know where these allegations were conjured from, nor do we know if their insult was intentional, but we find terrific cause to be offended.

LJR
 
1861; Affairs of State

Colonial Affairs as pressed by Her Majesty's Government
AFRICAN AFFAIRS
  • The Bight of Benin, according to these houses of Parliament, shall be merged, in accordance to the local legal structure of the Bight of Biafra, into the cooperative protectorate of the Bights of Biafra and Benin.
  • His excellency, Sir Henry Hand, shall be appointed as Consul of the Bight.
AMERICAN AFFAIRS
  • Resolved, that the Houses of Parliament shall press the region known as the Stickeen Territories into the British Colony of British Columbia, as our rightful property.
  • These resolutions, proclaimed, due to the recent discovery of gold in these regions; collectively known by local British residents as the Stikine Gold Discovery, in the county of equal name.
AFFAIRS OF THE RAJ


Indian Council Act
1861 CHAPTER 121 24 and 25 Vict


An act to amend the Law in relation to the Viceroy of India's executive council into an standardized cabinet, organized by the portfolio system.
...and nothing in this act shall extend, abrogate or prejudice any Viceroy. And that his cabinet shall be organized into ordinary members, charged with specialized departments in Calcutta's government...
... the department's of home, revenue, military, law, and finance...
...and the Commander-in-Chief of that Indian force shall sit on the council as an extraordinary member.
...that, in accordance with earlier, principles, the Viceroy may, on his own conscience, overrule the council if he deem it necessary.

---

The Secretary of State for India's response to the bill's introduction: "the act is a great experiment. That everything is changing in India is obvious enough, and that the old autocratic government cannot stand unmodified is indisputable."

Domestic Affairs as pressed by Her Majesty's Government
COMMENTS ON THE 1861 BUDGET (as proposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, William Gladstone)

With replication to previous strides, and great aid from the recent treaty with the French government, the following strides are advanced;
  • In accordance with the budget of 1860, as an effect of the Cobden-Chevalier Treaty, general commercial duties have been reduced, from four-hundred and fifty-nine in 1859, to forty-eight at the moment, with fifteen duties constituting the majority of the revenue.
  • Whereas the indirect tax was reduced, the income tax raised to 10d for incomes above £150 and at 7d. for incomes above £100.
  • Whereas last year, the House of Lords, rejected our abolition of the paper duty, this year the government has included this abolition into the consolidated finance bill, and thus we charge the Lords to accept the bill.
  • The income duty, of the lower bracket, shall be reduced to (£0–0s–9d).
LAW AND ORDER LEGISLATION

We find the present status quo of the British judiciary inadequate to respond without arbitrary judgement; the Government, with a courageous heart, shall pursue this brazen legislative agenda to consolidate and simply our common English Law.

The Accessories and Abettors Act 1861 c. 94
The Criminal Statutes Repeal Act 1861 c. 95
The Larceny Act 1861 c. 96
The Malicious Damage Act 1861 c. 97
The Forgery Act 1861 c. 98
The Coinage Offences Act 1861 c. 99
The Offences against the Person Act 1861 c. 100


PRIME MINISTER'S QUESTIONS
The Speaker of the House of Commons: Order! Questions for the Ministers, Question Number 1, Question Number 1. Mr, Valentine Brown!

Valentine Brown: Number one, Mr. Speaker.
The Speaker of the House of Commons: Mr. Prime Minister!
Prime Minister: Thank You, Mr. Speaker, this morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall have further such meetings later today.
Valentine Brown: Mr. Speaker, last year, our Kingdom's expenditure on debt and interest payments exceeded thirty-five percent of our total budget. Mr. Speaker, is this woeful neglect of our expenditures and our dependence on bankers the intentional desire of the Chancellor, or does the Prime Minister recognize that paying one-third of our revenue on interest payments is an unfortunate consequence of undesirable spending?
(Tories): Hear...Hear!
The Prime Minister: Mr. Speaker, I must confess I shall take great cause to object to my Right Honorable Friend's assertion. This government has committed itself to the free-trade of nations, relaxed industrial regulations, and committed economic growth! Mr. Speaker, I believe that my Right Honorable Friend may just be sore that one-third of our budget is not going to gentry pensions! (Liberal's jeer)

((WIP - more later))