The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-10 00:00:00

sisted in many parts of the republic, and even in the eapi-
tal, a portion of the army having pronounced against it, its
functions were declared terminated, and an assembly of
citizens was invited for the choice of a new President. This

assembly elected General Miramon, but that officer repu-
diated the plan under which he was chosen, and Zulo4 a
was thus restored to his previous position. He assumed it,
however, only to withdraw from it, and Miramon having
become by his appointment " President Substitute," con-
tinues, with that title, at the head of the insurgent party.
In my last annual message I communicated to Congress
the circumstances under which the late Minister of the

United States suspended his official relations with the ce
tral government, and withdrew from the country. It vas
impossible to maintain friendly intercourse with a go-
vernment, like that of the capital, under whose usurped
authority wrong were constantly committed, 'but
never redressed. Had this been an established go-
vernment, with its power extending by the consent
of the • people, over the whole of Mexico, a resort
to hostilities against it would have been quite jus-
tifiable, and indeed necessary. But the country was a
prey to civil war ; and it was to be hoped that the success
of the constitutional President might lead to a condition of

things less injurious to the United State,. This success
became so probable that, in January last, I employed a re-
liable agent to visit Mexico, and report to me the actual
condition and prospects of the contending parties. In con-
sequence of his report, and from information which reached
me from other sources, favourable to the prospects of the
constitutional cuse, I felt justified in appointing a new Mi-
nister to Mexico, who might embrace the earliest suitable
opportunity of restoring our diplomatic relations with that
republic. For this purpose a distinguished citizen of Mary-
land was selected, who proceeded on his mission on the
Bth of March last, with discretionary authority to recognise
the Government of President Juarez, if on his arrival in
Mexico he should find it entitled to such recognition, ac-
cording to the established practise of the United States.
On the 7th of Aprii following, Mr. MtLane presented his
credentials to ''resident Juarez, having no hesitation d' in
pronouncing the Government f Juarez to be the only ex-
isting Government of the Republic." He was cordially
received by the adthorities at Vera Cruz, and they have
ever since manifested the meat friendly disposition towards
the United States. Unhappily, however, the constitutional
Government has not been able to establish its power over
the whole republic. It issupported by a large majority of
the people and the States, but there are important parts of
the country where it can enforce no obedience. General
Marmon maintains himself at the capital; and in some of
the distant provinces there are military governors who pay
little respects to the decrees of either Government. In the
meantime the excess which always attend upon civil war
especially in Mexico, are constantly recurring. Outrages of
the worst description are committal upon persons and
property. There is scarcely any form of injury
which has not been suffered by our citizens in
Mexico during the last few years. We have been nominally
at peace 'with that republic, but " so far as the interests
of our cananterce or of our citizens who Shave visited the
country as merchants, shipmasters, or in other capa-
cities, are concerned, we might as well have been at
war." Life has been insecure, property unprotected, and
trade impossible except at a risk of loss which prudent men
cannot be expected to incur. Important contracts involv-
ing large expenditures, entered into by the centraegovern-
ment, have been set at defiance by the local gonernments.
Peacgful American residents, occupying their rightful per
sessiotts, have been suddenly expelled from the country, in
defiance of treaties, and by the mere force of arbitrary
power. Even the course of justice has not been safe front
control, and a recent decree of Miramon permits the inter-
vention of government in all suits where either party is a
foreigner. Vessels of the United States have been seized
without law, and a consular officer who protested against
such seizure had been fined and imprisoned for disrespect
to the authorities Military contributions have been levied
in violation of every principle of right, and the American
who resisted the lawless demand has had his property for-
cibly taken away and has been himself banished. From a
conflict of authority in different parts of the country, tariff
duties which have been paid in one place have been exacted
over again in another place. Large numbers of our citizens ,
have been arrested and imprisoned without any form of
examination or any opportunity for a hearing, and even
when released have only obtained their liberty after much
suffering and injury, and without any hope of redress. The
wholesole massacre of Crabbe and his associates without
trial in Sonora, as well as the seizure and murder of four
sick Americans who had taken shelter in the house of an
American, upon the soil of the United States, was commu-
nicated to Congress at its last session. hurders of a still
more atrocious character have been committed in the veil
heart of Mexico, under the authority of Mirainon's govern-
ment, during the present year. Some of these were only
worthy of a barbarous age, and if they had not been clearly
proven, would have seemed impossible in a c ;untry which
claims to be civilised. Of this description was the brutal
massacre in April last by order of General Mar-
q u
hospitalr z, of threeat
TAa
emuebrieyc aan pwhhyi
le c i aant
tse,
nwd hi
nog w eurpe seized in theei
ek
and dying of both parties, and without trial as without
(rime, were hurried away to speedy execution. Little less
shocking was the recent fate of Ormond Chase, who was
shot in Tepic on the 7th of August, by order er
the same Mexican general, not only without a trial, but
w:liout any conjecture by his friends in thel cause of his
arrest. He is represented as a young man of good chars*"
tor and intelligence, who had Made numerous friendslil
Tepic by the courage and humanity which he had displayed
on several trying, occasions, and his death was as unev
rested as it was shocking to the whole community. Other
outrages might be enumerated, but these are sufficient W
illustrate the wretched condition of the country and the
unprotected condition of the persons and property of oUr
citizens in Mexico.
In all these cases our Ministers have been constant and
faithful in their demands for redress, but both they and thi:.
Government, which they have successively represenW,
five.
lat whollyTehneirte
etestimony
oey powerlessin to
this rme
eapke me t
ne i
and in
indemandsreferenceeff
the only remedy which, in their judgments, would meet ties
powerform oafntdheemGpehvaetrnic.me"oNt ootfhtig
butexi a manifestation
geneylasbeenboof the
hunie
United States (wrote our Minister in 1856), and of its pa"
pose to punish these wrongs will avail. I assure you that
the universal belief here is that there is nothing to be sP;
p: &leaded from the Government of the United States, so;
that local Mexican officials can commit these outrages
American citizens with absolute impunity." "I hope t
bl
President (wrote our present Minister in August) will 11%
authorised to ask from Congress the power to enter Mesa's
with the military forces of the United States, at the call °:
the constitutioal authorities, in order to protect the citizen
tnd the treaty rights of the United States. Until such°
p .wer is conferred upon him neither the one nor the (AR!:
willbe respected in the existing state of anarchy and
order. and the outrages already perpetrated will never 10'.
cl a tised ; and, I assured you in my No. 23, all thes'
evils must increase until every vestige of order and govern;
meat disappears from the country." I have been relu
tautly led to the same opinion, and, in justice to my coin;
mot who have suffered wrongs from Mexico, and who On
still suffer them, I feel bound to announce this conclusi°'
to Congress.
The case pieseuted, however, is not merely a case °l
individual claims, although our just claims against Mesh
have reached a vary large amount. Nor is it merely a,174
case of protection to the lives and propertf of the Ili
Americans who may still remain in Mexico, although TA
life and property of every American citizen ought to
acredly protected in every quarter of the world. But it
a question which relates to the future as well as to the PP'
sent and the past, and which involves, indirectly at less'
the whole subject of our duty to Mexico as a neighbourin.
Sett. The exercise of the IA veer of the United States i„
that country to redress the wrongs and protect the right,°l
our citizens is none the less to be desired, because efficio
an 1 necessary aid may thus be rendered at the same tiO3,
to restore peace and order to Mexico itself. In the acco!,
plishment of this result the people of the United Staff
must necessarily feel a deep and earnest interest. Mesg,
ought to le a rich and pscsperous and powerful repulos,;
She possesses an extensive tt reitory, a fertile soil and
caltplable store of mineral 'wealth. She occupies an n
portant position between the Gulf and the ocean for 00'
raute 3 and for commerce. Is it possible that such a ecni:;
try as this can be given up to anarch and ruin withoiit
effort from any quarter for its rescue and its safety?
efly
the commercial nations of the world, which have so rt""To
interests connected with it, remain wholly indiffersi„t„
such a result ? Can the United States, especially *ln&
ought to share most largely in its commercial iniercolm'A,
allow their immediate neighbour thus to destroy itself sit
injure them ? Yet, without support from some quartert,g,
ie impossible to perceive how Mance can resume her P°
den among:nations and enter upon a career which P_;:j
miser any good results. The aid which she requires, trA
'Which the interests of all commercial countries require tfie"i.,
she should have, it belongs to this Government to renaog
not oily by virtue of our neighbourhood to Mexico, ei„ •
whose territory we have a continuous frontier of nel,°Js
thousand miles, but by virtue also of our establish. 3d Miry
which is inconsistent with the intervention of any P 7
peen Power in the domestic concerns of that republic. ajd
The wrongs which we have suffered from Mexico are gi?
f re the world, and must deeply impress every Americ,e,
eitizen. A Gouernment which is either unable or un'grA,
lug to redress such wrongs is derelect to its highest dutt-,
The difficulty consists in selecting and enforcing the
medy. We may in vain apply to the constitutional Kt
vernment at Vera Cruz, although it is well disposed to 110
us justice, for adequate redress. Whilst its authoril,4i
acknowledged in all the important ports and throne/Phi
the sea coast of the Republic, its power does not extender
the city of Mexico and the States in its vicinity, *rot
nearly all the recent outrages have been contmitteo.4o(
American citizen. 'We must penetrate into the inteybo
before we can reach the offenders—and this can eta
done by passing through the territory in the occupation_J
th, 'onstitutional Government. The most acceptable Pio
least difficult mode of accomplishing the object will b°
act in concert with that goverment. Their aid miglP,;ef
believe, be obtained ; but if not, our obligation to proc,
our own citizens in their just rights, secured by trelo,
would not be the less imperative. For these reasons,js
con mend to Congress to pass a law authorising the I'4
dent, under such conditions as they may deem.expedle,lo
to employ a sufficient military force to enter Mexico for
purpose of obtaining indemnity for the past and secerld
for the future. I purposely refrain from any suggestierle
to whether this force shall consist of regular troops or 1/4'.
luuteers, or both. This question may be most apprePD,
ately left to the decision of Congress. I would merely 04
e.erve that, should volunteers be selected, such a force co
be easily raised in this country among those who era)
thise with the sufferings of ous unfortunate fellow eittsy
in Mexico, and with the unhappy condition of that reed
lie. In that event there is no reason to doubt that their?
claims of our citizens wofild be satisfied and adequate
dress obtained for the injuries inflicted upon them.
constitutional government have ever evinced a strong do
to do us justice, and this might be secured in advance P• 1
preliminary treaty.
It may be said that these measures will, at least i° 01
r ctly, be inconsistent with our wise and settled polio, '3O
to interfere in the domestic concerns of foreign natio ,
But does not the present case fairly constitute an el„eep
'ion? i adjoining republic is in a state of anarchY,:te
coutusion front which she has proved wholly
extricate herself. She is entirely destitute of the posvo
maintain peace upon her borders, or to prevent the WI)
signs of banditti into our territory. In her fate and in el
tertune—in her power to estahish and maintain a 50'4'
government—we have a far deeper interest, socially, °,_",tt
mercially, at politically, than any other nation. Sloi
now a wreck upon the ocean, driven about as she is itsPe
by different factions. As a good neighbour, shall wa of,
extend to her a helping hand to save her? If we do Idig,
i'; would not be surprising should some other nation n°„asf
take the task, and thus force us to interfere. at last, w"401
circumstances of increased difficulty, for the mainteni-
of our established policy. fief
I repeat the recommendation contained in my last anti to
message that authority may be given to the Presideoio
establish one or more temporary military posts acres.sooii
Mexican line ih Senora and Chihuahua, where thes°_„ioe°l
be necessary to protect the lives and property of Anie'clit'l
and Mexican citizens against the incursions and dept rei
tions of the Indians, as well as of lawless rovers in thet
~„,iot
'
mde region. The establishment of one such post at Vl'
called ,Axispe, in Senora, in a country now almost de