The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-23 00:00:00

to the United States. Thus, by the acts of Mexico, all
diplomatic intercourse between the two countries was
suspended.
Since that time, Mexico has, until recently, occupied
an attitude of hostility towards the United States—has
been marshalling and organising armies, issuing procla-
mations, and avowing the intention to make war on the
United States, either by open declaration, or by invading
Texas. Both the Congress and Convention of the people
of Texas invited this Government to send an army into
that territory to protect and defend them against the
menaced attack. The moment the terms of annexation
offered by the United States were accepted by Texas,
the latter became so far a part of our own country as to
make it our duty to afford such protection and defence.
T, therefore, deemed it proper, as a precautionary mea-
sure, to order a strong squadron to the coasts of Mexico,
and to concentrate an efficient military force on the
western frontier of Texas. Our army was ordered to
take position in the country between the Nueces and the
Del Norte, and to repel any invasion of the Texan ter-
ritcry which might be attempted by the Mexican forces.
Our squadron in the gulf was ordered to co-operate with
the army ; but, though our army and navy were placed
in a position to defend our Own and the rights of Texas,
they were ordered to commit no act of hostility against
Mexico, unless she declared war, or was herself the ag-
gressor by striking the first blow. The result has been,
that Mexico has made no aggressive movement, and our
military and naval commanders have executed their
orders with such discretion, that the peace of the two
republics has not beer, disturbed.
Texas had declared her independence, and maintained
it by her arms for more than nine years. he has had
an organised Government in successful operation during
that period. Her separate existence as an independent
state had been r, crgnised by the Unitd Sta:,s and the
principal powers ot Europe. Tr,liti.,s of cuorn: ree and
navigution had been concluded with her by dith rent
nationtz, and it had become inanifest to the whole world
that any further attempt on the part of Mexico to con-
quer her, or overthrow her Government, would be vain.
Even Mexico herself had become satisfied of this fact ;
and while the question of annexation was pending
before the people of Texas, during the past summer,
the Government of Mexico by a formal act agreed to
recognise the independence of Texas on condition that
she would not annex herself to any other power. The
agreement to acknowledge the independence of Texas,
whether with or without this condition, is conclusive
against Mexico. The independence of Texas is a fact
conceded by Mexico herself, and she has no right or au-
thority to prescribe restrictions as to the form of go-
vernment which Texas might afterwards assume. But
though Mexico cannot complain of the. United States on
account of the annexation of Texas, it is to be regretted
that serious causes of misunderstanding between the two
countries continue to exist, growing out of unredressed in-
juries inflicted by the Mexican authorities and people on
the persons and property of citizens of the United States
through a long series of years. Mexico has admitted
these injuries, but has neglected and refused to repair
theta. Such was the character of the wrongs, and such
the insults repeatedly offered to American citizens and
the American flag by Mexico, in palpable violation of the
laws of nations and the treaty between the two countries
of the sth of April, 1831, that they have repeatedly been
brought to the notice of Congress by my predecessors.
As early as the Bth of February, 1837, the President of
the United States declared, in a message to Congress,
that " the length of time since some of the injuries have
been committed, the repeated unavailing applications for
redress, the wanton character of some of the outrages
upon the persons and property of our citizens, upon the
officers and flag of the United States, independent of re-
cent insults to this Government and people by the late
extraordinary Mexican Minister, would justify in the
eyes of all nations immediate war." He did not, how-
ever, recommend an immediate resort to this extreme
measure, which he declared, " should not be used by
just and generous nations, confiding in their strength for
injuries committed, if it can be honourably avoided," but
in a spirit of forbearance, proposed that another demand
be made on Mexico for that redress which had been so
long and unjustly withheld. In these views, Committees
of the two "louses of Congress, in reports made to their
respective bodies, concurred. Since these proceeedings
more than eight years have elapsed, during which, in
addition to the wrongs then complained of, others of an
aggravated character have been committed on the per-
sons and property of our citizens. A special agent was
sent to Mexico in the summer of 1838, with full autho-
rity to make another and final demand for redress. The
demand was made; the Mexican Government promised
to repair the wrongs of which we complained ; and after
much delay a treaty of indemnity with that view was
completed between the two powers on the 11th of April,
1839, and was duly ratified by both Governments. By
this treaty a joint committee was created to adjudicate
and decide on the claims of American citizens on the
Government of Mexico. The commission was organised
at Washington on the 25th day of August, 1840. Their
time was limited to 18 months, at the expiraiion of which
they had adjudicated and decided claims amounting to
2,026,139 dolls. 66c. in favour of citizens of the United
States against the Mexican Government, leaving a large
amount of claims undecided. Of the latter the American
commissioners had decided in favour of our citizens
claims amounting to 928,627 dolls. 88e., which were left
unacted on by the umpire aathorised by the treaty.
Still further claims, amounting to between 3,000,000 and
4,000,000 dolls. were submitted to the board too late to
be considered, and were left undisposed of. The sum of
2,026,139 dolls. 68c., decided by the board, was a liqui-
dated and ascertained debt due by Mexico to the claim-
ants, and there was no justifiable reason for delaying
its payment according to the terms of the treaty. It
was not, however, paid. Mexico applied fur further in-
dulgence ; and in that spirit of indulgence and liberality
granted;
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requestof the
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d twhatrteathtye
interest due on the awards in favour of claimants under
the convention of the 11th of April, 1839, should be paid
on the 30th April, 1844, and that " the principal of the
said awards and the interest arising thereon shall be
paid in five years, in equal instalments every three
months ; the said five years to commence on the 30th
day of April, 1843, as aforesaid." The interest due on
the 30th day of April, 1843, and the three first of the 20
instalments, have been paid. Seventeen of these instal-
ments remain unpaid, seven of which are now due.
Tha claims which are left undecided by the joint com-
mission, amounting to more than 3,000,000 dollars,
together with other claims for spoliations on the pro-
perty of our citizens, were subsequently presented to
the Mexican Government for payment, and were so far
recognised that a treaty, providing for their examina-
tion and settlement by a joint commission, was con-
cluded and signed at Mexico on the 20th day of No-
vember, 1843. This treaty was, ratified by the United
States, with certain amendments, to which no just ex-
ception couid have been taken ; but it has not yet re-
ceived the ratification of the Mexican Government. In
the meantime our citizens, who suffered great losses.
and some of whom have been reduced from affluence to
bankruptcy, are withot remedy, unless their rights be
enforced by their Government. Such a continued and
unprovoked series of wrongs could never have been tole-
rated by the United States had they been committed by
one of the principal nations of Europe. Mexico was,
however, a neighbouring sister republic, which, follow-
ing our example, had achieved her independence, and
for whose success and prosperity all our sympathies were
early enlisted. The United States were the first to ac-
knowledge her independence, and to receive her into
the family of nations, and have ever been desirous of
cultivating with her a good understanding. We have,
therefore, borne the repeated wrongs she has committed
with great patience, in the hope that a returning sense
of justice would ultimately guide her councils, and that
we might, if possible, honourably avoid any hostile col-
lision with her.

Without the previous authority of Congress, the exe-
cutive possessed no power to adopt or enforce adequate
remedies for the injuries we had suffered, or to do more
than be prepared to repel the threatened aggression on
the part of Mexico. After our army and navy had re-
mained on the frontier and coasts of Mexico many
weeks, without any hostile movement on her part, though
her menaces were continued, I deemed it important to
put an end, if possible, to this state of things. With this
view, I caused steps to be taken, in the month of Sep-
tember. last, to ascertain distinctly, and in an authentic
form, what the designs of the Mexican Government were,
whether it was their intention to declare war or invade
Texas, or whether they were disposed to adjust and
settle, in an amicable manner, the pending differences
between the two countries. On the 9th of November
an official answer was received, that
.the Mexican Go-
vernment consented to renew the -diplomatic relations
which had been suspended in March last, and for that
purpose were willing to accredit a Minister from the
United States. With a sincere desire to preserve
peace, and restore relations of good understanding
between the two republics, I waived all ceremony
as to the manner of renewing diplomatic intercourse
between them ; and assuming the initiative, on the
10th of November, a distinguished citizen of Louisiana
was appointed Envoy Extraordinary and rglinister Ple-
nipotentiary to Mexico, clothed with full power to ad.
just, and definitely settle, all pending differences between
the two countries, including those of boundary between
Mexico and the State of Texas. The Minister appointed
has set out on this mission, and is probably by this time
near the Mexican capital. H
He has been entrusted to
bring the negotiation with which he is charged to a con-
clusion at the earliest practicable period ; which, it is
expected, will be in time to enable me to forbear to re-
commend to Congress such ulterior measures of redress
for the wrongs and injuries we have so long borne as it
would have been proper to make had no such negotiation
been instituted.
Congress appropriated at the last session the sum of
275,000 dollars for the payment of the April and July
instalments of the Mexican indemnities for the year
1844 ; " provided it shall be ascertained to the satis-
faction of the American Government that said instal-
ments have been paid by the Mexican Government to
the agent appointed by the United States to receive the
same, in such manner as to discharge all claim on the
Mexican Government, and said agent to be delinquent
in remitting the money to the United States."
'1 he unsettled state of our relations with Mexico has
involved this subject in much mystery. The first infor-
mation, in an authentic form, from the agent of the
United States, appointed under the administration of my
predecessor, was received at the State department on the
9th of November last. This is contained in a letter,
dated the 7th of October, addressed by him to one of
our citizens then in Mexico, with the view of having it
communicated to that department. From this it ap-
pears that the agent, on the 20th September, 1844. gave
in
nhicm ash
at the time in but that he
a receipt to the treasury of Mexico for the amount of
the April and July instalments of the indemnity. In
;
hhodlds
the same communication, however, he asserts that he
had not
received
such
giving the receipt, and entertains no doubt that he will
eventually obtain the money. As these instalments
seou risecurities
ea s singlesa warranted
dollar
appear never to have been actually paid by the Go-