The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-03

shown proper circumspecon in the matter-that
there is nothing in this to justify the epithet Of
Machiavel being applied to the secretary-that Mex
leo is still liable to treasury for the payment OF
the drafts-that Mr. Shannon expects that they will
be paid and that there is really no foundation for
the complaints and censures Of "a Claimant" And
we sincerely hope that the drafts will soon be
honored, and the money paid to the claimants,
| To The Hon. James Buchanan, Secretary Of State;
WAsHNeToN, July 2, l645.
Sir: Since my arrival in the United States, have
noticed that at least portion of the public are la
boring under incorrect views with regard to the pay
ment of the fourth and fifth instruments due our
citizens from Mexico under the treaty Of the 3ls
January, l643; and also that some unjust reflections
have been upon me, well as others, IN refer
ence to the manner in which the business had been
transacted. ! deem it not out of place for me to
communicate to you the facts in relation to the two
insalments in question, so far as they are within
my knowledge, with the view not only OF putting
you in possession of the state of the case, but
of setting myself right in the matter. This should
have done at an earlier period, had been aware
that there was any difficulty on the subject or that
there any doubt in any quarter as to the facts
| of the case.
The fourth instalment fell due on the 30th April,
/ 1884, and the fifth on the Both of the following
July; and did not arrive in Mexico until the even
i ing of the 26th of the following August On my
arrival in Mexico, the fourth nsalmen had been due
near four months, and the fifth near one month"; and
the date of Mr. Voss's receipt, closing the matter
with the Mexican government, understand, is the
9th August, II will be perceived from these dates,
that could have had no agency in advising the
arrangement that was made with the Mexican gov
eminent by Mr.. Voss. Soon after my arrival in
4 Mexico, on inquiry Of MIR. Voss, our agent, who
had been appointed to receive the money, as TO the
payment of the two instruments in question, he in
formed me he had in vain sought to obtain the money
from the national treasury in Mexico; that he had
failed in oil his efforts to do so; for the reason, that
as fast the money into the national treasury,
il was absorbed for the purposes of the army, and
by Mexican claimants, whose influence with the
government was such to enable them to obtain
the preference over the American claimants; that
finding all efforts to obtain payment in Mexico had
failed, he prevailed on the government to give him
drafts on the local treasures for an amount suff-
GENTLY large to cover the principal and interest due
the two instruments, and the cost of collecting the
same and transmitting the money to Vera Cruz.
He also advised me that the English house of
Tayleur, Jamison, g. Co., in Mexico had claims on
the Mexican government, and that they had taken
drafts of similar character and were about to collect
them and that he had handed over the drafts, which
he had received to that house, for collection at the
same time. The house of Tayleur, Jamison, &
Co., it is proper | should remark, is one of un-
doubted responsibility. The contributions that had
been levied, in order to raise the four millions voted
by Congress, and placed at the disposal of the gov
eminent, were in rapid course of collection at the
time, and no doubts were entertained but the drafts
/ would be promptly met and paid He stated
that, under these circumstances he considered the
4 drafts cash. or the same as cash. and that he had
1 recepted to the Mexican government accordingly,
I and that might consider the nstaments IN ques-
ton as paid that there would be no other difficulty
i about the matter, than delay of few weeks in
: transmitting the money to the United States On the
Ill dau aft l nj
nj that is, on the Cd of September received note
from Mr.. Reion, the Mexican Secretary of State,
a copy of which has heretofore been communicated
to your department, in which he states that he had
been advised by the Secretary of the Treasury,
under date Of the 9th August that the two install
ments had been paid. On the 18th Of September,
had an interview with President Santa Ana in re-
laon to the release Of the Texan prisoners, and the
unadjused claims of our citizens the government
of Mexico; in which he took occasion to speak of
the payment Of the two insalments above named,
and the difficulties the government had to encounter
to meet them; and assuring me, at the same time,
that he had caused arrangements to be made, which
would enable the government to meet the future IN
stalments promptly as they fell due All this put
my mind to rest on the subject Of these indemni-
ties; and it was upon this state of facts that felt
myself authorized to make the communication did
to Mr.. Calhoun, in relation thereto, in September
last did not at the time, nor until after the revo-
slightest difficulty in relation to the payment of the
drafts in question, When the revolution broke out,
the money intended to meet these drafts was divert
ed from that purpose by the government ofMexico,
= and applied to its own purposes When it had be-
GENE thus certain that there would be at least some
considerable delay in the payments of these drafts,
called on MIR. Voss to report to me in writing all
the facts of the case, that might be able to put
my government in possession of them. was taken
sick shortly after, and confined to my room for two
months, and was thus prevented from doing Upto
the time ofmy departure from Mexico, which was on
+, the 18th of May last, these drafts had not been
, paid or any part of them. No doubt however,
= was entertained by Mr. Voss or Mr. Jamison but
that these drafts would be paid the Mex
d lean government could command the pecuniary
r means. That government does not claim that it is
= in any way released from the payment of these
drafts but the deranged state of the Mexican treas
r ury growing of the late revolution, has hereto
fore prevented the government from discharging
"a them II is proper | should state, that have no
:, doubt Mr. Voss has acted throughout with the most
perfect good faith and integrity, and that he did
what he believed to be the best for the claimants
at the time that upon statement of the facts and
reasons on which he acted, concurred with him in
the opinion, and so expressed myself to him at the
tme that the course he had adopted was the best,
under all the circumstances of the CASE that co uld
have been adopted, order to the money for
o the claimants.
O. While it may be expected that these drafts will
. be paid by Mexico her financial abilities
will enable her TO do So without regard to the future
relations of the two countries do not feel justified in
0. giving you any assurances that the remaining in
staments will be paid until the difficulties existing
o between the two countries finally adjusted, our
government shall adopt strong measures in order to
z coerce Mexico into compliance with her treaty
4 stipulations.
81 have the honor to be, very respectfully, your
= obedient servant,
4 WILSON SHANNON.
O. JACKSON FUNERAL OBSEQUIES.