Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-07-17
MIR. sHANNoN-THE MISSING INSTRUMENTS

The following letter from Mr.. Shannon to the
Secretary of State appears in the Union:
10 The Hon. Jas. buchanan, Sccreiar, of STATE.
WASHINGTON, July 2, 1915.
Sir:-Since my arrival in the United States.
nave noticed that at least portion of the public
are laoorng under incorrect views with regard 10
inc payment OF the fourth and fifth nstaImepts due
our cltiZens from Mexico, under the treaty of the
olst January, 1913; and also that some unjust re-.
hecllons have been cast upon me, as we'll as 9th
e's' III reference TO the manner in which the bust
ness had been transacted. l deem it not ont of
Place ior me TO communicate to YOU the facts in
ielaton 10 the two instruments in question: so far
as 'hey are within my knowledge, with the view
ho' only oil putting you in possession Of the true
slate oil the case, but of setting right in the
matter. This should have done at an earlier ne.
fiou, MAD been aware that there was any diff.
curly on The subject, or that there any doubt
IN any quarter as to the facts in the case
The fourth nstalment fell due ON the 3Olb Anril
Io14' and the fifth on the 30th Of the following
jury and did not arrive i'm Mexico until the
evening of the Goth of the following August. On
my arrival In Mexico, the fourth instaiment had
been due near four months, and the fifth near one
month, and the date of Mr.. Voss's receipt, clos
ing inc matter with the Mexican government,
understand, is the 9th August. 1t will be per-
ceived from these dates, that could have had M
agency In advising the arrangement that was
MADE with the Mexican government by Mr. Voss
soon alter my arrival in Mexico, on inquiry of
Mr. Voss, our agent, who had been appointed to
receive The money, as to the payment of the two
instruments In question, he informed me he had
IN VAN sought TO obtain The money from the ma
tlonai treasury in Mexico; that he had failed in
all his efforts to do so, for the reason. that as
:ast as The money came into the national treasury.
IL was absorbed for the purposes of the army and
Ny mexican claimants, whose influence with the
government was such as TO enable them to obtain
Ihe preference over the American claimants that
nhGing all efforts to obtain payment i'm Mexico
pad iailed, he prevailed on the government TO
give him drafts OF the local treasures for an a.
mount sufficiently large to cover the PRINCIPAL and
interest due on the two insalments, and the cost
Oh collecting the same, and transmitting the mo-
ney to Vera Cruz. He also ad viseG 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 a similar cha
fac,er, and were about to collect them and that
he had handed over the drafts which he had re-
ceyed to that house, for collection at the same
tlne. The house OF Taylcur, Jamison g. Co., il
Is proper should remark, is one Of undoubted re-
SPohsioiilty. The contributions that had been
levied In order TO raise the four millions voted bv
congress, and placed at the disposal of the gov
eminent, were in rapid course of collection at
V'' '''"e, anu ITO OouOtS were entertained but the
drafts would be promptly met and paid.-fIe
stated that under these circumstances. he consi
oered the drafts as cash, or the same as cash. and
tha' he had recelpted to the Mexican government
accordingly, and that might consider the install
pen's III question as paid that there would be
no other difficulty about the matter than DELAY
Oh lew weeks In transmitting the money to the
united States. On the day after had been pre-
seDted to the President-that is, on the ID of
oeplember-l received note from Mr. Reion.
the Mexican Secretary of State, copy of which
mas heretofore been communicated to your depart
Inent, In which he states that he had been advis-
ed by the Secretary of the Treasury, under date
OF 'he 18th August, that the two instalments had
oeen paid. On the 18th of September, had an
interview with President Santa Anna in relation
70 tne release OF the Texian prisoners, and the
"hdoJOsted claims of our citizens on the govern
ment oil Mexico; IN which he took occasion to
SPEAK OF the payment of the two instruments q.
oOve named, and the difficulties the government
hdu 70 encounter to meet them and ASSURING me,
dt the same time, that he had caused arranoe-
ments TO be made, which would enable The 90
vernment to meet the future instruments nromnilv
as they fell due. All this put my mind to resi- on
the subject Of these indelnnities and il was mon
this state of facts that felt myself authorized To
make the communication did TO Mr.. Calhoun. !
IN relation thereto, in September last. did moi
at the time, nor until after the revolution broke
OUT, which terminated iD the overthrow Of Presi-