The Columbian fountain., 1845-12-04


mitted to the Board too late to be considered and
were left undisposed Of The sum of $4,000, 139
68 cts, decided by the Board, was d liquidated
and ascertained debt due by Mexico to the claim
ants and there was no ustifable reason for delay
ing its payment according to the terms of the
treaty. II was not, however, paid Mexico APP
Piled for further indulgence; and, in that spirit of
liberality and forbearance which has ever marked
the policy of the United States towards that re-
public, the request was granted and, on the goth
January, lS43, new treaty was concluded By
this treaty It was provided that the interest due
on the awards in favor Of claimants underithe con-
vention of the 18th of April 1889, should be paid
on the 3Oth of April, 1843; and that the princi-
pal OF the said awards, and the interest arising
thereon, shall be paid in five years. in equal install
ments, every three months; the said term of five
years to commence on the 3Oth day Of April, l843,
as aforesaid" The interest due on the 30th day
of April, 1843, and the three first of the twenty
lnstalments, have been paid. Seventeen Of these
lnstaments remain unpaid, seven Of which are
now due.
The claims which were left undecided by the
joint commission, amounting to more than three
millions Of dollars, together with other claims for
spollations on the property of our citizens, were
subsequently presented to the Mexican govern
that treaty, providing for their examination and
settlement by a joint commission, was concluded
and signed at Mexico on the twentieth day Of No
vember, l843. This treaty was ratified by the
United States, with certain amendments, to which
no just exception could have been taken; but it
has not yet received the ratification of the Mexi-
can government In the mean time, our citizens
who suffered great losses, and some of whom
have been reduced from afiuence to bankruptcy,
are without remedy, unless their rights be enforc-
ed by their government. Such continued and
unprovoked series Of wrongs could never have
been tolerated by the United States, had they
been committed by one of the principal nations
of Europe. Mexico was, however, a neighbor-
ing sister republic, which, following 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 recognize her independence, and to receive her
into the family of nations, and have ever been de-
sirous of cultivating with her good understand
ing. We have, therefore, borne the repeated
wrongs she has committed, with great patience, in
the hope that returning sense of justice would
ultimately guide her councils, and that we might,
if possible, honorably avoid any hostile collision
with her.
Without the previous authority of Congress, the
Executive possessed no power to adopt or enforce
adequate remedies for the injuries we had suffer-
ed, or to do more than be prepared to repel the
threatened aggression on the part of Mexico.
After our army and navy had remained on the
frontier and coasts of Mexico for many weeks,
without any hostile movement on her part, though
her menaces were continued, deemed it impor-
tant to put an end, if possible, to this state of
things. With this view caused steps to be taken
in the month of September last to ascertain dis
tinctly, and in an authentic form, what the designs
of the Mxican government were; whether it was
their intention to declare war, or invade Texas,
or whether they were disposed to adjust and set
tie, in an amicable manner, the pending differ
ences between the two countries. On the ninth
of November official answer was received
that the Mexican government consented to renew
the displomatic relations which had been suspend
ed in March last and for that purpose were will
ing to accredit minister from the United States
With sincere desire to preserve the peace, and
restore relations of good understanding between
the two republics, waived all ceremony as to
the manner ofrenewing diplomatic intercourse be-
tween them; and, assuming the initiative, on the
tenth OF November distinguished citizen of Lou
isiana was appointed envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary to Mexico, clothed with
full powers to adjust, and definitely settle, all
pending differences between the two countries in
cluding those of boundary between Mexico and
the State of Texas. The minister appointed has
set out on his mission and probably by this time
near the Mexican capital. He has been instruct
ed to bring the negotiation with which he is charg-
ed to conclusion at the earliest practicable Pc
riod which, it is expected, will be in time to ena-
BILE me to communicate the result to Congress
during the present session. Until that result is
known, / forbear to recommend 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 two hundred and seventy-fve thousand
dollars for the payment of the April and July in
stalments of the Mexican indemnities for the year
1874: provided it shall be ascertaned to the sa-
tsfaction of the American government that said
instalments have been paid by the Mexican gov
vernment 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 renting the
money to the United States
The unsettled state of our relations with Mexico
has involved this subject in much mystery. The
first information, 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 ninth of November
last. This is contained in letter. dated the sew
enteenth OF October, addressed by him to one of
our citizens then in Mexico, with the view of hav-
ing it communicated to that department. From
this it appears that the agent, on the twentieth
Of September, 1874, gave receipt to the treas,l-
ry of nexico for the amount Of the April and J,l-
ty instalments of the indemnity In the same
communication, however, he asserts that he had
not received single dollar in cash; but that he
holds such securities as warranted him at the time
in giving the receipt, and entertains no doubt but
that he will eventually obtain the money. As
these instalments appear never to have been actu-
ally paid by the government of Mexico to the