The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-09-12

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address, from Mr. Coke of this city 1t is pub
ished at the request of the convention Of the Mex
lean claimants, and will serve ian introduction
to the pamphlet which they have authorized to be
printed in this city. II is now on hand. IL serves
to set forth the wrongs that we have received from
Mexico, and which strongly call upon the govern
ment for its aid, in obtaining justice from the ag-
gressor. The character Of the discussion may be
gathered from the following paper; and we hope its
apparent length will deter no one from reading il
with the attention which its own merits, and the
cause to which ii is dedicated, SO emnently deserve.
! INTRODUCTION.
| In presenting the following papers TO the public
in their present shape IL seemed proper TO accom-
| pany them with brief exposition OF the circum-
stances in which they originated, and OF the reasons
| 10 which they their existence. They have al
| ready appeared in the columns of a newspaper-he
first series in the Richmond Enquirer, and the resi-
due in the Union The parties, at whose instance
they were prepared, have judged IT expedent to re-
publish them; while others have concurred IN this
design, under the impression that they embodied, IN
"a condensed form, much valuable information upon
topics general Importance. The present aspect of
| the relations between the United States and Mexico
! is full of interest Whether not there will be a
| formal declaration Of war, seems yet to be matter
of uncertainty; but whether that event should or
should not occur, the affairs of the two governments
have reached point, and assumed character,
which mpcratively demand that the subjects of
controversy, which have so long existed, should be
| brought to "a definite settlement The causes of
complaint have been of long standing, and Of r-
rtating nature. The amicable feelings which once
bound the two nations together, have been oblit-
Grated. Mutual estrangement has succeeded, and
terms of recriminaon have been exchanged, rousing
on either side the angry passions of the respective
parties. 1t is not possible much longer to post
pone the adjustment of these controversies. They
must be terminated through the insrumcntality
| of war, or by amicahle arrangement. The
number and character of the reclamations of the
parties seem to preclude the possibility of pa
ci6c settlement The claims of citizens Of the
United States, for remuneration for alleged in
fractions Of their rights of person and property,
! cannot be estimated at a smaller amount than ten
millions of dollars The character of the outrages
| in which these claims originated, have imposed
upon the government the imperative obligation to
demand, and, if necessary to enforce, their quida-
| ton, Every day swells the amount of compensa-
tion to which the parties entitled, and increases
the incapacity of Mexico to provide for their pay
ment They must either be adjusted and paid, or
tamely relinquished The latter alternative, nvolv-
ing remuneration of every national duty, and the
violation of the most positive national pledges, can
not, for moment, be anticipated. II may be as
sumed positive certainty, that the payment
must be voluntarily made, or enforced by all the
power of the nation 1t is unnecessary to say that
voluntary payment by Mexico, in any form, or to
any extent is utterly hopeless.
In addition to every other impeachment which,
for many years, has intcrposed to prevent Mex
leo from doing justice to the injured citizens OF
the United States, she has herself, within the last
! few months, found either substantial causes of COM
plant against own government, in its proceed
ings and measures in relation to Texas or at least
pretexts upon which she asserts that the balance OF
injury is on her side. She alleges that in original
| ly populating Texas with our own citizens, in the
severance of that State from the residue of the re-
public and finally IN annexlng her to our Union, we
have violated every principle by which nation
should regulate It's intercourse with its neighuors
trampled upon all the obligations OF solemn treaties
outraged the most clearly defined rights of Mexico
and sacrificed justice and equity upon the altar of an
INSCRIPTIONS and graspng spirit of selfaggrandze-
ment.
With such discordant views of their mutual rights
and obligations, it is idle to hope that the two par
ties can arrive an amicable and pacific adjustment
of their differences. For either to yield, would be
to submit, without struggle, to all the consequent
ccs of an unsuccessful war, and TO abandon every
ground which has been deliberately and publicly as
sumed. The American government cannot retracs
its steps. 1t cannot annul the ocmpaci ~ which
Texas has become .'buhe OF our bone and flesh o
our Scshs" IL cannot admit that its conduct merit,
the harsh ephets which have been applied to it b,
Mexico and her friends. As little can she retrac
what she has repeatedly urged ON the subject o
the claims Of her ciEena for remuneration and in
demnihcation She has proclaimed that in the perpe
tratlon of the outrages OF which she complains Mex
leo has violated our Just rights aud that is The par
amount duty OF the government to afford ample pro
tec,lon to her citizens and to enforce if necessary
with all the power Of the nation full compensation
for the wrongs hey have sustained from foreign
power. She has sanctifed and solemnised the obi
CATION growing out of the relation of government ant
citizen by the most deliberate assurances that thi.
obligation is recognised, and the most distinct
pledges that this duty shall he fulfilled.
In this posture Of things, il seems vain to expec
that pachc relations can long subsist between the
| two nations. Each processes to have grounds o.
complaint against the other, which it asserts to be
just and reasonable; and each has pledged itself tc
maintain It's rights at every hazard. Temporary
causes may intervene, and prevent immediate re-
sort to arms by either power; but the of wal
cannot be removed, and they must continue to in
crease IN number and to augment in strength till they
bear down every barrier which wisdom or policy
may inerpose to prevent the final catastrophe.
\ Such being the relations at present subsistng be
tween the two nations, and such their probable issue
1t incumbent upon every citizen Of the United States
to inform himself of the true merits of the contro
yersy, and to lend his aid, however feeble that.may
be, in enightcning the public mind upon the subject
His country and his governn ent have been made
the objects the most severe denunciaton not only
by the antagonist party, but by many of our owr
ciIzens, whose character and position confer upor
them extensive influence. The acts Of Mexico have
been vindcaed or palliated, while the conduct O
the United States has been violently condemned. 1
Is equally our right and our duty to examine this
subject, and to determine, in the spirit of Justice
stimulated, but not blinded by the impulses of patr
ohsm, whether we are as a nation guilty or not gull
ty of the crimes laid to charge
1t is the purport and design of the following pa
pers to examine and discuss this interesting ques
lion. The result to which the writer's mind has
been brought, will be apparent perusing what he
has written. Entertaining the fullest confidence in
these conclusions he submits them to the candid
consideration Of his countrymen of all parties and
of oil localities, with firm assurance in his own
mind, as well of the truth Of the facts which he has
stated as of the validity of the differences which he
has deduced. Ii may be permitted him TO add, that
had his Investigations conducted him TO different
result, and convinced him that his country had mcr-
tied the reprooches which have been pom her
-