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

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we're and unmerted suffering awakens--were ali
powerfully reused by the continually recurring mar
ratves Of Mexican perfdy, rapine, and cruelty. IL
was manifest that the national honor had been
wanionly and systematically assaiedS-that the
lives, the property, and the rights OF our citizens,
had been endangered and violated-that the laws
of nations had been continually trampled upon, and
the solemn and precise treaty spulations daily
disregarled. Such appeared not as insulated and
| occasional incidents; but as the uniform and UNI
varied character of the relations which had sub
sisted between two contiguous nations. So few and
| remote were The exceptions, that the conduct of
/ Mexico towards American citizens may almost
literally be characterized as "niia virtue redemp-
htm."
While such were the traits exhibited by the one
party, the department of the United States, as
well government as people, manifested the most
striking contrast 1t had been marked through
ont by magnanimy and forbearance, by generosity
and patient endurance. During the period when
/ Spain was rent by the commissions which upheaVed
Europe from its foundations when the struggles
between the emperor of France and the Spanish
nation were exhausling the strength and resources
of the parent country, as well as of her American
colonies the United States were presented with the
most favorable opportunities for displaying and
gratifying that lust of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT which has at
| times been most unscrupulously and falsely attrib-
ued TO the people and government of this republic.
There no necessity TO invent or fabrcate preteNts
for punging into hostlties, and wrenching by force
| from the impotent hands of Spain, her most valua-
BILE territories, indemnity for the wrongs she
j had inflicted, and payment of the remuneration
| which she Justly owed We had many and ag-
gravated causes which would have justified resort
| to war; and the consequences of declaration Of
| hostilites could scarcely be regarded as doubtful
Our own will would have fixed the only limit to our
power TO appropriate to ourselves the Spanish do
minions on this continent. Instead Of resortng to
such measures of redressing our wrongs, we pa
tently waited until the termination of the great
in Europe left Spain, disembarrassed from this
| tremendous conflict, which for years had been
wagng in every corner of her realm, free to
listen to solicitations for justice. So far from
| pressing upon Spain in her hour Of need the Amer
| lean government discountenanced various attempts
, which were made to overthrow the Spanish author
iy in the New World. 1t is unnecessary to do
more than to allude to the vigorous measures which
were adopted TO arrest the movements of Miranda,
and to defeat the projects of Burr. When Spain
became relieved, demands upon her were adj
justed upon terms the most generous and liberal in
their character to that gallant and suffering nation
We relinqushed every claim for pecuniary COM
pensation from her exhausted treasury and impoy-
ershed people. We coded entire claim to the
magnificent territory lying between the Sabine and
the Rio del Nortc. We reinquished this claim,
which, while some may undertake to controvert it's
clear and perfect validity, none can deny TO have
rested on such a plausible foundation as to have
stimulated the cupidity of more ambitious and
/
| made by powerful to weaker nation, we received
from Spain the cesson of Florida, to one-third of
which we had long asserted paramount title, and
that title had now been rpened by continuous
peaceable possession, and which, if her title had
been undisputed, valueless in the hands of
Spain, from her inability to defend it. Such were
the exhibitions of that encroachng and aggrandi.
zng spirit, which has been thought to justify severe
4 anmadversons from community which, central.
lied in small island, has extended her sway be-
ypnd the limits of Aexanders conquests, and whose
banner floats over a wider region than the Roman,
eagle venlured to gaze upon--whose foreign
territories comprehend population of one hundred
millions.
Not long after the termination of her European
contests, SPAN found herself involved in the strug-
gle which her American colonies had Instituted to
emancipate themselves from her yoke. A congo
niaty Of feeling, and almost identification of
principle with the people of the United States du-
ring a similar contest led our people and our gov
erGment to feel and express warm sympathy with
the infant republics just emerging into existence.
VIC afforded them every encouragement which g;as
compatible with our neutral nosilloi. Many of our
citizens volunteered q, peril their lives in maintain
i.'s 'ie list OF freedom We awaited ourselves Of
the earliest opportunity to recognise the establish
J ment of that independence which Was yet hardly
Acknowledgement our influence TO procure similar
recognition FROM the leading powers in Europe
and abored to create d combination with them, TO
CATION and to crown the result by her free acknowl-
edgmcnt Of the independence Of her ancient colo
MES. In all these movements, no eye, but one Jaun
diced by the most morbid suspicion, can discover
aught but the most sincere and disnerested attach
ment to the great and noble of liberal and free
, institutions. Instead of awaiting ourselves OF the
prominent position which occupied on this con-
tnent, and of our commanding strength, to enlarge
our boundaries by new acquisitions of territory, we
studously avoided every act and every word which
n
of seeking to procure for ourselves those commercial
privileges which the services we had rendered
might have furnished us with grounds of claim
ing right, we refused to receive them a
r voluntary tribute of gratitude for exerons in
behalf of these infant nations. We peremptorily
declined to accept any advantages in trade, which
were extended to the rest ofthe Christian world
and the only suggestion which offered, would
listen to, of the grant of peculiar exclusive rights
was in favor of Span-the very nation whom we
were accused of wronging, but who, in fact had per-
pctrated upon lis the most gricvous injuries.
Through our Intervention mainly Mexican indie
pendence was contaminated, and universally nc.
, knowedged. Animated, or protesting to be ami.
mated, by the same liberal principles which had
guided US in analogous circumstances, Mexico
assumed, the basis of her constitution of govern
ment, the same doctrines which had guided our
fathers in constructing our institutions. With few
and comparatively unimportant notifications, she
adopted the main features of the frame of govern
ment, under which we had advanced with unpar-
alleed rapidity in strength, prosperity, and happi-
E ness
/ Gratiied by these manifestations Of community
Of feeling, and anticipating from such indications
more cordial and harmonious intercourse than had
ever before subsisled between distinct communities,
again the people and the government of the United
States received the Mexicans with almost fraternal
affection Our citizens, enticed by the alurng
prospects presented to them in this new field Of en-
terprse, encouraged by the fatterng invitations by
which they were tempted, confdng in the good
faith Of people towards whom we had uniformly
exhibited nothing but kindness and generosity, and
whose institutions similar to our own, emf
grated in great numbers to Mexico, and carried with
them to their new abodes wealth, skill and enter
prise, to be employed in thedevelopment of the
resources, and the augmentation of the strength of
their adopted country.
In thus contributing to the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of our
sister republic, we cherished the firm belief, and the
:. L a