Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-12-11
MONTPELIER, VT. THURSDAY. DECEMBER II. ISL

uHueTSldHulHIs VIC hdtSt tHBISIVISB DOEHc tue re-
peated wrongs she has committed, with great pa
tience, in the hope that returning Of Justice
would ultimately guide her councils, and that we
might, if possible, honorably avoid any hostile col
lislon with her.
Without the previous authority Of Congress, the
Executive possessed no power to adopt or enforce
adequate remedies for the injuries had suffered,
or to do than be prepared to repel the threat.
ened aggression on the part of Mexico After our
army and navy had remained the frontier and
coasts of Mexico for many weeks, without any hos
tile movement on her part though her menaces
were continued, deemed it important 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 distinctly, and in an
authentic form, what the designs of the Mexican
government were whether it was their intention
to declare war, or invade Texas, or whether they
were disposed to adjust and settle in an amcabI(
manner, tho pending differences between the two
countries On the ninth Of November an official
answer received, that the Mexican government
consented to renew the diplomatic relations which
had been suspended IN March last, and for that
purpose were willing to accredit minister from the
United States. With a sincere desire to preserve
peace and restore relations of good understanding
between the two republics, waived all ceremony
to the manner Of renewing diplomatic inter
course between them; and, assuming the initiative,
on the tenth of November distinguished citizen of
Louisiana appointed Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentary 10 Mexico, clothed with
full powers 10 adjust, and defnitivey settle, all
pending differences between the two countries, in
GLIDING those of boundary between Mexico and the
State of Texas. The minister appointed has set
out on his mission, and is probably by this time
the Mexican capital. He has been instructed
to bring the negotiation with which he is charged
to conclusion at the earliest practicable period;
which, it is expected, will be in time to enable me
to communicate the result to Congress during the
present session. Until that result is known, | for
bear to recommend to Congress such Interior mea-
sures Of redress for the wrongs and injuries have
so long borne, as it would have been proper to
make had no such negotiation been instituted.
Congress appointed, at the last session, the sum
of two hundred and seventy-fve thousand dollars
for the payment Of the April and July initalments
Of the Mexican ndemnes for the year 1944:--
provided it shall be ascertaned to the satisfaction
of the American government that said instruments
have been paid by the Mexican government to the
agent appointed by the United States to receive
the same, in such manner 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 authectic form, from the
agent of The United States, appointed under the
administration of my predecessor, was received at
the State Department on the ninlh Of Nnvenher
last This is contained in letter, dated the
enteenth Of October, addressed by him to of
citizens then in Mexico, with the view of hav-
ing it communicated to that department. From
thisit appears that the agent, on the twentieth of
September, 1874, gave receipt to the treasury of
Mexico for the amount of the April and July install
ments of the indemnity. In the same communica-
ton, however, he asserts that he had not received
a single dollar in cash. but that ne holds sucn be-
curties warranted him at the time in giving the
receipt and enertans no doubt but that he will
eventually obtain the money As these instalmants
appear to have been actually paid by the 60
vernment OF Mexico to the agent, and as that gov
ernment has not therefore been released so as to
discharge the claim, do not feel myself warranted
in directing payment to be made 10 the claimants
out of the treasury, without further legislation
Their case is, undoubtedly one of much hardship,
and it remains for Congress to decide whether any,
and what relief ought TO be granted to them. Our
minister to Mexico has been instructed TO ascertain
the facts of the case from the Mexican government
in authentic and official form, and report the re-
suit with as little delay as possible.
Ny attention was early directed to the negota-
ton, which, on the fourth Of March last, found
pending at Washington between the United States
and Great Britain, on the subject of the Oregon
territory. Three several attempts had been pre-
viously made to settle the question between the
two countries, by negotiation, upon the principle
of compromise but each had proved unsuccessful.
These negotiations took place at Londen, in the
years l9Is 1924 and 1926 the two first under the
administration of Mr. Monroe, and the last under
that Of Mr.. Adams. The negotiation of 1918 hav-
ing failed to accomplish its object, resulted in the
convention OF the twentieth of October of that
year, By the third article of that convention, it
was "agreed, that any country that may be claim
ed by either party on the northwest coast of A
merica westward of the Stony mountains, SHALL
together with its hurbors, bays, and creeks, and
the navigation of all rivers within the same, be
free and open for tho term of ten years from the
date Of the signature Of the present convention to
the vessels, citizens, and subj cts Of the two Pow
ers it being well understood that this agreement
is not TO be construed TO the prejudice Of any claim
which either of the two high contracting parties
may have to any part of the said country, nor shall
it be taken TO affect the claims Of any other Power
or State to any part of the said country the only
object of the high contracting parties in that re-
spec being, to prevent disputes and differences a.
mong themselves"
The negotiation of 1924 was productive Of no
result, and the convention of 1918 was left I'M
changed.
The negotiation of 1926, having also failed to
effect an adjustment by compromise, resulted in
the convention of Aug, the sixth, 1927, by which
it was agreed 10 continue in force, for an inde6n
tie period, the provisions of the third article Of the
twentieth OF October, 1918; and it further
provided that " it shall be competent, however, TO
either of the contracting parties, in case either
should think fit, at any time after the twentieth of
October, 1918, on giving due notice Of twelve
months to the other contracting party, to annul
and abrogato this convention and it SHALL in such
case, be accordingly entirely annued and abrv-
gated after the expiration of the said term of no.
tice.' In these attempts to adjust the controver-
say, the parallel of the forty-nnth degree of north
latitude had been offered by the United States to
Great Britain and in those of 1918 and 1926, with
further concession of the free navigation Of the
Columbia river south Of that latitude The para-
lei of the forty-ninth degree, from the Rocky
mountains to its intersection with the northeast
ernmost branch of the Columbia, and thence down
the channel of that river to the sea, had been Of
fered by Greet Britain, with an addition of small
detached territory north of the Columbia. Each
of these propositions had been rejected BY the par
ties respectively.
In October, 1913, tho Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Pleni potentiary Of the United States in
London was authorised to make similar offer to
those made in 1918 and 1926. Thus stood the
question, when the negotiation shortly after
wards transferred to Washington and, on the
twenty-third Of August, ls44, was formally open
ed, under the direction of my immediate predeces-