Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1845-12-10

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these installmen.s remain unpaid, segen :
OF which are now due. F!!~ : = '-t
The claims which were left undecided
by tine joint commission, amounting to more
than three millions of dollars, together
with other claims for spoiations on the
property OF our citizens, were subsequently,
presented TO the Mexican governments for
payment and were SO ar-recognized, that
a treaty, providing for their examination
and settlement by joint commission, was
concluded and signed at Mexico on the
twentieth day Of November, 1s43. This
treaty was ratified by the United States,
with certain amendments, to which no Just
exception could have been taken but II
has not yet received the ratification OF the
Mexican government. In the meantime,
our citizens who suffered great losses, and
some of whom have been reduced from af-
fluence to bankruptcy, are withoutremedy
unless their rights be enforced by their
government. Such a continued and unprc-
voked series Of wrongs could never have
been tolerated by the United States, had
they been committed by one of the princl-
pal nations Of Europe. Mexico wash
ever, a neighboring 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 re-
ceive her into the family Of nations AND
have ever been desirous OF cultivating with
her a good understanding. We have,
therefore, borne the repeated wrongs she
has committed, with great patience, inthe
hope that returning sense of Justice would
ultimately guide her councils, and thatwe
might, il possible, honorably avoid any
hostile collision with her. -: nx
Without the previous authority Of Con-
gress, the Executive possessed no power 10
adopt or enforce adequate remedies for the
injuries we had suffered, or to do more
than he prepared TO repel the threatened
aggression on the part of Mexico. Aite'
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 cont'n-
ued, deemed itimportant to put m end, II
possible, to this state Of things. With this
view, caused steps to be taken, in I 9
month of September last, to ascertain ds-
tinctly, and in an authentic form, what the
designs of the Mexican government were;
whether it was their intention 10 declare
war, or invade Texas, or whether they
were disposed to adjust and se'tle,in M am
icable manner, the pending difIererces be-
tween the two countries. On the ninth Of
November an official answer was rs ceived
that the Mexican Government ccnsen.ed
to renew the diplomatic relations Which had
been suspended in March last, and for that
purpose were willing to aecredit minister
from the United States With q sincere
desire to preserve peace, and restore lela
tons Of good understanding between the
two republics, | wnived all ceremony rs to-
the manner Of. renewing diplomalic .inisrs:
course between them; and assuming the
initiative. on the the tenth of November q
distinguished citizen Of Louisiana was ap-.
pointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minis
ter Plenipotentiary to Mexico, clothed with.
full power to adjust and definitely settle MI
pending differences between the two. coun-
tries, including those Of boundary between
Mexico and the State OF Texas. The
minister appointed ha, set ont on his mis-
sion, and is probably by this time pear the
Mexican capital. He has been instructed
to bring the negotiation with which he is
charged TO conclusion nj the earliest prac-
tical period; which, IT is expected, will be
in time to enable me to communicate the
result to Congress during the present ses=
sion. Until that result is known, lorbear
to recommend to- Congress such ul,eror
measures Of redress for the wrongs and in
juries we have 60 long borne, as it would
have been properto make had no such ne-
gotiaton been instituted.
Congress appropriated, at the last ses-
sion, the sum of Two hundred and seventy
five th' usand dollars for the payment Of
the April and July installments ofthe Mex.
lean indemnities for the year ls4l: ''Pro-
vided it shall be ascertained TO the satis-
faction Of the American government that
said inslullments have been paid by the.
Mexican government to the agent appoint
ed by the United States to receive the same,
in such a manner as to discharge all claim,
on the Mexican government, and said agens
to be delinquent in renting tho money TO-,
the United States. ". IN
The unsettled state of our relations with
Mexico has involved this subject in much
mystery. The first information in an au-,
thentic form, from the agent Of the United
States appointed under the aHinistrations
Of my predecessor, was, received at the
State Department on the ninth Of Noven,-,
ber last. This is contained in letter dated
the 17th Of October, addressed BY him
to one Of our citizens then in Mexico, with
view Of havingit communicat ed to that
department. From this it appears thai the
agent, on the twentieth Of September, 1914.
gave receipt to the treasury Of Mexico
| for the arnoIlnf 0f the nr;l md I'LL, -,