The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-06-17
LETTERS OF MARQUE.

The s'New Orleans Republican" stated, few
days ago, upon the authority of gentleman from
Havana, then in New Orleans, ''that numerous
commissions from Mexico have already been ISSUED
Ito persons in Havana, to take effect Immediately.
lin the event Of war. Our informant states thar
there are such commissions now in this city, ant
that one oftlem has been offered to one of citi-
7zens.n
The Republican" is doubtful about the accura.
Icy of this report; and yet it would not be very ex-
raordnary if Mexico should be urged to 60 to war,
with the expectation of cutting up our commerce,
by foreign vessels under her letters of marque. Bul
has she calculated the consequences, or rather have
Those who would sail under the Mexican commissions;
= Mr. B. Marigny, of New Orleans, meets this diff
aculty at once when, in his admirable letter of May
l6, 1874 he combats all the objections which had
Bbcen urged to the annexation of Texas. He en-
countered this argument Of a war with Mexico, and
Of the letters of marque to which she would resort
: as the means Of carrying it on He asks: "Wi
the proud and gallant American navy suffer itself to
he inundated by letters of marquee And will it not
be able to obviate their effecs' Remember, that fol
vessel to be entitled to such letters of marque
two-thirds of her crew must be Mexcans! Where
are the Mexican sailorsi trust we have not for
gotten that at the seige ofSt. Juan de Uloa, Adm
raj Baudin announced that every vessel bearing
Mexican letter Of marque, and two-thrds of whose
crew were not Mexicans, should be considered as
piraie and treated as such. Can we Imagine
that there is, by chance, less energy in the su
Iperior officers of the American navy thar
in Admiral Baudin' Any one who thought 81
would find himself greatly mistaken. When Sli
dell Mackenzie, a lieutenant Of our navy, in orde
to maintain the discipline of his crew, and tn
= honor of his flag, hesitated not to hang son O
lone of the members of our cabinet, can it be sup
posed that we should not always find sufficient en-
&ergy among our officers to punish pirates, VIII,
Eshoud attempt to cover their crimes with letter o
Hmarque issued by the government Of Mexicoi'
n Let the Mexicans, and those who are pleased I,
abuse the Mexican flag to pirate upon our com
merce, be undeceivcd We know the energy of tn
man who now presdes over our government; AM
+ we are perfectly assured, that fMexico should b.
= persuaded by her own passions, or tempted by tn
ntrigues of others, to plunge the two countries int
war, our government will support the people, AM
the people will support the government in adoptn!
the most energetic legitimate measures in uphold
ing the honor of our flag, and in protecting the int
rests of our commerce. We have no hesitation il
saying, that instructions would at once he issued t
the commanders Of our squadrons, if they have no
already been issued TO treat pirates every foreg
vessel that is pleased to sail with foreign crews un
der these fictitious letters Of marquee A few crews
hung up, according to the laws Of nations at tn
yard-arm of their vessels, would soon abate tn
nuisance, and confne the exertons Of Mexico Il
her own limited miserable marine.