The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-29
For the Union.
MEXICO AGAINST THE UNITED STATES.
For the Union.

co, of being equally fathless in the f6ment Of her
treaty engagements, or of the obligations imposed
by the law Of nations and by the code Of personal
honor Her highest functonaries have been shown
to be guilty Of an open disregard of truth, and of
having resorted to the most contemplate and dis
graceful crimes known on the Old Bailey calendar.
Should additional testimony be required to fill up
the measure Of official and national turpude, ample
materials exist in the archives of the board of COM
missoners! II there distinctly and repeatedly APP
pears, that Mexico transmitted spurious and forged
documents to the board, legal evidence in cases
before it;--that her commissioners withdrew, from
the public records of the board and under false pre-
fences, testimony which had been laid before it for
its action;--that this done against the remon-
stances of their colleagues and in contempt of the
decided objections of the American Secretary of
State. These points, however, have been so fire.
quently brought to the notice of Congress and the
nation, that they must be familiar to all who have
given any attention to the history Of the relations
between the two countries.
The far more important inquiry is, what is the
course which il becomes the right and the duty of
the government of the United States to pursue in
tom The question of duty has been long since
settled. Without adverting to other instances in
which it has been fully recognised by the govern
ment ITSELF in the most solemn and authentic form,
reference to the very explicit language employed
by Mr. Upshur in his despatch of July 25, lS43,
may suffice: "The honor Of the government is
pledged to our own people for the diigent and prop
er prosecution of those claims Mexico can no
longer, consistently with her own honor, or the
rights of our citizens, or what is due to this gov
eminent, seek to delay the execution of what JUS
tice so plainly requires at her hands" "Atonement
should have been made long ago for the numerous
and fragrant wrongs done by that power to citizens
Of this country. Unnecessary delays must not be
submitted to- nor will slight excuses be received"
Two years have elapsed since this declaration
was made unnecessary delays" have been "sub-
mtted TO-" and "sght excuses" have not been ere
ceiyed," only because none, however slight, have
been offered. Eighteen months have passed since
Mexico has had in her hands a treaty sanctioned by
the Executive and Senate ofIhe United States which
falls short-very far short-of carrying out althe
knowledged obligations of our government. The
minister who negotiated it, in several important par
tculars dcviated from his instructions, and always
to the disadvantage Of the claimants Its terms and
stipulations, if adopted, would work the most mani
fest injustice to the claimants, and are such that
nothing but despair Of ever attaining justice could
induce them to aoquiesce in. For eighteen months
Mexico has omitted to give it her ratification. 1t
has become n cap,d moriuum; and no excuse, no
apology no explanation has been rendered to an in
Of her most conciatory and yielding offers. The
honor, the dignity ofthe nation, mperatively demands
that no similar proposition should be again enter
tanned. The experience of the past has painfully
and severely taught the claimants, land it is hoped
the lessons have not been thrown away upon the
goyernment,) that under such a convention az that
projected the interests of the one would be sacrificed
and the honor of the other prosucd. Under no
circumstances, should such arrangement be again
sanctioned; nor, unless under other and far better
guarantees than such as appear inthot prcjs should
any mixed commission be again established.
What course, then, is left opcn' The claim,
against Mexico may now be arranged under four
distinct classes First, such have been already
adudicatcd by the former board. These may be
recognised as settled defnitivey excepting so far
as fraud and forged papers, and impressions of
evidence, in derogotion Of treaty engagements,
be shown. Secondly, such as have passed through
the ordeal Of full investigation in the presence Of
the commissioners Of both parties. Thirdly, those
which, owing to the impcdlments intcrposcd by the
government Of Mexico, or her ,func,ionaries, were
left unadjus,ed. Fourhly, those which were never
exhibited TO the former board, whether they occurred
before or since the time limited by the convention
Of 1889
The first class has been settled by the adjudica.
tons Of the board; and although much injustice has
been wrought by those decisions, they should, per-
hsps, be allowed TO rand, unless the claimants can
establish, by distinct testimony, that injustice has
been pcrpelrated through false forged papers, or
by the Withholding Of evidence which Mexico wns
bound to furnish. Three yoon and half have
elapsed since the last Of these cases was decided.
BY the convention Of September, las 4 was agreed
that Mexico should forthwith pay the whole sum
awarded against her, by furnishing ruch an amount
of her evidences Of pubic debt ~ should real
ize in the London market whatever might be
found due by her. This arrangement was, a. we
have secn allowed to expire by the generalization
of the convention by Mexico. The substituted
treaty Of 1899 provided that Mexico should pay
the sums awarded in treasury notes, which should
be receivable at her eusiom-houses IN paymen, Of
duties, should il prove ineonyenen, for her TO pay
the whole promptly in gold or silver. A, her sclci-
tation, and for her accommodation, by the eonyen-
ton Of the 10Th January i5l3, further indulgence
was given. She was allowed until April lsia, 10
pay the urrcarages Of interest," and the principal,
with the subsequently socruing interest, was to be
paid within FIVE years from that date, IN equal
quarterly instruments. Three Of these instruments
were paid with something like Punciuaty. Since
January, 1874, not farihing has been paid
which has ever reached the elamanta. On the
3lst July, lsi5 six instruments will he IN acar 10
them. The right to pos'Pcncmeni has bern forfeit
ed by this omission. BY the terms of tho eouven-
ton Of 1919, all the internal duties q the nation
were pledged as fund for these paymenisi-shs
q A. ltl....