Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-12-16

l
engagement by failing and refusing to
make the payment The two instalments
idue in April and July, Is44, undet the pc.
culiar circumstances connected with them
have been assumed by the United States
and discharged to the claimants-but they
are still due by Mexico.
/ But this is not all of which we have just
cause of complaint. To provide remedy
for the claimants whose cases were not de-
cided by the joint commission under the
convention of April the eleventh, 1889,
it was expressly stipulated by the sixth ar
ticle of the convention Of the 18th Of Janu-
ary, 1843, that "a new convention shall be
entered into for the settlement Of oil claims
of the government and citizens Of the Uni
ted States against the Republic of Mexico,
which were not finally decided by the late
commission, which met in the city of W ash
ington, and of all claims Of the govern
ment and citizens of Mexico against the u
nited States
| In conformity with this stipulation, a
third convention was concluded and signed
at the city of Mexico, on the goth of Nov.
ls43, by the plenipoten,iares Of the two
governments, by which, provision was made
Tor ascertaining and paying these claims.
In January, 1874, this cow ention was rat
flied by the Senate Of the United States,
with two amendments, which were mani
festly reasonable in their character. Upon
reference Of the amendments proposed
to the government of Mexico, the same e.
vasions, difficulties and delays were inter-
posed, which have so long marked the poll
cy Of that government towards The U.
S. l: has not even yet decided whether
it would or would not accede TO them, al
though the subject has been repeatedly
pressed upon its consideration.
Mexico has thus violated q second time
the faith Of treaties, by failing or refusing
10 carry lnto effect the 9Th article Of the
fI convention Of January lS43.
Such is the history of the wrongs which
we have suffered and patiently endured
from Mexico through long series Of years
So far from afording reasonable salisfuc-
ton for the injuries and insults we had
borne, q great aggravation of themconslsts
in the fact, that while the United States
anxious 10 preserve q good understanding
with Mexico, have been constantly, but
vainly, employed in seeking redress for
past wrongs, new outrages were constan-
tly occurring which have continued TO in
crease our causes Of complaint and to swell
the amount of our demands. While the
Dciti zens of the United States were conduc-
ling q lawful commerce with Mexico un-
der the guaranty Of treaty of "amiiy,
commerce and navigation" many of them
haye suffered all the injuries which would
have resulted from open war.
This treaty instead of affordng protec-
ton TO our citizens, has been the means of
inviting them into the ports Of Mexico, that
they might be, as they have been in nu-
merous instances, pundered Of their prop
erty and deprived Of their personal liberty
if they dared insist on their rights. Had
the unlawful seizure Of American proper
ty, and the violation of personal liberty Of
our citizens, to say nothing Of the insults
to our flag, which have occurred in the
ports Of Mexico, taken place on the high
seas,they would themsel,e es long since have
constituted state OF actual war between
the two countries.
In so long suffering Mexico TO violate
her most solemn treaty obligations, ,plunder
our citizens Of their property. and impris-
on their persons without atfording them
any redress, we have failed to perform one
Of the first and highest duties which eve
ry government owes to its ctizens;and the
consequence has been, that many Of them
have been reduced from state of affluence
to bankruptcy. The proud name Of Ameri
can citizen, which ought to protect all who
bear it from insult and injury Throughout
the world, has afforded no such protection
T to our citizens in Mexico. We had ample
i cause of war against Mexico long before
l the brtaking out of hostilties. But ever
: then we forbore to take redress into oul
: own hands, until Mexico herself became
: the aggressor by invading cur soil in hos
$ tile array, and shedding the blood of our
s citizens.
: Such are the grave causes of complaint
0 on the part Of the United States against
; Mexico-causes which existed long before
t the annexation of Texas TO the American
Q Union and yet, animated by the love Of
: peace, and a magnanimous moderation,
we did not adopt those measures of redress
a which, under such circumstances, are the
}, justified resort Of injured nations.
a The annexation Of Texas TO the United
y States constituted no just cause OF offence
# to Mexico. The pretext that it did SO !:
i wholly inconsistent, and irreconcilable witt
Q well authenticated facts connected with ths
o efrevoution by which Texas became inde
II pendent Of Mexico. That this a,ay be thu
I, more manifest, it may be proper 10 odver
# to the causes and 10 the history Of tn
l. principal events Of thu, revolution.