American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-12-09

! additional claims which had been CXamincC
and awarded by the American commissioners,
and had not been allowed by the Mexican com
mlsslOners, amounting to nine hundred anC
tWeuty-Gight thousand six hundred and twenty
seven dollars and lightweight cents, upon
which he did not decide, alleging that his au
! thority had ceased with the termination Of the
! Joint commission Besides these claims, there
were others Of American citizens, amounting
to three million three hundred and thirty-siS
thousand eight hundred and thirty-sevcn dol
lars and FIVE cents, which had been submitted
to the boaro, and upon which they had moi
| time TO decide before their final adjournment
The sum oftwo million twenty-sX Thousand
one hundred and thirty-nne dollars and sixty
eight cents which had been awarded TO the
claimants, was a liqndated and ascertained
debt due by Mexico, about which there could
be no dispute, and which she was bound to
pay according to the terms OF the convention.
Soon after the final awards for this amount
had been made, the Mexican government ask
ed for postponGment Of the time of making
payment, alleging that it would be inconven-
lent to make the payment at the time stipula-
ted. In The spirit of forbcarng kindness to-
wards sister republic, which Mexico has so
long abused, the United States promptly com
piled with her request. A second convention
was accordingly concluded between the two
governments OH the thirtieth Of January, ls43,
which upon It's face declares, that ''this new
arrangement IS entered into for the accommo-
dalton Of Mexico" BY the terms of this con-
vention, all the interest due on the awards
which had been made IN favor Of the claim
ants under the convention Of the eleventh of
April, 1889, was to be pad to them on the
thirtieth of April, lS43, and "thc principal of
the said awards, and the interest accrung
thereon" was stipulated to "be paid in five
years, in equal instruments every three
months" Notwithstanding this new cOnven-
ton was entered into at the request of Mexico
and for the purpose Of relieving her from en-
barrassment, the claimants have only received
the interest due on the thirteth of April, 1913 ,
and three ofthe twenty instruments. Although
the payment of the sum thus liqudated and
confessedly due by Mexico TO our citizens as
indemnity for acknowledged acts of outrage
and wrong, was secured by treaty, the obIiga-
tions of which are ever held sacred by all Just
nations, yet Mexico has violated this solemn
engagement by failing and refusing to make
the payment The two instruments due in
April aud July, 1914, under the peculiar cir
cumstances connected with them, have been
assumed by the United States and discharged
to the claimants, but they are sGll due by
Mexico. But this is not all of which we have
Just cause Of compaint. To provide a remedy
for the claimants whose cases were not decided
by the joint commission ander the convention
OF April the eleventh, 1889, it was expressly
stipulated by the sixth article Of the oonven-
ton of the thirtieth of January, 1913, that "a
new convention shall be entered into for the
linn of lpln IF ba md
citizens of tho United States against the re-
public of Mexico which were not finally decid-
ed by the late commission, which met in the
city of Washington, and of all claims of the
government and citizens of Mexico against the
United States "
In conformity with the stipulation, a third
convention was concluded and signed at the
city Of Mexico on the twentieth Of November,
lS43, by the plenpotentiaries of the two gov
ernments, by which provision was made for as
certaining and paying these claims. In Janu.
airy, 1914, this convention was ratified by the
Senate Of the United States with two amend
ments, which were manieStly reasonable in
their character. Upon reference of the a.
mendments proposed to the government of
Mexico, the same ovasons, difficulties, and de-
lays were in.erposed which have SO long mark
ed the policy Of that government towards the
United States. 1t has not even yet decided
whether it would or would not accede to them,
although the subject has been repeatedly pres
ed upon its consideration.
Mexico has thus violated a second timo the
faith Of treaties, by failing or refusing to carry
into effect the sixth article Of the convention
of January, Is43.
Such is the history of the wrongs which we
have suffered and patiently endured from Mexi
co through long series of years. So far from
affording reasonable satisfaction for the injuries
and insults we had borne, a great aggravation
ofthem consists in the fact, that while the u.
States, ANXIOUS to preserve good understand
ing with Mexico, have been constantly, but
vanly, employed in seeking redress for past
wrongs, new outrages were constantly occur
ring which have continued to increase our
causes of complaint and to swell the amount of
our demands. While the citizens of the Uni
ted States were conducting lawful commerce
with Mexico under the guaranty Of a treaty Of
"amity, commerce, and navigation" many of
them have suffered all the injuries which would
have resulted from open war. This treaty, in
stead of affoTdng protection to our citizens,
has been the means of inviting them into the
ports Of Mexico that they might be, as they
nave OUCH III NUMEROUS Instances, plunuereu OF
their property and deprived of their personal
liberty if they dared insist on their rights. Had
the unlawful seizures of American property,
and the violation of personal liberty Of our
citizens, to say nothing the insults to our flag
which have occurred in the ports of Mexico,
taken place on the high seas, they would them
selves long since have constituted state of
actual war between the two countries. In so
IN vic hor
lemn treaty obligations, plumber our citizens of
their property, and imprison their persons with
out atfording them any redress, we have failed
to perform one of the first and highest duties
which every government owes to II It's citizens;
and the consequence has been, that many of
them have been reduced from state of af1iu-
ence TO bankruptcy. The proud name OF
American citizen, which ought to protect all
Ia hnnr II C-nr,, ir,rnlt