The Arkansas banner., 1846-12-23

another demand tor redress should bo made before sH Ihorsing war or reprsas. The committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate ia their fepnri say. AfeI such demand, should prompt justice bs fefnsed lby the Mexican government. we may appeal to all na dons, not only tog the equity and moderation with which we have acted towards sister Repuhs;E. bH for the necessity which viii then compel us to sceL redress for our wrongs thereby by actue. ar of re prisals. The subject will thea be presented before Congress, al the commencement Of the next session in clear and distinct form; and the committee doubt but that such measures will be immediately adopted as may be necessary vindicate the honoi of our country, and insure ample Ieparaon to our in jured citizens"
 The esssst,ee on Foreign Affairs of the House o Representatives, made similar recommendation In lheE sspou lucy say that they "fally concur with the President, that ampe exiss for taking redress into onr owa hands, and believe that we should be justified in the opinion of other nations for taking sucl step. But tssy willing .o try the experiment o another demand made in the most solemn form, apon the justice oi tho Mexican government, before an, further proceeeIngs are adopted"
 No difference of opinion upon the subject s believed to have excited ia Coagress that time. The Execu tive and Legislative departments conenrred; end ye such has been frbearanee, and desire preserve peace with Mexico. that the wrongs of which then complained. and which gave rise to ihcse soemn pro ceedings, only remain unredFessed this day, bu additional causes of complaint. of aggravated char acter, have ever slnce been accommodating.
 Shortly after these proceedings. special messenger wss despatched to Mexico, to make final redress and on the 20th of July. ls37. the dsmand was made The reply o ths Mexican government bears date or the 2Slh 0f the moSth, and contaias assurances of the "anxious wish" of the Mexican government
 mot to delay the moment of thal nai and eqnitablt adjustment which is o terminate the existing difficult ties between the two govefnments;'' that "noihine should be Jeff undone which may contribute to the most speedy and equitable determination of the sub ses which have seriously engaged the attention oi the American government" that the "Mexicsn gov ernmsnt would adopt, the only guides for its duet, the planes principles of public right. the sacred obligations imposed by internal law, and the religious faith of reaues" and that whatever and jus tce may dictate respecting each case, will be done The was further gven that the decision ol he Mexican government, upon each cause of com. plant, for which redsess had been demanded. should be communicated to the government of the U States, by the Mexican Minister at Washington.
 These solemn assurances, in answer to our demand for redress, disrsgardsd By making them, how ever, Mexico obtained further delay by President Van Ruren, in his annual message to Congress of the hih December, 1887, states. that "s!lhoagh the larger number'' of demands for redress, and many of them aggravated of personal wrongs. have been now for years before the Mexican government, and of te of national complaint, and those o! the most offensive character admitted of immediate, simple, and satisfactory replies. it s only within lew days past that any specific communications in answer
 
 received from the Mexican Minister" and that, 'for of our pablc complaints has sasfsciion been given offered that but of the eases of personal wrong has been favoraby considered, and that bat four of both descriptions out of s those formal y presented and earnestly pressed, have as yet been dec6ed upon by the Mexican government"
 President vaa Burcn, believing that 1t would be vain 10 make any further attempt to obtain redress by the ordinary within the power of the Execu,iAe, communicated his opinion to Congress n the message | k~- fs.I aaAA AA crate examinaou of the contents" (o the eorreepon dence with the Mexican governmeni.l "and consider ing the split manifested by the Mexican government
 has become my painful duty the subject as stands in Congress, 10 whom it belongs. to decide upon the time. the mode and the measure of redress
 Had the United States at that time adopted comppl. sory measures, and taken redress into their own hands all our difficulties with Mexico would probably have been cng adjusted, and the existing ~ar nave been averied. Magnannity and moderation on our part only had the effect 10 compcae these di'hcuiues and render aHicable settlement of them the more en- barrassinq That s.ch measures ofredress under sim
 liar provocations, committed by any of the powerful nations of Europe would have been promptly resoued to by the United States, cannot be doubted The na. tional honor and the preservation of the national character throughout the world. as we'll as our own self respect and the protection due 10 our own eizens would have rendered such . resort indispensable. The history of no civilized nation in modern times, has presented in brief period, SO many wanon at tacks npon the honor Of its flag, and upon the property and persons of it's citizens had at that time been borne by the United States from the Mexican auihori- ties and people. But Mexico was sister Republic, on the North American continent, occupying tern. tory contiguous our own, and was iu feeble and distracted condition and these considerations, is IS presumed. induced Congress to forbesr still longer Instead of taking redress into own hands new negotiation entered into upon fair promises on the part of Mexro but with the real purpose, as the event has proved of indefinitely postponing the reparsiion which we demanded, and which was SO justly doe- This negotiation, after more than years delay, re- suited in the convention of the Huh April. 1853, "for the adjustment of claims of citizens ot the U. States Of America, upon the government of the Mexican Re. public" The joiat board of commissioners created by the convention 10 examine and decide upon these claims was not organized until the month Of August, lS40 under the terms of the convention, they were 10 terminate their duties within eighteen months of that time. Four of ihe eighteen months were con- sumed in preliminary discussions frivolous and da tory points raised by the Mexican commissioners and it wss not until the month of December. 1640. that they commenced the examination of the claims ot ouf citizens upon Mexico.
 Fourteen months only remained to examine and de eide upon these and complicated cases In the month of February l642 the term of the commis- sion expired, leaving many claims undsposed of tor want of lime. The claims which wfte allowed by the board, and by the umpire anhoiised by the convention to 6ecide in ease of disagreement between the Mexi' can and American commissioners, amouoied to two million, twenty-six thoussnd cue hundred and thirty nine dollars and ixiyeieh, eeats There were pend ing before the umpire. when ihe commission expired. additional claims which had been examined and awarded by the American commissioners, and had mol been allowed by the Mexican commissioners. smoun. ting 10 nine hundred and twen,y-eighs thousand. six hundred and twenty seven dollars and eishiy'eighI cents, upon which he did not decide. alleging that his authority had ceased with the termination ot the jlint commission.
 Besides these claims there others of American e,rzsns amounting to three millions, three hundred and thirty six thousand eeb, hundred and thirty seven dollars and five cen,s which had beea submitted to the Board. and oeon which they had not time to de eide before their faal adjournment.