The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1846-12-23

IN SO brief q period go many wat,1on Al.
'acks upon The hsnor OF its flag, and UPON
the property aud persons OF lis citizens.
as had at that time been borne by Tie u.
States from the Mexican authorities and
people. But Mexico wus sister re public.
on the North American continent. occupy.
ing territory contiguous 10 our own. and
was in a feeble aud distracted conditions.
mud these Considerations, lis presumed.
induced Congress To forbear still Ilonger.
Instead Of taking redress into our own
hands, y new negotiation wns entered upon
with fair promises on the part or Mexico.
but with the real purpose. as The event has
proved, OF indefinitely rostponing The re-
parati"n which wo demanded, and which
was so justly due. This negotiation, after
more than years delay, resulted In The
convention Of the eleventh of April, 1899,
TOR the adjustment Of claims 0f citizens
OF the United States of America upon the
government Of the Mexican Republic"
The joint board Of commissioners crca.
TED by this convention to examine and de.
eide upon these claims was mt organized
until The month Of August, 1910, and un-
der the terms Of the convention they were
10 terminate their duties within eighteen
months from tha, ti.ne.-Fnur Of the cipl,.
Teen months were consumed in preliniina-
ry discussions on frivolous and tlila;ory
prints rniscd by the Mcxicun commission
crs; ana II was not until the month Of De-
ccmbrr, lS4O, that they commenced the
examination Of the claims upon Mexico.
rourlccn months only remained To exam.
me and decide upon these numerous and
complicated cnses. In tho month of Feb
rnary, 1912, the term Of the commission
explred, leaving many claims undisposed
of l"r want of time. The claims which
were allowed by the board, and the umpire
authorized by The convention To decide in
case ot disagreement between the Mexican
ana American commissioners. amount cd Ia
Nv" million twcnty-six thomsaud one hun.
are" ana thlrty.ninc dollars and sixiy.eigli
cents. There were pending before The
umpire when the commission expired nddi-
'i"nnI claims whic! had been examined and
awarded by the American commissioners,
nn'i had not been allowed by the Mexican
commissioners. amounting to.ninc.h .hnndre ed
and twcnly-eisht thousand six hundred and
lwen.y.scvcn d"llnrs and eight cents, upon
which he did not decide, alleging that his
uulh"ri,y had ceased with The Termination
"i 'hc joint commission. Besides these
cIa''hs, there were others Of American citi.
"ehs amounting to three million three hum
"red nnd thirty six thousand eight hundred
and Ihrly-seven dollars aud five cents.
winch had been submitted to the board, and
upon which they had not lime 10 decide be.
tore their final adjournment.
The sum of two million ,wcntysix thou.
sand one hundred and lhirly-ninc dollars
ana s'Sty-eight cents. which had been a.
w"rded !" The claimants, was liquidated
ana ascerlainch debt due by Mexico, about
which there could be no dispute, and Which
she was bound TO pay according 10 The
terms of the convention. Soon after The
hnal awards for this amount had been made,
The Mexican government asked for post.
poncmcnt oflhe time Of nuking payment,
alleging that i, would be inconvenient 20
make the pavmcn, al the time stimulated.
In the spirit Of forbcaring kindness towards
u sister republic, which hlcxico has so long
abused, the United States promptly com
Piled with her request. A second conyen.
l,"n was accordingly concluded between
lhc two governments on the thir,ieli Of Ju.
nntty 1913. which upon its face declares
llat thIs new arrangement, is entered into
tor the accommodation Of Mexico" Bv
The terms Of This convention, all the inter.
est due on the awards which had becn
IN favor ofthc claimants under tho convef.
lion of the eleventh Of April, 1880. wns
to be paid I" them on the thirticih or April,
1913 und "thc principal oflhc snid awards,
an" me interest accrming thcrcun," was
stipulated to "bc paid IN FIVE years, in equal
instruments every three months" Not.
wl.I!stnnding this new convention was en-
tered into at The request of Mexico, and
Tor llle purpose Of relieving her from en-
barrnssment. the claimants have onlysrc.
ceivrd Iheinlcrest due on the ,hirtielh o.!
April. 1913. aud three Of The twenty in.
sialments. Although The payment ot
The sum thus Iquitu,ed, and confessed
~ due ny Mexico to our citizens as in
demnIty far acknowledged acts Of out.
rage aud wrong, was secured by treaty.
the obligations of which nre ever held
sacred by all inst nations. yet Mexico
has violated this solemn engagement, by
by falling and refusing ia make the nav.
m"n'. The two instnlments due in APRIL
and July, 1914. under The peculiar circum.
stances connected with them, have been
assumed by The u. States and discharged
I" The claimants, but they are still duo by
Mexico. But this is not oil Of which we
h"'e just cause of complaint. To provide