Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-12-10

ing kindness towards q sister republic,
which Mexico has so long abused, the
United States promptly complied with
her request. A second convention was
accordingly concluded between the two
governments on the ihirtieth of January
1913, which upon its face declares, that
this new arrangement is entered into Tor
the accommodation Of Mexico BY the
terms OF this convention, all the interest
due OF the awards which had been made
n favor of the claimants under the o n
~yention Of the eleventh of April, 1899,
was TO be paid to them on the ihirtieth OF
April, 1913, and "ihe principal oftbe said
awards, and the interest sccruIng thereon"
was stipulated 10 ''be paid il. five years.
in equal instruments every three months"
Notwithstanding this new convention was
entered into at the request Of Mexico, and
for the purpose Of relieving her from en-
barrassment, the claimants have only re-
ceived the interest due on the thir,ieth Of
April, lS43, and three Of the twenty in
sialments. Although the payment of the
sum thus ~liquidated, and confessedly due
W VIVIAN ~ Oul ItttLtUS q , ~ iDlitN "
acknowledged acts of outrage and wrong
was secured by treaty, the obligations OF
which are ever held sacred by all Just ma
tons, yet Mexico has violated this solemn
engagement by falling and refusing 10
make the payment. The two instalments
due in April and July, 1914. under the
peculiar circumstances connected with
7 than have kaoa .E,r al h., tba Tya.tal
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 CON-
plant. To provide a remedy for the
claimants whose cases were not decided
by the joint commission under the con-
ventlon of Apr. the eleventh. 1889, it
was expressly stipulated by the sixth ar
ticle OF the convention Of the thirtleth of
January, 1913, that "a new convention
shall be entered into for the settlement OF
all claims of the government and citizens
OF the United States against The republic
OF Mexico which were not finally decided
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"
Ia conformity with this stipulation, .
third convention was concluded and signed
at the city of Mexico on the twentieth of
November, lS43, by the plen,potentiaries
OF the two governments, by which provi-
sion was made for ascertaining and pay.
ing these claims. In January, lS44, this
convention was ratified by the Senate OF
the United States with two amendments,
which were manifestly reasonable in their
character. Upon 4 reference of the
amendments proposed to the government
OF Mexico. the same evaslons, difficulties.
and delays were interposed which have
so long marked the policy Of that govern
menl towards the United States. 1t has
not yet even decided whether it would or
would not accede TO them, although the
subject has been repeatedly pressed upon
lis consideration.
Mexico has thus violated a second time
the faith Of treaties, by failing or refusing
to carry into effect the sixth article Of the
convention of January, lS43.
Such is the history Of the wrongs which
We have suffered aud patiently endured
from Mexico through a long series Of years:
So far from affordine reasonable ~satisfac-
ton for The injuries and insults we had
borne. a great aggravalion Of them con-
siSts in the fact, that while the United
States, anxious TO preserve a good UNDER
standing with Mexico, have been con-
stantly, but vainly, employed in seeking
redress Tor past wrongs, new outrages were
constantly occurring which have c%oniinu-
ed TO increase our causes Of complaint and
to swell the amount of our demands
While the citizens of the United States
were conducting a lawful commerce with
Mexico under the guaranty Of a treaty Of
"smlty, commerce, and navigation" many
ofthem have suffered all the injuries which
would have resulted from open war. This
treaty. instead Of aff1rdlng protection to
our citizens. has been the means of invit-
ing them into the ports Of Mexico, that
they might BE-, as they have been in nu-
merous instances, ~plundered Of their pro-
party and deprived oftheir personal liberty
it they dared insist on their rights. Had
the unlawful seizures Of Americau proper
ty, and tue violation of personal liberty of
our citizens, TO say nothing of the insults
10 our flag which have occurred in the
ports of Mexico, taken place on the high
seas, they would themselves long since
have constituted a state of actual war be-
tween the two countries. In so long suf-
fering Mexico to violate her most solemn
treaty obligations, plumber our citizens of
their property, and imprison their persons
without aiiording them any redress. we
have failed to perform one Of the first and
highest duties which every government
owes TO It's citizens; and the consequence
has been, that many of them have been
reduced from a state of afiluence TO bank
rup,cy. The proud name of American
citizen, which ought 10 protect all who
bear it from insult and injury throughout
the world, has afforded no such protection
to our citizens in Mexico. We had am
pie cause of war against Mexico long be-
fore the breaking out of hostili,ies. But
even then we forbore to take redress into
our own hands, until Mexico herself be-
came the aggIessor by invading our soil in
hostile array, and shedding the blood Of
our citizens.
Such are the grave causes of complaint