Democratic banner., 1846-12-21

pe l,nor.ply AVOIDED" and added, sit has
occurred to me that, considering tie Pies
ent embarrassed conuit!oh Of that country.
we should act with both wisdom and mode
~lation, by giving Mexico one more opPortlI-
nifty to atone for the past, before we take
redress into our own hands. To avoid all
misc"nception on the part of Mexico, as
well as to protect our national character
from re roach, this opportunity should be
given with the avowcd design and full pre-
.paration to take immediate satisfaction, if it
should not be obtained on a repetition of
the demand for it. To this end | recon-
mend that IN act be passed authorizing re-
~prisals, and the use Of the naval force of
the United States, by the Executive against
Mexico, to enforce them, in the event Of a
refusal by the Mexican government to come
to an amicable adjustment of the matters in
controversy between us, upon another De-
mand thereof, made from on board one of
our vessels of war on the coast of Mexi-
CO."
Committees of both Houses of Congress,
to which this message of the President was
referred, fully sustained his views OF The
character and wrongs which we had suffer
ed from Mexico, and recommended that
another demand for redress should be made
before authorizing wal or reprisais. The
Committee on Foreign Relations OF the Sen
ate, in Their report, say: "After such a de-
mand, should prompt justice be refused by
the Mexican Government, We NAV arrea
10 all natin"s, not only for the equity and
moderation with which we shall have act.
I'd t ~ 'ris a sister Republic, bot for tn
necessity which will then compel rs to So
redress FOR our wrongs either BY actual val
or by rpprisaIS. The subject will then b,
presented before Congress, at the ON
mcncement Of the next session, i'll a clear
and distinct form; and the committee can.
not lnu5. but that such measures will b:
int. .4iatciv a1D:.trd rs ,naY be necessary
10 u..Iiratc the honor OF our country. anI
insure ample PREPARATION % our n INJURED citl
't~zcns."
Is ND'tilIlilttC OH OtCI1b -AlditS " N"'
:, House Of )! ,rrSrHtativrs made 4 si'nl.ll
recommend t9ian In tlrir ,;.,.:- they say
that thy .'fuily lop'ir ~: Il" PreSidcn
tla; amp" cause exists for taking rclr"S
/, INTO oar OK" r,.GS, I'D bHiie"r hat -
! s;ou!I l." jus3 .i 4 ia -" n~rinion t.! "t.:
~nationS tnr king sac:. a step. Ia: tic.
ia-c wiling Il Try to- experiment Of anoth
Ter demand, male in the mnSi schema form
unun tnr ~in,tic" of the Mexican govrrr
! mrnt, before any other proceedings are !"
+ dopted."
No difference Of opinion upon t;c s%u!jcr
is believed to rave existed IN Congress 4
that time. The Executive and Lrgis'ativ
departments concurrrd; and yet such ha
been our lorbearancc and desire to pre-
serve peace with Muxico, that the wrong
IOf which we then complained, and whic,
gave rise to these solemn proceedings, no
only remain unrcdressed to this day, bu
I additional causes of complaint, Of an az
. gravated character, have ever since bee
accommodating.
s. Shortly after these proceedings, aspects
g messenger was despatched to Mexico, I
make a final demand for redress; and ont!'
twentieth Of July, 1887, the demand wa
: made. The reply of the Mexican govern
ment bears date on the twenty-ninth of tn
same month, and contains assurances Of I'll
4 ''anxious wish" of the Mexican govern
: ment "not to delay the moment of that fin;
:, and equitable adjustment which is to tel
Ii inmate the existing difficulties between til
two governments" that ~"nothing should b
left undone which may contribute TO tn
J. most speedy and equitable determinat n
the subjects which have so seriously era"e
: Ell the attention OF the American govern
ment," that the Mexican cover mel
would adopt, as the only guides for its col
duct, the p%laincst principles of public rish
!, the sacred obligations imposed by intern;
=. t;""-l low. and the rrliOinus faith of, fro.
d Ities;' and that "whatcver reason and in:
ticc may dictate respecting each case wi
= lbe done" The assurance was further civ
en-, that the decision of the McXi"an G"'
, crnment upon each cause &C co. ..Aiht, II
which q ,rrss had been dem :rC, shouI
= he communicated to the gov ament of Il
united States by the Mexica4 minister
Washington.
These Sulrnn assurances, i'll answer
our demand for redress, were diSregarde
, BY making them, however, Mexico obtail
81 furfhnr dcI,y President Van Rurp