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

mi''c on Foreign Relations of the Senate, in their
report, sry: "Alter such demand, should profEut
jl.uce be refused by the Mexican government. we
NAV appeal Ia all nations not only for the equity and
IN moderation "Ih which we shall nave acted 20 ards
a SISTER republic, but for the necessity which will
tcH comp Us 10 SEEK redress for our wrongs eth
by actual war Of by feprisals, The subject will then
be presented before Congress AT the comm "nCPmeut
OF me next session, in clear and distinct fOnR an
tae committee cannot doubt bat tint such measure
WI be immediately adopted as may bc necessary to
VhCicate HE honor Of the country, insure ample
replraiion to our Hjurs ciuzens."
Inc Committee on Foreign Affairs of The House OF
representatives maze similar recommendation, Ia
lner report, they say that thev Gully concur with
the President that ample cause exists for taking ~
dress ih9 our own hands and heleye that we should
be justified il tae opinion of OtAet nations for tai ing
such step Hut they willing to try the tXpeTl-
ment OF mother demand, made in the most solemn
intm, upon the jus ice OF the MEXICAN government,
before any further procc6 dings are adoped.'
no adherence of opinion upon the subject IS be-
lieved 10 have existed in Congress at that time. The
Executive and Legislative departments concuTre D.;
and yet such has been our fOTbearance and desire to
preserve peace with Mexico, that the wrongs OF
which VIC then complained, and which gave rise to
these solemn proceedings, not only remain unre-
dressed 10 this day but additional Of complaint
OF an aggravated character, have ever since been
aCcumulaliHg
Shortly after these proceedings, a special
messenger was despatched to Mexico, to make
final demand for redress and on the twenti-
eth of July, 1887, the demand was made. The
reply Of the Mexican government bears date
on the twenty-nnth of the same month"; and
contains assurances Of the "anxious wish" Of
the Mexican government "not to delay the
moment of that final and equitable adjustment
which is to terminate the existing difficulties
between the two governments )" that "noth-
ing should be left undone which may contri-
butte to the most speedy and equitable determi-
n n no uyhip oh In en- olt,
engaged the attention of the American gov
ernment; that the Mexican government
would adopt, as the only guides for its con-
duct, the planast principles of public right
the sacred obligations imposed by information
al law, and the religious faith of treaties -
and that " whatever reason and Justice may
dictate respecting each case will be done. -
Tho assurance was further given, that the de-
Gsion of the Mexican government apon each
cause of complaint, for which redress had been
demanded, should be communicated to the go
veinment Of the United States by the Mexican
minister at Washington.
These solemn assurances, in answer 10 cur
demand for redress, were disregarded. BY
making them, however, Mexico obtained fur
Their delay. President Van Buren,, in his an
nual message to Congress of the fifth of De.
cember, 1887, states, that "allhough the larg-
er number" of our demands for redress, and
"many Of them aggravated cases of personal
wrongs, have been now for years before the
Mexican government, and some of the causes
Of national complaint, and those of the most
offensive character, admitted of immediate,
simple, and satisfactory replies, it is only with
in few days past that any specific communi-
cation in answer TO our last demand, made five
he hos I,,a, al NJ
can minister" and that "for not one of our
public complaints has satisfaction been given
or offered that but one of the cases of perSo-
nal wrong has been favorably considered, and
that but four cases of both descriptions, out of
all those formerly presented, aud earnestly
pressed, have as yet been decided upon by the
Mexican government" President Van Buren,,
believing that it would be vain to make any
further attempt to obtain redress by the ordi-
nary means within the power of the Execu-
tive, communicated this opinion to Congress,
in the message referred to, in which he said,
con a careful and deliberate examination Of
the contents" (of the correspondence with the
Mexican government,) and considering the
spirit manifested by the Mexican government,
1t has become my painful duty to return the
subject as it now stands, to Congress, to whom
and the measure of redress" Had the United
States at that time adopted compulsory inca
sures, and taken redress into their own hands,
all our difficulties with Mexico would proba-
bly, have been long since adjusted, and the ex-
isting war have been ayerted. Magnanlmity
and moderation on our part only had the effect
TO compicate these difficulties, and render an
amicable settlement of them the more embar-
hat of "a o1oe
similar provocations, committed by any of the
powerful nations of Europe, would have been
promptly resorted to by the United States,
cannot be doubted. The national honor, and
the preservation of the national character
thros gheut the world, as we'll as our owr self
respect, and the protection due to our own ci-
tizsns, would have rendered such a resort in
dispensable. The history of no civilized ma
ton in modern times has presented within so
briefa period so many wanton attacks upon
the honor ofits flag, and upon the property and
persons of its citizens, as had at that time been
borne by the United States from the Mexican
authorities and people. But Mexico was
sister republic, on the North American CONT
nent, occupying territory contiguous to our
own, and was in a feeble and distracted condl-
ton; and these considerations, it is presumed
induced Congress TO forbear still longer.
Instead Of taking redress into our own hands
new negotiation was entered upon with fair
promises OIL the part Of Mexico, but with the
real purpose, as the event has proved, of indie
finitely postponing the reparation which we
demanded, aud which was so Justly due. This
negotiation after more than years delay, re-
suited in the convention of the eleventh of
April, 1889, '1or the adjustment of claims of
citizens of the United States of America upon
the government of the Mexican rePublic."-
The joint board of commissioners created by
this convention to examine and decide upon
these claims was net organized until the month
August, ls40, and under the terms of The con-
vention they were to terminate their duties
within eighteen months from that time
Four of the eighteen months were consumed
in preliminary discussions OIL frivolous and dill
atory points raised by the Mexican commits