The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-12-14

the religious faith of treaties;" and that,
"whatever reason and justice may dictate re-
specting each case, will be DONE" The as
surance was further given, that the decision
of the Mexican government, upon each
cause of complaint for which redress had
been demanded, should be communicated
TO the government of the United States by
the Mexican Minister at Washington.
The solemn assurances, in answer 10 our
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 ''although the lar
ger NUMBER of our demands for redress,
and ''many of them aggravated wrongs of
personal wrongs have been now for yea be-
fore the Mexican government, and some of
the causes of national complaint. end those
OF the most offensive character, admitted of
immediate, simple and satisfactory replies,
it isonly within few days past that any spe-
| cilic communications in answer to our last
demand, made FIVE months ago, has been re-
ceived from the Mexican minister" and that
/ .'ior not one of our public complains has
satisfaction been given or offered, that but
one of the cases of personal wrong has been
lavoraby considered, and that but TOUR cases
of both descriptions, out of all those formal
ly presented, and earnestly pressed, have as
yet been decided upon by the Mexican gov
ernment.'' President Van Buren, believing
! that it. would be vain to make any further
attempt 10 obtain redress by the ordinary
mean switEinthe powerof The Executive com
municated his opinion TO congress in the mes
sage referred to in which he said, son a
careful and deliberate examination Of the
contents" (of the correspondence with the
4 Mexican government,) sand considering the
spirit manifested by the Mexican government
it has become my painful duty TO return the
subject as now stands to congress, to whom
it belongs, TO decide upon the time the mode
and measure of redress"
! Had the United States at that time adopt
ed compulsory measures and taken redress
into their own hands, all our difficulties with
Mexico would probably have been long since
adjusted, and the existing war have been
averted. Magnanmity and moderation on
our part only had the effect to complicate
these difficulties, and render an amicable
settlement of them the more embarrassing
That such measures of redre SIS under SINH
lar provocatons 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 charac-
ter throughout the world, as well as our own
self respect, and the protection due to oul
; own citizens, would have rendered such a re-
fnIi l,o - ~,
zed nation in modern times has presented
} within SO brief period so many wanton at
lacks upon the honor of its flag and up
on the property and persons of lis citizens as
had at that time been borne by the United
, States from the Mexican authorities and PEG
5 pie. But Mexico was sister Republic, or
5 the North American continent, occupying
territory contiguous to our own, and was in Z
feeble and distracted condition; and these
considerations it is presumed, induced con
gress to forbear still longer.
= Instead of taking redress into our owr
hands new negotiation was entered into up
on fair promises on the part of Mexico blu
7 with the real purpose, as the event has pro
we'd Of indefinitely postponing the PREPARATION
(which we demanded, and which was so just
: ly due. This negotiation, after more than
y years delay, resulted in the convention o
s the eleventh of April 1888, for the adjust
: ment of claims of citizens Of the Unitet
d States of America upon the government O
It the Mexican republic" The joint board
a Of commissioners created by this convention
t 10 examine and decide upon these claims
was not organized until the month Of Angus
n 1910, and under the terms of the convention
n they were to terminate their duties within
Eeghteen months of that time. Four of thu
e eighteen months were consumed in prelimi
: nary discussions on frivolous and dilator,
y points raised by the Mexican commissioners
It and it was not until the month of December
o 1910, that they commenced the examination
d of the claims of our citizens upon Mexico
n Fourteen months only remained TO examin
o and decide upon these numerous and com
e plicated cases. In the month of February
II 1912, the term of the commission expired
: leaving many claims undisposed of for wan
oftime. The claims which were alowedlb
It the board, and the umpire authorized by The
It convention TO decide in case of disagreement
e between the Mexican and American com
5 missioners, amounted TO two million, twenty
e six thousand, one hundred and thigty-nin
h dollars and sixty-eight cents. There wer'
o pending before the umpire, when the com
n mission expired, additional claims, which ha
IS been examined and awarded by the Ameri
r, can commissioners, and had not been allow
ed by the Mexican commissioners, amount
IL ing to nine hundred and twenty-eight thou
o sand, six hundred and twenty-seven dollar
y and eighty-eght cents, upon which he di
II not decide, alleging that his authority ha
g ceased with the termination of the joiI
l. commission.