The daily union., 1846-06-29


stances the property, liberty, and personal security
of the citizens as well as the national rights and dig
Unity have been violated and outraged by nighbor
ling power with which il has been our policy q
maintain the most friendly intercourse. tn,
government Of the United States, in seeking tn,
redress for these injuries, which respect for ia
own character, no less than the protection due to
its citinens, urgently demanded, has at all times
Exhibited moderation and forbearanee ia
pressing its just claims which nothing but the mos
anxious desire for the cultivation OF harmony and
good neighborhood with youthful republic, jus
rising into an independent national existence the
same continent with itself, could have prompted OF
excused. AT length, after various aLortiye expert
menls, assuming in instance the shape Of for
NAL arrangement, agreed upon with lts ministsI
here but which the government OF Mexico failed 10
ratlfy, and through patient and perseyerng adhe-
meaRs OF pacific ad justment, convention was con-
euded and ratified by both powers for the settlement
Of these unpleasant subjects Of controversy"
Afler delay Of nearly two yesIS, on the llth oi
April 1889, the administration AZ Gsaer.l Jack son
succeeded in concluding eonyentoo with Mexico
"foT the adjustment OF claims Of citizens OF The Uni
ted States Of America upon tho government Of the
Mexican republic
| The board Of commi issiOners, under this eOnven-
ton, consisting Of The American and two Mexi-
can citIzens, was not organized until the 2Slh OF
August, lSi0; and under its provisions they were
compelled TO terminate their labors within eighteen
months from that date. Four of these Gig ghteen
which had arisen on frivolous and dilaiory objes.
tons, raised by the Mexican commissioners. In
deed, from their course Of conduct, il was al one
time ser )usy apprehended that the board might D.
arate, without hearing or deciding a single case.
Finally, however, on the 2ith December, 1870, they
commenced the examination Of the claims OF our
citizens, having then but fourteen months left TO
conclude their labors. During this PERIOD the board
allowed eleven claims, amounting principal and in
terest, To the sum Of s439 3g3 81 and the umpire,
upon disagreeng reports Of the American and Mex
lean commissioners, allowed hhy-one claims,
omounting principal and interest," to the sum Of 81
596,7i5 s6-making an aggregate Of s2026, l39
6S.
| 1t was hoped that the Mexican government could
promptly discharge the amount Of these claims ac.
cordlng To the terms Of the treaty; but we were
again destined to disappointment. That govern
ment slated It's inability to comply with these terms
and its desire that they should DO modified The
government Of the United States, ever willing TO
comply with the wishes Of the Mexican govern
ment so far as this could be done without compro-
hitting the rights of our citizens, acceded TO this
request, and on the Both January, l643 concluded
new convention with the Mexican government on
the very terms which il had proposed. Under lie
provisions the interest due on the whole amoun
awarded was TO be paid the 30th April, 543
and the principal, with the accruIng interest, was
made payable In five years, IN equal insta ments al
the end Of every three months. Under this new ar
rangement, made TO favor the Mexican republic
nothing has been paid except the interest due
on the Goth April, l643 and three Of the twenty in
stalments.
! But this is not all, Of which we have Just cause
for complaint There we're pending before the un
pure, at the time when the commission expired, 7s
claims, which had been examined and allowed by
the American commi ssioners, amsunting, principal
lam IN fha &
these he refused to decide, alleging his authority
under the convention had expired. In addition tc
these Claims ak other claims, amounting to 50 1885,
S37 05, presented too late to be considered by
the board before its dissolution To provide for the
final ad dludication Of these two latter classes o
claims, as well as others which had not been pre-.
sented 10 the board, third contention was signed
at Mexico, on the Goth November. 1843.,. Thu
convention ratified by the Senate Of the United
States on the Goth January, 1874, with two amend
ments. The first changed the place Of meeting o
the board Of commissioners from Mexico to tn,
city of Washington; and the second struck out tn.
18th article, which referred the claims Of pecuni
ary nature that the two governments might have
against each other to the board, with appeal tc
the umpire, in case majority Of the commission
ers could not agree.
These amendments were manifestly reasonable
To have compelled the claimants, all Of whom arr
citizens Of the United States to proceed TO Mexico
with their documents and testimony, would, in
great degree, have defeated the object Of the com
mission. Besides, new board was to be, in fact
but continuance Of the old one; and its duties
would have been chiefly to complete the busincs,
which had been left unfinished in the city of Wash
ihgton by the former commission.
Il In regard to the second amendment, il may b,
remarked that tit never had been suggested, in tn,
course of the negotiation that either Of the govern
ments had claims of pecuniary character on tn,
other that any claims existed except those o
| th, ,f
Upon reference of these two amendments Of thu
Senate to the government of Mexico, it interpose,
the same evasions, difficulties, and delays which
have ever characterized its policy towards the Uni
ted States. 1t has never yet decided whether i
would or would not accede to them, although tn
subject has repeatedly been pressed upon its con
sderation by our ministers. The convention o
3Oh April lS43, has thus become dead letter.
II ought, also, to be stated that since the final ad
iournment Of the board of commissioners on the 25t
February, 1912 twenty. light new claims have bee
filed in the Department Of State. Seventeen O
these amount, according to the estimate of tn
claimants to the Of ST. lat ,9S9 55; and the re
naming eleven have been presented without an,
estimate To sum up the whole:
The amount finally ad dudica,ed under
, the convention of the llth April,
1899, is -S2,O26, ,l39 8
The claims referred to the umpire
4 upon disagreement between the
American and Mexican commits
sioners, but which not decid-
: ed by him 92e,627 8
i Amount Of claims submitted to the
, board too late to be considered
4 according to the estimate Of the
h claimants themselves 3,336s37 0
Amount of II claims filed in the De-
e partment Of State since the diourn-
/ ment of the board, according to the
. estimate of the claimants them
h selves l,l47,989
r Together with eleven other claims, fled since thu
d period, on which the claimants have placed no est
: mate.
The result Of the whole is, that the injuries an
outrages committed by the authorities of Mexico o
, American citizens, which, in the opinion Of Pres
# dent Jackson, would, so long since Februar,
d 1887, have justified a resort to war or reprsaI
: still remain unredressed excepting only the con
n parauvely small sum received under the convento
of April, 1889. The history Of the whole case pr
striking illustration Of the patient forbearanc
of the United States in the face of long-continue
outrages and wrongs inflicted on citizens by ii
s Mexican authorities. We pass over for the presen
: the violence which has been committed on the pc
It Sons Of our felow.ctizens.
It That nothing might be wanting TO complete II