Democratic banner., 1846-12-21

entertained but by ley, haze been
widely and extensively circulated not only
at home, but have been spread throughout
Mexico and the whole world. \ more el-.
Erctuai means cnril not have been dew:
10 encourage the enemy ana protract the
war, than to advocate and adhere to their
cause, and thus give them laid and com
foIt."
It is a source of national pride ard ex-
uItation, that the great body of our people
have thrown no such obstacles in the way
of the government in prosecuting the war
successfully, but have shown themselves to
be eminently patriotic, and ready to vindi-
cate their couqtFy's honor and interests at
any sacrifice. The ~alacrity and promptness
" it'll Which our volunteer forces rushed to
the field OH their country's call, prove not
only their patriotism, uttheir deep c%onvic-
ton tina: our cause is just.
The wrongs which We have suffered
from Mexico almost ever since she became
an independent Power, and tie patient en-
Idurance with which we have borne them,
arc without a parallel in the history of
modern civilized nations. There is reason
to believe that if these wrongs had been
resented and resisted in the first instance,
the present war might have been avoided.
One outrage, however, permitted to pass
with IMMUNITY, almost necessarily cncourag,
ed the preparation of another, until at last
Mexico s,r med to attribute to weakness
and indeci$sion on Our part a foraearance
which was the offspring of masnanimlty,
and of a sincere desire to preserve friendly
relations with a sister republic.
Scarcely had Mexico achicYc her indie
rendence, winch the United States were
FIRST among the nations to acknowledge,
when size commenced the system of insult
and spOliatiDn, which she has ever since
PURSUED. Our citizens engaged in lawful
:nmmrrce were imprisoned, their vessels
seized, and oar ii.y insnitcd in her ports
If money w~d<Han:"i, TIE law!c>> ssiznfI
md coriScation Of our merchant vessel:
and their carg0cS was Il ready resource, an,
if to accomplish their purI oscs ii became
necessary to impriSon the owners captain:
and crews, it was done. Rulers Superseded
rulers in Mexico in rapid succesSior, bu
still there was no change in this system o
depreciation. The government of the Uni
ted States made repeated reclalnations OIL
> behalf Of its citizens, but these were all
b swered by the preparation Of new outra
8 lges. Promises of redress made by M"Ni
, leo in the most solemn forms, were poStpon
led or evaded. The files and records Of thu
,lDspartment of State contain conClusiv,
~proofs of numerous lawless acts perpetra
. ted upon the property and persons of on
;, citizens by Mexico, and Of wanton insult
= to our national flag. The interpcsitiono
=. our government to obtain redress was a
dIgain and again invoked, under circumstan
Ices which no nation ought to disregard.
1t was hoped that these outrages woul
-lcease, and that Mexico would be restrainer
nIby the laws which regulate the conduct 0
flcivilized nations in their intercourse wit
leach other after the treaty of amity, com
II merce and navigation of the fifth Apri
1881, was concluded between the two re
d publics; but this hope soon proved to b
u vain. The course of seizure and c~onisca
'%oItion of the property of our citizens, tn
Is violation Of their persons and the insults t
sr our flag pursuedby Mexico previous to thu
time, were scarcely SUSPENDED fo' c,rn
J. brief period, although the treaty so clearl
d defines the rights and duties Of the spec
tive parties that it is impossible TO miSnr
pr icrs,and or mistake them. N less TIA
seven wears after the conclusion Of IL;
, treat ,ur grievances had become so int"i'
:rAhle, tat, in the opinion of Prcsidcr
~ jackson, they should no longer be endured
IS, In his message to Congress. in Fehruar.
ar 1887, he presented them to the consider;
tlr ton Of that body, and declared that "Ti
e., length of time since some of the %injnri'
o;Ihavr been committed, the repeated and IL,