Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-05-21
RELATIONS WITH MEXICO.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
TO the Senate and
House of Reprcsentatives:

Fl To the Senate and
! House Of Representatives.:
| The existing state of the relations
Il between the United States and Mexi-
CO, renfers it proper that | shoule
bring the subject TO the consideration
of Congress. In my message at the
commencement ofyour present session,
the state cfthese relations, the causes
which led to the suspensionof diploma
i tic intercourse between the two coun-
! tries in March 1915, and the long-co
tinued and unredressed wrengs and in
Ijuries committed by the Mexican gov
eminent on citizens of the U. States in
their persons and property, were briefly
set forth.
! AS the facts and opinions which
were then LAID before you were careful
ly considered, l cannot better express
my present conviction of the condi-
ton Of affairs up to that time, than
by referring you to that communica-
ton.
The strong desire to establish peace
with Mexico, on liberal and honorable
terms, and the readiness of this gov
eminent to regulate and adjust our
boundary, and other causes of differ
ence with that power on such fair and
equitable principles as would lead to
| permanent relations of the most friendly
nature, induced me in September last
to seek the re-opening Of diplomatic
relations between the two countries.
Every measure adopted on our part
had fori its object,he furtherance ofthese
results. In communicating to Con-
gress succinct statement of the inju-
ries which we had suffered from Mexi-
co, and which had been accumulating
during a period of more than 20 years,
every expression that could tend TO in
flame the people Of Mexico, or defeat
or delay pacific result, was carefully
avoided. An envoy of the United
States repaired to Mexico with full
powers to adjust every existing differ
ence. But though present on the
! Mexican soil, by agreement between
the two governments, invested with
full powers, and bearing evidence of
the most friendly dispositions. his mis-
sion has been unayailing. The Mexi-
can government not only refused to
receive him, or listen to his PROPOSE
1 tons, but, after long continued series
of menaces, having at last invaded our
territory and shed the blood of our fel-
low-citizens on our own soil.
1t now becomes my duty to state
more in detail the origin, progress, and
failure of that mission. In pursuance
of the instructions given in September
last, an inquiry was made, on the thir-
/ teenth of October, 1915, in the most
| friendly terms, through our consul in
/ Mexico, of the minister of foreign af-
! fairs, whether the Mexican govern.
ment sswould receive an envoy from
| the United States intrusted with full
powers to adjust all the questions in
! dispute between the two govern
ments;" with the assurance that
ssshould the answer be in the affirma.
tive, such an envoy would be inmedi-
ately despatched, to Mexico" The
/ Mexican Minister, on the fifteenth OF
October, gave an affirmative answer to
this inquiry, requesting at the same
time, that eur naval force at Vera Cruz
might be Withdrawn lest its continued
presence might assume the appearance
of menace and coercion pending the
4 negotiations. This force. was imme-
diatcly withdrawn. On the 10th of
November, 1916, Mr.. John Slidell, OF
Louisiana, was commissioned by me
as envoy extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiary of the United States to
! Mexico, and was intrusted with full
| powers to adjust both the questions Of
/ The Texan boundary and of indemnifi-
] cation to our citizens. The redress Of
the wrongs Of our citizens naturally
/ and insesarably blended itself with the
question of5oundary. The settlement
of the one question in any correct view
Of the subject involvestha ofthe other.
| | could not, for moments entertain
the idea that the claims Of our much
injured and lorg suffering citizens, ma
nv of which had existed for more than
twenty years, should be postponed, or
lseparated from the settlement of the
boundary question. 9
Mr.. Slidell arrived at Vera Cruz on
| the Both Of November, and was courte-
ously received BY the authorities Of that
city, But the government of Gen
eral Herrera was then ,ottering to its