The daily union., 1846-06-30

oi 'he Claimants ana the demand OF the secretary
| State.
| On the 18th of February, 1892 Mr.. Livingston
Secretary Of State, wrote to Mr.. Butler, American
minister al Mexico that, the first day of "Febru
ary 1892 the Mexican Secretary Of Foreign Affairs
directed the ministers of that republic in foreign
countries TO make the communication TO the govern
ment near which they resided, advising them that
General Santa Ana was fitting out an armed vessel
without any authority from the Mexican govern
ment and giving notice that ii would not be respon-
sble for any acts of aggression that he might com
NIT. This vessel, sailing under Santa Ana's flag,
committed AN act Of piracy by Plunderlng an Amer,
lean schooner and the commander of the United
States armed schr. Grampus, being Informed OF the
outrage, pursued and captured the Mexican vessel.
She was carried 10 New Orleans and there regularly
condemned as piratcal vessel, and the captain
fenced to two years Imprisonment Application
was made by Mr. MontOya for a remission of the
punishment. AS the party which commissioned that
vessel Is now the dominant one, you may hear of the
transaction in the shape Of complaint" That pi-
raticai vessel was called the Montezuma; she plum
dered the American schooner William A. Turner
James o'Flaherty, anAmerican citizen, bought her
and near Ssai his schooner was seized, but finally
restored, after ruinous expenses. On the next voy
age to Matameras she was seized again, and he Inn
prisoned there, at Tabasco, and Campeachy. His
claim for damages remains unsatisfed, after an
award in his favor
Discreditable volumes ofthese disgusting outrages,
national and individual, might be added to this
abridgement of some few OF the most atrocious
Little informed the American people are, still
less other nations, Of the monstrous injustice long
borne from Mexico, list Of such instances, with
short explanations and proofs, would be salutary in
tegence, which this report already volumnous,
must omit, order resume the sequel of the pro-
ceedings of the government Of the United States
from the last account Of them in S4l, down to the
declaration Of war at length forced upon it by
Mexican hostilities.
Il is undenabIe that all the wrongs for which the
United States have sought and obtained redress,
either by war or in pecunary compensation, from
France, Algiers Trpoi, Morocco, Naples Den
less CALLING or hagrant than those inflicted by Mex
leo. The injuries which provoked war with Great
Britain alone equaled those of Mexico; and as mat
ters Of sheer injustice by means, for England al
ways pleaded reasons, plaualble and persuasive, for
her violations Of American property and persons
Mexico has mentioned but one-the annexa-
ton Of Texas; and with how little that has
been made the pretext for so much passion, plunder
and insult, we have explained
Allowance is due, no doubt for er parie state
ments and inhamed accounts. But, making every
allowance the book Of wrongs is an authentic and
unquestionable history of such as one nation never
before endured from another, # capable Of self
dication. We will not dwell on the invidious con-
trast which must occur to every mind ofthe weak
ness of the aggressor with the power Of the ag
grieved.
During President Tyers administration of the
chief magstracy, the complaints Of his successive
secretaries Mr.. Webster, Mr.. Upshur, and Mr.
Calhoun, continued in a strain Of forbearance highly
credltable, because from the strong. Then it was
that the Texas controversy commenced, which
would never probably have existed, have been
closed satisfactorily and speedily, were it not for the
interference of other nations.
At one time, while the United States had min
lister plenipoentiary constantly in Mexico, Mexico
had no minister or diplomatic representative here
Mr.. Secretary Websters letter Of July 8, 1892 to
Mr.. Thompson, states, that ''on the Goth June
communication was received from Mr. De Bocane-
gra Secretary of State and Foreign Relations OF the
government Of Mexico, through the agency Of Mr.
Velasquez de Leon, at New York, who Informed
the department that he had been appointed charge
d'affalres Of the Mexican republic to this govern
ment, although he had not presented his creden-
tias." The angry correspondence which ensred
between Mr.. Webster and Mr.. Bocanegra has been
published and extensively disseminated. 1t would
be useless TO reproduce it in this report. The Mex
lean secretary complained of supplies and arma-
ments from the United States to Texas. The Amer
lean secretary after full refutaton Of these charges
in his letter of July l3, lS42, to Mr.. Thompson,
the American minister in Mexico, directed him to
state to Mr.. De Bocanegra that 1.-THE President of
the u States considers the language and tone of the
letter Of Mr.. De Bocanegra Of 3Ist May, lS42 de-
rogatory to the character of the United States, and
highly offensive, as it impues to their government
direct breach of faith; and that he directs that no
other answer be given to it than the declaration that
the conduct Of the government of the United States,
in regard to the war between the Mexico and Texas
having been always hitherto governed by strict and
impartial regard to its neutral obligations, will not
be changed altered in any respect or in any de-
gree. If for this the government of Mexico shall
fit to change the relations at present existing be-
tween the two countries, the responsibility remains
with herself"
The present administration of the United States
came TO the disastrous inheritance left by several
preceding administrations from whom it derived
likewise the anxious desire manifested by every
American administration to maintain peace and re-
store amity with Mexico, cost what they might. If
pecunary compensation had been the wish of the
Mexican government, in adjusting the boundary Of
Texas, President Polk was ready to settle all diff
fculties by this means as President Jefferson
pay France for Louisiana, or President Monroe to
pay Spain for Florida. Peace, at almost any price
peace at all hazards-peace at any cost short of
national dishonor, the earnest desire of the
American government. France now holds Algeria,
and England India, by force employed to punish
much less offence than the United States were will
ling not only to submit to, but to pay for ra-
ther than to make war on Mexico, though the con-
quest Of that country is not considered difficult.
In the history thus presented Of our relations with
Mexico during quarter OF century, an impartial
world discern manifestion of any principle of
aCuon, OF Ol any leellHS unDeCoUllTg people KNOW
ing its own strength, but averse to any resort to
force while the faintest hope remained that justice
would be attained by any other means
When the present administration assumed the
regns of government all these grounds of complaint
existed in full force. Our citizens who had been plum
dered ofther property and mareated in their persons
were urgent in their demands that some effcacious
should be adopted to vindicate their rights,
They pointed TO the numerous assurances which
they had received from the official organs of the
government, that protection would be afforded them
against outrage, and compensation be secured to
them for wrongs perpretrated They referred to
the various occasions in which the same language
had been held towards Mexico herself, and she was
told that while still looked to her own sense of JUS
tice to redress the injuries which had been commit
ted, yet the obligations which this government owed
to its citizens were of paramount authority, and
could no longer permit Of procrastination. The ma
tiona faith, II was urged, was pledged and the ma
tiona honor implicated by such language, and the
immediate sufferers insisted that these high oblga-
tions should n5w be redeemed.
The President not only felt himself thus impelled
by those who declared themselves aggrieved by a
lnp, tipon tharn