Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-12-17
Published every Thursday

this message of the President was referred, fully sus-
tanned his of the character of the wrongs which
we had suffered from Mexico, and recommended that
another demand for redress should be made before au-
thorizing reprisas. The Committee on For
eign Relations of the Senate, in their report say
IS After such demand, should prompt Justice be
refused by the Mexican government, we may ap-
peal to all nations not only for the equity and mode
ration with which We shall have acted toward sister
republic, but for the necessity which will then compel
US to seek redress for wrongs, either by actual
war or by reprisals The subject will then be pre-
scented before Congress- at the commencement of the
next session, in clear and distinct form and the
committee cannot doubt but that such measures will
be Immediately adopted may be necessary vndi-
cate the honor OF the country, and insure ample rep
aration to our injured citizens"
The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives made similar recommendation. In
their report they say that they fuly concur with the
President that ample exists for taking redress
into our own hands, and believe that we should be
justified in the opinion of other nations for taking
such step. BIT they willing to try the expert
ment Of another demand, made in the most solemn
form, upon the Justice of the Mexican government,
before any further proceedings are adopted"
No difference of opinion upon the subject is believ
ed to have existed in Congress at that time. The
Executive and Legislative departments concurred
andyet such has been forbearance and desire to
preserve peace with Mexico that the wrongs Of which
we lueu WHICH gave rise 10 ltleSc
solemn proceedings, not only remain unredressed
this day, but additional causes of complaint of an
aggravated character, have since been accumu-
lating.
Shortly after these proceedings a special messen-
ger was despatched TO Mexico, to make final de-
mand for redress; and the twentieth of JULY 1887,
the demand made. The reply of the Mexican
government bears date the twenty ninth of the
same month"; and contains ASSURANCES of the .anxious
wish of the Mexican government mot TO delay the
moment of that final and equitable adjustment which
is TO terminate the existing difficulties between the
two governments - that s'nohing should be left
done which may contribute to the most speedy and
equitable determination of the subjects which have so
seriously engaged the attention of the American gov
ernment; ~ that the " Mexican government would
adopt the only guides for its conduct the painest
principles of public right, the sacred obligations i'm
posed by international law, and the religious faith Of
treaties - and that whatever and justice may
dictate respecting each will be DONE" The as
surance further given, that the decision OF the.
Mexican government upon each cause of complaint,
for which redress had been demanded, should be COM
municaed to the government of the United States by
the Mexican minister at Washington.
These solemn assurances, in answer TO our demand
for redress, were disregarded. By making them,
however, Mexico obtained further delay. President
Van Buren,, in his annual message to Congress of the
fifth Of December, 1897 states, that "although the
larger number of our demands for redress and 'ma-
ny OF lleln aggravated cases OF PERSONAL WlOuSSs
have been now for years before the Mexican govern
ment and some of the causes of national complaint,
and those of the most offensive character admitted OF
immediate, simple, and satisfactory replies, ii is only
within few days past that any specific communca-
ton in to our last demand, made five months
ago, has been received from the Mexican minister; !"
and that ''for not one of public complaints has
satisfaction been given offered that but one of the
cases of personal wrong has been favoraby consider
ed, and that but four of both descriptions, out
of all those formally presented and earnestly pressed
have as yet been decided upon by the Mexican gov
ernBent." President Van Buren,, believing that 1t
would be vain to make any further attempt TO obtain
redress by the ordinary means within the power of
the Executive, communicated this opinion to Con-
gress in the message referred TO, In which he SAID,
''On careful and deliberate examination of the con-
tents, (of the correspondence with the Mexican GO
vernment) sand considering the spirit manifested by
the Mexican government, 1t has become my painful
duty to return the subject 1t now stands TO Con-
gress, TO whom 1t belongs, TO decide upon the time,
the mode, and the measure of redress" Had the
United States at that time adopted compulsory meas
ures and taken redress into their hands, all our
difficulties with Mexico would probably have been
long since adjusted, and the existing war have been
averted. Magnanimity and moderation on our part
only had the effect to compicate these difficulties and
render an amicabe settlement of them the more en-
barrassing That such measures of redress under
similar proyocations, committed by any of the power
full nations of Europe, would have been promptly re-
sorted by the United States cannot be doubted The
national honor and the preservation of the national
character throughout the world, as well as our own
serespect, and the protection due to our own cltl-
zens, would have rendered such resort indispensa
Bile. The history of no civilized nation in modern
times has presented within brief period so many
wanton attacks upon the honor of its flag, and upon
the property and persons of its citizens had at that
time been borne by the United States from the Next
can authorities and people. But Mexico was sister
republic on the North American continent, occupying
territory contiguous to our own, and was In feeble
and distracted condition and these considerations, 1t
is presumed induced Congress to forbear still longer.
Instead of taking redress into our own hands, a
new negotiation entered upon with fair promises
on the part of Mexico, but with the real purpose,
the event has proved, Of indefinitely postponing the
reparation which we demanded and which was SO
Justly due. This negotiation, after more than a
years delay resulted in the convention of the llh of
April 1885, for the adjustment of claims of citi-
zens of the United States of America upon the gov
eminent Of the Mexican republic" The joint board
of commissioners created by this convention TO exam
inc and decide upon these claims, was not organized
until the month of August 1S4O and under the terms
OF the convention, they to terminate their duties
within eighteen months from that time. Four of the
eighteen months were consumed in preliminary dis
cussons frivolous and dlaory points raised by the
1 Mexican commissioners; and it was not until the
month of December, 1910, that they commenced the
examination of the claims of citizens upon Next
CO. Fourteen months only remained to examine and
decide upon these numerous and complicated cases
In the month of February, 1912, the term of the
commission expired, leaving many claims undisPoset
Of for want of time. The claims which were allowed
by the board and by the umpire authorized by the
convention to decide in case of disagreement between
the Mexican and American commissioners, amounted
to 2,026, 139 g. There pending before the
umpire when the commission expired, addltlona
claims which had been examined and awarded by thu
American commissioners, and had not been allowes