The daily union., 1846-06-29

ance TO Ferdinand the Seventh, this country was
made the model Of shat In all It's institutions Six
teen free and sovereign States contederated IN a
union like ours, by the constitution Of 1924. Le-
gisatlye power lodged in a senate and house Of
representatives. the former chosen (Iwo for each
State) 10 be thirty years of age; the latter 10 be
twenty 1--we years Of age, and elected for two years
president chosen for four years by the legislatures
OF the several States vice president with functions
bike ours and judiciary Of the same kind. The
first Congress assembled at the city of Mexico on
the LIST Of January, lo25. General Gaudaoupe
Victoria was chosen president, General Nicholas
Bravo, vice president, whose administration at
hrsl wise and prosperous, and there reason 10
anticipate the happest results. In November of
that year Spain evacuated the castle Of ST. Juan
PUlloa, and President Victoria announced that af-
ter the lapse OF three hundted years the rag OF Cas-
tile had disappeared from North America, and that
OF the republic waved on the last stronghold Of Eu-
ropean power. Titles Of nobility and slavery were
abolished. But before Vcloria's administration
4 closed, Vice President Btayo denounced 1t IN De
oeaiber, 1877, as too democratic, aod openly
belled in arms against il. Bavos insurreeuon was
overcome, and, with several adheronts, he was
banIshed bya decree Of the Congress- dated the 18th
hpnl, 1928 These feuds were the beginning of the
factions and revolutions which have ever since dis
tracted Mexico. Mr.. POinsett, the American min
lster, was accused of taking part in their origin by
favoring what wss called the Yorknos or dem
oeLatic party and after popular outbreak threat
the request Of the Mexican minister. At the next
presidential election General Gomez Pedraza, the
candidate Of the so-cslled Scotch or monarchieal
party, was chosen president by very small ma
lonty over General Guerrero, the candidate Of the
forkinos or democratic party. Refusing to submit
TO the election Of Pedraza, Guerrero appealed to
arms, and the famous General Santa Ana, a lead.
ing partisan of Guerrero, from the headquarters Of
an army, IN Septsmber, 1923, pronounced as they
term ~ proclaimed against Pedaza. Victoria,
| xh nad "A Ell xu,re ed nd
captured Santa Ana. But another insurrecton
broke out IN the capital, which was plaged, the
Spanish inhabitants, many Of them, murdered, and
Pedraza driven from the presidency to which he
was elected. On the lst Of January, 1893, Con-
gress declared Guerrero president, General Busa-
mente vice president and the Office Of minister Of
war was conferred on Santa Ana. Soon afer, Bus
tamenIe rebelled against Guerrero, captured him at
Acapulco, and he was put to death by military ex
eeution as traitor in February 1881. 10 1882 Gen.
Santa Ana rebelled, and on his march from Vera
Cruz to the city Of Mexico, the 23d December
1882, compelled Bustamente to relinquish the gov
eminent TO Pedraza, for whom vessel was
sent TO this country where he was IN
exile. In the forms of the federal constitution
Santa Ana was soon elected 10 succeed Pedraza,
and inaugurdted the 10Th May, 1888 The same
month he defeated General Garcia in Zacstecas,
and proclaimed the plan Of Ialuca, by which the
federal constitution and State legislatures were dis
solved, and triumphant soldier made dictator.
subdue Texas, succeeded by Bustamente, re-
called from France. In l84l Santa Ana again re-
beled, and IN September Of that year reduced Bus
tamente To capitulate by the plan Of Tacubaya. In
December, 1S42, Santa Ana dissolved his own cen
tralized congress, and conyoked a convention and
next year he was chosen president for 1--WE years
In 1874 he cal ed for a forced loan OF four millions
for the conquest of Texas, Yucatan having seeded
from his government Joaquin de Herrera then be-
came president in December, 1874, and Santa Ana
L..
threw Herrera, because he would not carry on
for Texas against the United States. General Pa
redes, ordered to the Texan frontier revoted at ST.
Luis Potos, returned to the capital, and displaced
President Herrera the 30th December, ls45 Soon
!. afier, Mr.. Siidell arrived in Mexico, who was
amused till Paredes could concentrate forces for the
war on the northern frontier, which was then de-
4 clared and prosecuted. The forms Of republican
government were preserved during all these revou
uonary disturbances; but the substance crushed
under the worst Of all despotsnls--that of short
lived military usurpation; general supplanted gen.
eral, and revolution followed revolution in volcanic
eruption. The foreign relations of Mexico became
unsettled and uncivllized their internal opera
tons. Great Britain, France, and the United States,
the first to acknowledge Mexican independence and
cultivate its sovereignty, were the first to suffer by
It. ~Lawess depredatons the property, and
outrages on individuals Of all these nations, sig
nalized the anarchical career Of the Mexican au-
, , thorties
so many causeless and futile revolutions in the
same cycle. The United States, by far the greatest
, sufferer, bore, not indeed in silence, or without
. complaint, but without resistance or retaliation.
. twenty years of gross injustice and acknowledged
wrong. Petitions, memorials, and remonstrances
: from individuals and bodies of men--the victims Of
Mexican outrage--crowded the archives of our de-
partments and the journals of Congress. The Off
! cial correspondence of Secretaries Clay, McLane,
Livingston, Forsyth, Webster, UPshur, Calhoun,
nd nrith tha Ar,.r intat m
Mexico, numerous letters from American consus
there, the annual and special messages to Congress
of Presidents Adams, Jackson, Van Buren, Tyler,
& and Polk, are filed with complaints of Mexico
Reports from committees Of both houses of Con
gress. presented the 30 July, 1886, by Mr.. Clay,
the 18th February, 1889, by Mr.. Buchanan, the ls'
" " July, 1888, by Mr., Howard and Mr.. Gushing, and
+ the 10th August, l84l by Mr.. Rives, besides va
rious resolutions laid before Congrcss-among the
rest one by Mr.. John quincy Adams, of the 18th
February, 1838-attest an ncessant series of wrongs
unredressed menaces and forbsarance to put them
in force, ever since the United States have had COM
rnerciul or diplomatic intercourse with Mexico
Convulsed distracte d., impoverished, that republic
the prey Of successive military nsurpers laid violent
hands the citizens Of this country and their prop
erty, wherever plage was convenient; and, promis-
ing atonement, violated nearly every promise with
q barbarous per6dy. Treaties of indemnify were
wrung from her, but with little benefit beyond their
confession of the wrongs, the Mexican government
neNclhClOSb, PoSistcu III PcIPchahhS, o"u ,e'e
r except partially, To atone for Outrage and impu
y nifty were the continual course ofmany years.
1t is common mistake of American grievances
to suppose that we contending for the recovery
of only pecuniary obligations; mere debts, 70
& which their government may be held re
=. sponsible to ours. There debts of yer,
~ long standing, and most aggravated kind
i As after the Mexican revolt from Spain as du
ring the emperor Iturbides reign, on the 22d of De
"a cember, 1884, the supreme court Of justice of Mex
u leo decreed damages for the seizure by the Mexi
i can government Of the American vessel the Cossack
y and CARGO which damages have never yet been ful
- " paid. Cases, too, OF individual outrage, wer
D. mulnplied from first TO last. 900
N In 1927, James o! Patty, with six other Ameri
cans, harmlessly trapping beaver, were seized q
e St. Catalina, in Lower California, and thrown int
- prison at Diego, where of them died of crus
&c x treatment. s-.+ ar.f.s
- Twenty-one American citizens, resident at Chi
huahua, complained in 1892, by memorial to gov
,e ernment, that the arm, Of power had fallen hea.i