Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-10

view 10 interfhil hos,ilTies until a. treaty, thus
ratified BY Mexico, coald be transmitted to Wash
inston, and receive the action OF the Government
| of The United States. The Commissioner was
also directed, ON reaching the army, 10 deli,
yer TO lhe GeEeral In command ihe despatch which
he bore from the Secretary Of State TO The Mi
mister ot Foreign Affairs Of, Mexico; and, on
receiving it, the General was INSTRUCTED by
the Secretary Of War 10 cause il 70 BE- transmit.
Eted TO- the. Commander of the Mexican, forces,
villa rcqusst. that it might be ;comnunieaiedi
. 10 his Government. a1-.,lri 40,
The commissioner did not reach The headguar,
lers OF the army ppil after another brilliant vic
tory had CROWNED our arms AZ Cerro Gordo. q,
The despatch which be bore from ihe Secrela-,
ry-of Wa 10 lhe General in command OF ibe
armytwas' deceived, by that officer, then al Jala
pa, on the Seventh day fot Mag,s 4547 tegetheT
1 whNtfe' despatch from The Secretary 'oi Sac toi
1.-The MiuisleL OF Fo,eigp Affairs Of Mexico, hay
ing Beefv irsnsnfitted 70, him from Vera Cruz,
Theeommissionet arrived al the Headquarters Of
the army few days after wards. His presence
with The army, and his diplomatic character
were made known:to the. Mexican government,
from. Pueb,a, on the twelfth Of June, LS41; by
the transmission oil the despatch from the Secie,
,ary OF Sta,eio the Minister OF Foreign Affairs
Many weeks delarsede after lis receipt, and no
:ovetufes were made, nor was any desire express
ced by the Mexican government 10 enter into, ne
gotiaiious for peace. ','','' ny ~ g
Our army pursued its march upon III" capital
and, as il approached H. was met by formidable
resistance Oar forces first encountered The enc
my, and achieved signal victories in The severely.
confessed battles of Contreras and Churubusco-
II was not until alter these actions bad resulted in
decisive victories, and the capital OF the enemy
was within our power, that the Mexican govern
.meut manifested any disposition 10 enter INTO ne
gotiatious tor peace; and even then, as events
have proved, there Is TOO much reason 10 believe
they were insincere and that in agreeing TO go
through the forms OF negotiation, The object was
10 gainttme TO strengthen The dttences VI theft ca
'pilal, and 10 prepare for fresh lssisante.
The General in command Of the army deemed
il expedent 70 suspend hos,ities temporarily, By
entering ialoan armi.ice with view The open.
ing OF nesotiations. Com nissioners were ap-
pointed 'onthe partn Mcxico-to meet the com;
commissioner onithe part OF thu y, s., The re-.
sulrof the.conferences which took place between
these 10 dictionaries Of iheItwt governments was
failure TO concludeIa treaty of peace. 49,. ii
| The Commissioning Of Ihe United States ;ookwiih
him. the Meiecioi. a !Ifeay already prepared by
the terms of which the indemnify acquired by The
United States was a, cessipn oiIterioFWa III is
well knawh lhatIh only indemnify which itisia
! the power Of MeScolo make, in satisfaction o!
the Just ard long deferred claims Of tur citizens
against her, and The only means by which she can
/ reimburse the United States tor the expenses OF
The war, is q csSsien to The United States OF
:porii0f Of her territory. Mexico has no money
10 pay, aud no 'olhef means Of making the (se'
CURED indemniyu,lf we refuse This, We can OBJ
| tain no, Hinge1se, ToIeject indemnity by refusing
10 accept a cession oil territory would be 10 alan.
don all our Just demands, apd 10 wage the war,
bearing ALI, expenses, without purpose or de-
| finite object -. i...-,a .s..s p.
| A stale Of war abrogaes treaties previously
existing between the belIserenls, and "a treaty OF
| peace puts an end 10 all claims for indemnify
Tor tortuous acts committed under the authority
,Ot one government against be citizens or sub
jects Of another, unless hey are provided Tor in
| its slfpulations treaty Of peace which would
terminate The existing war, without providing fat
lodged debtor, aud herself the aegressor 10 the
war-to relieve herself from her just liabil.
ties. By such treaty, our citizens who hold
just demands against her would have, no re-:
medy either against Mexico or lheis, own
|, Government. Our duty 10 these, citizens
mnst' forever prevent such q peace and
no treaty which does rot ptoyide ample means
of discharg;ne these actnapds can receive my
SANCTION. "A treaty OF peace. should settle all
existing differences between the lwo countries
4 II an adequate cession o:1eIriiqTy should De made
by such treaty, the Uhiled States should release
Mexico from all her liabilities, and assume their
payment TO orr own citizens. II, instead oil this,
The United States were 10 consent 10 treaty by
which Mexico should again engage 10 pay The
| heavy amount Of Indebtedness which a just in =
I demny to our government and our citizens would
| impose on her, it is notorious that she does not
possess the means 10 meet speh an undertaking.
lrFrom such treaty no result could be apicipa.
ted bat the same Irritating disappoihtmens which
| l.. all, ,iol No Of trDi-
! lar treaty stipnla,icns' on The part Of Mexico -
4 Such treaty would I've but temporary cessa-
| ton OF hostilies, without the restoration Of The
friendship and good understanding which should
characterize the future intercourse between the
! TWO countries. .....
Tina, Congress contemplated the acquisition oil
| territorial indemnify, when thai body made provi-
sion for the prosecution oil the wat, is Obvious
/ Congress could not have meant-when, in May,
| 1876 they appropriated Ten millions OF dollars,
and authorized the President TO employ the mill:
liza and naval and military forces Of the United
1 States, and to accept the services Ell fifty thou
! sand volunteers TO enable him to prosecute the
war; and when, at their last session, and alter
our army had invaded Mexico, they made add.
tionai appropriations and authorised the raising
OF additional troops for The same. purpose-tha
1 no indemnify was to he obtained from Mexico a
tie concus;onpf the war; and yet ii was certain
that il no Mexican territory was acquired. no in
demni,y could heObSioed.f H!f'N|.H ~, 3"
II is further manifest lhat-Copgrcss conempla
ted territorial indemnify, em The fact that, at their
las, session, an ACT was passed, upon the E1ecu.
tive recommendation, appropriatins three mil
lions of dollars with that express object. This
appropriation was made so enable the President
TO conclude treaty Of peace, limits. and bounda-
ries with the Republic OF ,Mexico, 10 be- used by
him in the event that said treaty, when signed by
Fhe authorized agents. OF the Two governments,
apG duly ratified BY, Mexico, sha|l can for The OK.
pendilure Of the same, or any part thereof. 90:
The object Of asking this appropriation was
distinctly stated in The several messages on the
subject which communicated 10 Congress. ST.
milar appropriations, made in 1903 and 1906,
which were referred To-, were intended TO be ap.
d, piled in part consideration for the cession OF Lou
! isiana and the Floridas. In like manner it was
anticipated that, in settling the terms Of treaty
| OF "linhs aud boundaries" with Mexico, ces.
sion OF territory estimated to be Of greater value
| than the amount OF our demands against her
might be obtained, and that The prompt payment
of this sum-in part consideration for the terrific.
| 'ry ceded--on the cohclnsioh ola treaty. and its
ratification on her par,-misht be an induce.
| ment with her 10 make such cesSiOn ,otterrlo-
| ~ as would be Satisfactory 10 The United States.
And although the failure 10 conclude sucha lrea-
ly has rendered it unnecessary 10 use any part Of
abe three millions Of dollars appropriated by that
ACT, and the entire sum remains in The treasury;
At is still applicable 10 TIA. object, should the COM
tingency occur making such application proper.
f. The doctrine of no Territory is The doctrine OF
no indemnify; and, if sanctioned would BIZ a pub
lie acknowledgment that our country was wrong
aud thar The war, declared by Congress with et.
traordiDary unanimily, Twas unjust and should be
abandpned;. an admission unfouDded in" fact, and
degrading io the national character. gl '..'''.
The terms OF the treaty proposed by The United
Sta'es we're mot only just to Mexico, but, consi-
/ dsIing the character and amount Of our claims,
! the unjusii6able and unprovoked commencement
of hoslili,es by her, the expenses Of HE war to
| which We hapebeen subjected and The success
which had attended our arms, were Declined 10
be Of mos, character. 80 ''''
THE commissioner Of The United States was
| authorized 10 agree to the establishment, Of the
Rio Geande az the boundary. from i,s, entrance
into the Cult to its intersection with the south
/ A.