The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-01-14

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our citizens. That commission remained i
session until the expiration of the period t
:, which it was limited by the treaty, and the.
+ awarded to our citizens $2,O2G,139 Mexic,
II represented to us subsequently, that, owing t.
Z the embarrassed state of her finances, sht
could not conveniently make these payment
at the time specified, and by another treaty
into which the two Governments entered il
1913, it was stipulated that Mexico shoult
pay the interest on this sum up to April
1913, and then pay the principle, with accru
ing interest in five years-to be paid in qua.
tcrly instalments. Now, | do not Justify
Mexico in the course she has pursued subsc-
Quently to this treaty. am Hing to admit
that her conduct deserves rebuke and CEN
sure. AT the same time | am compelled to
acknowledge that there are some circunst2ll-
ces in this case which go to mitigate the enor-
NIFTY Of her proceedings. Such was the con-
dition of affairs of that country, and such the
desire of her Government to meet the install.
ment8 provided for in that treaty, that Santa
Auna levied forced loan, apportioned among
several Of the provinces or departments Of
that Government, for the express purpose of
meeting the indemnity. The first three in
stalments were paid promptly at the time
When the fourth fell due, Mexico was embar-
rassed in her circumstances and unable to
meet the demands Of our citizens. This state
Of things continued until another three
months EXPIRED when another ustalment fell
due. She was unable at the time to meet
this demand in money she, however. contends
that she has paid the fourth and fifth install
ments, and shows the receipt of an agent APP
pointed by our Government to that effect
That agent, however, contends that he recev-
ed certain orders or drafts on mercantile
houses having lien upon the Mexican Treas
ury, and that these drafts have been dishonor-
ed. But let us hear his own words upon this
subject. Mr.. Voss, our agent, says in let
ter to Mr. Slidell:
" For the avowed purpose Of liquidating
the recognized American claims Gen. Santa
Anna, the head of the Mexican Government,
in May, 1843, dccreed the collection of fore
ed loan to be distributed in certain proportions
throughout the departments Of this Republic,
and paid at periods corresponding to those
stipulated in the convention to that effect with
the Government of the United States. This
measure, essentially unpopular, could only
have emanated from government as abso-
lutte as that of Santa Anna then was, and
even with the aid Of his unlimited powers, was
very imperfectly enforced, while the tempta-
ton to msapplcaton of the funds collect
ed, amidst the difficulties by which Santa An
ma was surrounded, is sufficiently Obvious
From these concuming circumstances, the
Mexican Government was absolutely unable
to pay the instalment which became due in !
April, 1914 and in July of the same year,
when another instalment should have been
paid, the incapacity of tbs Government to
fulfil its engagements had become still great |
err. The arrears-due at that period on the
American claims amounted to S274,G64 67. |
About this time public attention was di- .
reeted to the Texan question with renewed !
force, and amidst the angry exitement which
it occasioned, the press found popular theme
for complaint in the payment ofthe American
claims, and freely advocated its discontinue
ance"
Here we have the declaration of our agent
on the spot, that the failure of Mexico is in
some degree chargeable upon ourselves
We all know that prior to April 80, 1914, the \
period at which Mexico became delinquent, a !,
treaty was gotten up cIandestinely by the
President of the United States, for the annex
alton of Texas to this country. 1t is true that
that treaty was rejected by the Senate But
it was Immediately made a question before
the people, and the candidate of one of the
partcs-hc who is now the President of the
United States-was nominated almost solely
because he was pledged to annexation. All
this was known in Mexico. She saw direct
attempt making by our people to dispoil her
Of what she regarded as one of her own de-
a portion Of her republic. This
would naturally produce an obstacle in the
way of obtaining the means to meet these in
The Mexican Government APP
pears to have acted in good faith, as will be
seen by their having recourse to forced loan;
md it was not until our folly and madness, in
relation to Texas, excited her people, that the
Government failed to comply with its treaty
3tipulations, She was in fault, and fear that
an impartial world will not pronounce us fault
less in this matter, J.
But for the sake Of the case, will admit
that Mexico WAS altogether wrong. She fail
ed to meet her just debts. But | maintain
that this, under all the circumstances OF the
ease, was no just cause Of war. Ny friend
from Ohio (NGr. Gidlings) alluded to the re-
pudiatng States of this Union, and Justly re-
marked that many Of the gentleman on this ,
floor who were SO clamorous for war against {
Mexico, represented States which had failed
to pay their debts, and have given Great Brit
ain the same right to invade their territory
md lombard their cities that we had to at
ack Mexico, so far as the non payment Of
debts is concerned.
| will only alude to another instance of re-
oudiation. Mexico is not the only nation
which has committed depredatons on our
France towards the close of the
last century, had been guilty of the same acts
Of violence. We demanded PREPARATION at her
hand. She admitted the justice Of our claim;
but, for a valuable consideration, we released j
her, and became ourselves obligated to our
had been despoiled of their prop
erty by France. And what has been our
toward those citizens We have
turned deaf ear to their petitions for half a
But during the last session Of the
present Congress u bill was passed, granting
partial relief 10 our injured citizens And