The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-01-30
From the Washington URion.
The War-lts Causes and its
Prosecution.


We find IN the New Hampshire Patriot, de-
tailed statement the ourages perpetrsted by the
Mexican authorities upon the persons and proper
ty OF citizens of the United States during the Pc
riod from 1877 to lS45 inclusive. The statement
is made from documents now on file In the De-
partment Of State. Those Of the cases occurring
prior to December End. 1917, WILDE found in a
letter of Hon John Forsyth. Secretary of State,
TO the President. which was published with the
annual message of fthatyear Ofthese cases en-
braced in the letter ofMr Forsyth, being fity-seve
in number. we give the following as specimens Of
the rest:
"No. 9-BRlc CATo.--This vessel
was boarded at Alvarado on the 26th
Of August, 1924, by some twenty men,
who rihed her of $e,7ol dollars in spe-
Gle, and of numerous other articles.
A fter threatening the life of The captain
and woundlng two of the crew, they
set the vessel adrift by cutting her chain
cable, which, with the anchor, were
lost. The claim in the case is for
S5,544."
mo. l3.-BRIG DELIGHT, of Phila-
| del phla.-A DOUBLE cLAlM.-This ves-
sci IN March, 1885. touched at San Bias,
where the officers of the cuslomhouse
compelled the conveyance Of her car
90 over a mile to the custom.house
stores, and its re.shipment. The dam
age to the owners was estimated at
$3,716 48. The same vessel entered
the vert of Sisal in September of the
same year, where she was seized by
the collector with an armed force, part
OF her cargo forced on shore, her hatch
es broken open, and the cargo taken to
the cus,om-house. Estimate of dam
ages arising from the condemnation and
sale of the cargo, &C., Sl5,692 SO.
The Mexican secretary of the treas
ury has assured Mr.. Pointsett that an
order had been given to release the ves-
sci and cargo. Mr.. Pointsett pro-
nounced this one OF the most fragrant
and unjustifable violations of the prop
crtv of American citizens on record.
"No. l4.-ScHooNER FAIR AMERl-
CAN, of Baltimore.-This vessel arrived
al Refugio, Jan. 4th, 1926, was admit
ted entry, landed her cargo under per-
NIT, and in part removed it to town,
when the whole was seized by the Mex
ican authorities, and confiscated and
sold. The Mexican consul at Balti-
more afterwards requested OF his gov
ernment that the property might he re-
stored and the owner indemniiled. Mr..
Wilson'S claim for damages is S5O,225
81, the justice of which was understood
to be acknowledged by the Mexican
government. TO the demand Of the
American minister for damages in this
case, the Mexican government made
evasive replies, and made no answer TO
his last note on the subject"
"No. 27.--J ohm Baldwin, an Amer
can citizen, complains of gross and out
rageous treatment at the hands of the
aIcade of Minolitlan in GuazenaIco.
He asserts that the alcade was inter-
ested in suit which was brought
against him by one of his creatures.
Some atercation occurring at the pro-
ceedings before the alcade, he was Or
dered to the stocks. He refused to
submit, and in attempting TO escape was
shot at, and severely injured by fall.
He was captured, made to stand in the
stocks, and afterwards imprisoned.--
The Mexican government were in
formed subsequently that the United
States government "would regard this
a national question:" The reply of the
Mexican executive was, that it was a
matter OF judicial Investigation, &C."
mo 49, SCHOONER ToPEz.--The
master ofthis vessel con,racted,i in 832,
to transport 50 Mexican soldiers from
Matamoras to Galveston. During the
passage the master and mate were Kill
led by Mexican officers, and the crew
were forced to run the vessel into An
ahua. Here they were imprisoned on
a charge OF killing their captain and
mate, and attempts were made by the
officers above mentioned to make them
confess to that crime. They were at
last liberated on their agreement to be
bound TO the officers to serve them for
three years. One Of them subsequently,
escaped TO the Unned States. and tes-
titled to the facts above stated. He
states that the Mexican officers divided
the captains money between them.
He thinks he had 5000 or 1000 dol.
lars"
| mo. 4o.-The schooner Harriet
Elizabeth was stranded near Matagor-
da, 1885. While in this situation she
was fired upon by a Mexican schoon-
er, and her captain, crew, and passen-
gers carried to Matamoras and impris.
oned. Reparation was demanded by
Mr.. Ellis, in 1886, but has never been