Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-12-22


these demands can receive NY sanction.
A treaty of peace should settle all existing
difficulties between the two countries. If an
adequate cession of territory should be made by
such treaty, the United States should release
Mexico from all liabilities, and assume their
payment to our own citizens. If instead of this
the United States were to consent TO treaty by
which Mexico should engage to pay the heavy
amount of Indebtedness which Just indemnity
to our government and our citizens would i'm
pose on her, it is notorious that she does not
possess the means to meet such an undertaking.
From such a treaty no result could be anticipa-
ted, but the same irritating disappointments
which have heretofore attended the violations
of similar treaty stipUlatons on the part ofMex-
leo. Such treaty would be a temporary ces-
sation of hostilities, without the restoration of
the friendship and good understanding which
should characterize the future intercourse be-
teen the two countries. r-
That Congress contemplated the acquisition
of territorial indemnity when that body made
provision for the prosecution Of the war, is OBJ
vious. Congress could not have meant-when,
in May, 1876, they appropriated ten millions OF
dollars, and authorize the President to employ
the militia and navy and military forces of the
United States, and to accept the services of tif-
ty thousand voluteers, to enable him to prose-
cute the war: and, when at their last session,
and after our army had invaded Mexico, they
made additional appropriations and authorized
the raising of additional troops for the same pur-
pose-that no indemnity was to be obtained
from Mexico at the conclusion of the war: and
yet it was certain thai, if no Mexican territory
was acquired, no indemnity could be obtained
1t is further manifest that Congress contem-
plated territorial indemnity, from the fact that,
at their last seSsion,an act was passed,upon the
Executive recommendation, appropriatiEg three
millions of dollars with that express Object
This appropriation was made q 10 enable the
President to conclude a treaty of peace, limits
and boundaries with the Republic of Mex co, to
be used by him IN the event that said treaty.
when signed by the authorized agents of the
two governments, and duly ratified by Mexico,
shall call for tie expenditure of the same or any
part thereof" The object of asking this appro
pration was distinctly stated in the several
messages on the subject which | commvnica-
ted to congress. Similar appropriations made
in 1903 and 1906, which were referred TO, were
intended to be applied in part consideration for
the cession of Louisiana and the Floridas.
In like mapner it was anticipated that, in set
Ting the terms OF treaty OF ''lHnIts and boun-
daries with Mexico, a cessiOu of territory eS
timated TO be of greater value than the amount
of our demands against her might be obtained;
and that the prompt payment OF this sum--ln
part consideration for the territory ccded-on
the conclusion OF a treaty, and its ratification
on her part, might be an Undue ment with her
TO make such cessioIl of territory as would be
satisfactory to the United States. And altho'
the failure to conclude such treaty has render
to,
millions of dollars appro ,riated by that act, the
entire sum remains in the treasury,it is still APP
plicable to that object, should the contingency
occur making such application proper.
The doctrine of no territory is the doctrine
of no indemnify: and, if sanctioned, would be a
public acknow ledgement that our country was
wrong, and that the war declared by Congress
with extraordinary unanimty, was unjust and
should be abandoned-an admission uniounded
in fact, and degrading to the national charac
ter.
The terms of treaty proposed by the United
States were not only just to Mexico, but, con-
sidering the character and amount of our claims,
the unlustfiable and unprovoked commence
ment of hostllties by her, the expenses Of the
war to which We have subjected, and the sue
cess which has attended our arms, were -eemed
to be of most liberal character.
The Commissioner of the United States was
authorised to agree to the establishment of the
Rio Grande as the boundary from its enterance
to the Gulf to its intersection with the southern
boundary of New Mexico, in north latitude "a
bout 32deg, and to obtain cession to the Uni
ted States of the Provinces of New Mexico and
the CALIFORNIA;, and the privilege of the right
ofw way across the isthmus of Tehuantepec.-
The boundary of the Rio Grande, and the ces-
sion to the United States of New Mexico and
Upper California, constituted an ultimatum
which our commissioner was, under no circum-
stances, to yield.
That it might be manifested not only toMex
leo, but to all other nations, that the United
States were not disposed to take advantage of a
feeble power, by insisting upon wrestling from
her a Ii the other PROVINCES. including many of
her principal towns and cities, which we had
and held in our military occupation,
but were willing to conclude treaty in spir
it OF liberality, our Commissioner was authori-
zed to stipulate for the restoration TO Mexico
of all our other conquests.
As the territory to be acquired by the boun-
dairy proposed might be estimated to be of great
er value than fair equivalent for our just de-
mands, our commissioner was authorized to stip-
ulate for the payment of such additional pecu-
The terms of a treaty proposed by the Mex
lean Commissioners were wholly inadmissbe.
They negotiated as if Mexico were the victori-
'us, and not the vanquished party. They must
have known that their ultimatum could never
De accepted. 1t required the United States to
lismember Texas, by surrenderlng to Mexico
hat part of the territory of the state lying be-
ween the Nueces ana the Rio Grande, iuclu-
led within her limits by her laws when she
vas an independent republic, and when she
was annexed to the U. S., and admitted by
Congress as to one of the States Of our Union.
{ contained no provision for the payment by
Mexico of the just claims of eur citizens.
1t required indemnity to Mexican citizens
or injuries they may have sustained by our
roops in the prosecution of the war. 1t de-
handed the right for Mexico to levy and col
ect the Mexican tariff of duty on goods impor-
ed into her ports while in our military occu-
patton during the war, and the owners OF which
lad paid to officers of U. States the military
which had been levied upon them;
md it offered to cede to the United States, for
pecuniary consideration, that part of Upper