Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-02-24


interrupted series of optracaa .b.ii -,
state them seriatim, nor enter into q detail
Of their nature and extent This has been.
repeatedly done, and the official documents
are before the country. will merely
classify from an able report, made by Mr..
Forsyth in 1887, the various heads Of COM
plants, which will present the general as
pect Of the subject:
l.. Treasure belonging b citizens Of
the United States has been seized by Mexi-
can officers in its transit from tho capital to
the coast.
2. Vessels of the United States have
been captured, detained, and condemned,
upon the most frivilous pretexts.
8. Duties have been exacted from 9TH
ers notoriously against law, or without law.
a. Other vessels have been employed,
and, in some instances ruined in the Mex.
lean service, without compensation to the
owners.
5. Citizens Of the United States have
been imprisoned for long periods Of time,
without being informed ofthe offences with
which they were charged.
6. Other citizens have been murdered
and robbed by Mexican officers on the high
seas. without any attempt to bring the
guilty. to Justice.
In presenting to Congress these causes
of complaint against Mexico in 1887,
General jackson stated that they "would
Justify. in the ewes Of all nations. immedi-
ate war" This sentiment was responded
to by the Committees on Foreign Rela.
tons, both in the Senate and House Of
Representatives: The former Of whom look.
ed to a presentation of the subject at the
next session of Congress. and could not
doubt but that such measures would be inn.
mediately adopted as might be necessary 10
vindicate the honor of the country. and in.
sure ample reparation to our injured citi.
zens. And the latter saw thew 1fully con.
cur with the President, that ample cause
exists for taking redress into our own hands,
and believe that we shall be- justified in The
opinion of other nations for taking such a
step." President Van Burep, in December.
1887, in his message to Congress-, said that
"though our causes of complaint. and some
of the most offensive character, admitted Of
an immediate and satisfactory reply, yet it
was only within few days, that any all
swer had been received, and that no satis-
faction had been given or offered for one of
our public complaints, and that only one
case of personal wrong had been favorably
considered, and that but four cases. out Of
all, had been decided by the Mexican gov.
ernment." President Van Buren, distinctly
told Congress that redress was beyond the
reach of the Executive, and could only be
obtained by the action of Congress, which
action must, ofcourse, be war.
AS to the conventions, which have since
been made by the two countries, and viola.
ted by Mexico, | need not enter INTO their
history: they are fresh in the recollection
of all. These three conventions, by the in.
fidelity of the Mexican government have
proved nearly fruitless; and after thirty
years of injury on the one side, and Of re-
monstrance on the other, there is nothing
left for us, but to abandon nil hone of re-
dress, or to obtain it by vigorous prosscu.
ton of the war. Is there another govern.
ment on the face of the earth, which would
have been thus patient, not to say humble.
during the long process of such aggressionsi
And it is now TOO late TO tell US, that we
have hastily and unnecessarily commenc.
ed war, when the war was corsimenced by
the enemy, and when, if we had struck the
first stroke, we should have been justified
in the eyes of the world and Of posterity.
But it may be said, and it has been said,
that although sufficient causes Of war ex-
listed on our part, still it was not these eau
ses which provoked immediate hostflities.
This view, if true, has relation to the ex-
pediency, and not to the justice Of the war.
But what are the general facts upon which
a just conclusion can be formed1 After
the convention Of Texas had decided that
that republic would annex herself to the
United States, agreeably to the terms held
out in the act Of Congress, but before its
consummation by vote Of the Texan peo-
pie, we were under strong moral obliga-
tion to protect her from anvg foreion ;nvo