Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-04-21

4 tCI dl dCl we OURSELVES peI1UTlicu SIX HlOutus
ago, may be very amiable, but certainly it does
not imply very high compliment.
The truth is, and every man who knows any
thing, knows it to be the truth, that the Mexi-
| can claims had about as much 10 do with the
actual production of war with Mexico, as the
Maine or Oregon boundary auctions had to do
in producing that result. A decent respect fol
the understanding of the President will compel
every man to admit that so much of his message
as treats on this topic, was intended for the
country, and not for congress,-like the speech
es of gentlemen who talk five minutes, and pub
| lish FIVE columns, it was intended for Buncom6e
waive for the present any inquiry into the
taste or Propriety of aPresident's availing him
self of his privilege and duty of submitting to
congress an annual exposition of the public af-
fairs, to make an electioneering appeal to the
country: and meet the message en- the issue
which he himself tenders.
| deny that these claims were in any respect
the cause of the war, or that they could have
been at any time properly and reasonably made
cause of war.
The Obligation Of the Government of the Uni
| ted States to protect its flag every where, and
against every Power, is unquestionable.
Whenever the citizens of this country, pur-
sue lawful commerce under the protection OF
| that flag, have been plundered, imprisoned, or
in any way-inured and maltreated, then, and in
every such case, they are entitled to full indem-
nifty; ana it is the duty of Government to en-
force it, and to do so promptly.
Unfortunately for many of our citizens, the
practice of the government has not been here
tofore very prompt for the performance c. this
high duty. Perhaps its course has been the
wlsest. We have had many cases and much
delay, vexation and loss; but we have got "a
long without wars land hope all our just claims
will be made. The people ofthis country have
attained higher civilization than to be capable
of desiring that the fraudulent and dishonest
ones shall be enforced.
There is nothing in the law of nations-a
code than which there is none more distinctly
settled and defned-more clear and more per-
fectly agreed and understood than the doctrine
as to what sort of cases Government may,
and as to what sort it may not, interfere. forci-
bly, in vindication of the rights of its citizens,
and of those who claim to be or to have been
its citizens. Let us examine the claims, and
see what is their character, and what has been
the conduct of Mexico about them.
| will endeavor, in as few words as possible.
to state proposition or two, by which | hope
to be able to present with more facility the
views which have adopted in regard to these
claims.
lst. A citizen Of the United States has no
right to claim the forcible interpositon of his
Government for the enforcen ent of any demand
founded on contract, between himself and
foreign government.
Cd. When a citizen of the U. States leaves
his own country, he cannot rightfully claim the
forcible interference of the Government of the
United States to protect him, or indemnify him
against any wrongs at the hands of the Govern
ment of his adoption or of its citizens.
assert these to be principles of the public
law not to be questioned or disputed at this day
at all. The Government of the United States
and all other governments are accustomed in
very strong cases of this description to use
what they call '..friendly oGces''-that is, they
permit their foreign diplomatic agents to rem
der any assistance to such claimants that will
not IN any manner commit the Governments
represented by them. Beyond this they do not,
and by the law of nations, cannot go.
The claims against Mexico, called claims Of
American citizens, consists of three classes.
The first class consists of those ascertained
to be Que by the mixed commission and UNI
pire appointed in pursuance of the treaty Of
1889, S., 026,G0O.
2dly. Of cases decided Or disagreed about by
inc commissioners OUT referred 10 the umpire
too late for his decision, &62S, 627.
The treaty of 1889, which provided for the
mixed commission to adiudicate claims, stpu-
lated that, ii the Government of Mexico should
be unable to pay the awards in money,It should
have the privilege of doing so in its own treas
ury notes.
Treasury notes were then worth from TWEEN
ty to twenty FIVE cents in the dollar. A large
a Jdifiopal xx-ould hay ca-Sarily ro1ucod
the value to something below twenty cents.
The Mexican Government has actually paid
in coin, or its equa valent,on account of these a
wards, the sum c. six hundred and ninety thou
sand dollars, (690,000.)
Now, if Mex co had chosen to avail herself
of the privilege guaranteed to her BY the treaty
viz. to have issued treasury notes in discharge
of the whole demand, she might have bought up,
with six hundred and ninety thousand dollars
in coin three millions four hundred and forty
thousand dollars (3,440,G00,) and thus have
paid not only all the claims ascertained to be
due, but all undecided by the umpire, and yet
leave large balance in her favor, and that too,
on the calculation that the umpire would con-
firm the views ofthe American side of the com
mission; thing which had not occurred in a.
ny instance, the umpres having reduced them
Dne half, in the whole aggregate of their de-
cisions.
Nor is thi all. After these awards were
made they were sold in large quantities, for six
cents in the dollar.
But | come to another and very important
,oint. How many of these claims are of that
sort that our Government had the legal right to
say. I'll refuse to treat of those claims at ALL
Fhe parties have no remedy except through my
own tribunals"
have not had time to make a precise and
exact abstract of the whole record; but, as far
Is it does 60, the following is correct.
Any gentleman who desires to ascertain to a
lollar the true state of the case, can find, lin the
fifth volume of executive Documents f the
rear 1912, the staten ent as then published.
The only deficiency of this expose is, that
may have been left out. There is
nothing stated that will not be found there; 30
that the case is at least as strong as state it,
ind possibly much stronger. find the follow