Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-06-10
SPEECH OF Mr.. MILLER,
OF NEW JERSEY,
On the Proposed Occupation Of Yucatal.
In SENATE, MAY Is, ls4s.

the President OF
occupation OF Yucaan-
Mr. MILLER said If this were simply question whether
we should relieve the people OF Yucaan from sudden aud
overwhelming calamity, it would receive my cordial and
hearty support Beside the high Christian duty OF humanity,
there my mind moral subllmi in the aspect OF great
nation ike stopping in It's career OF power OF war ana
OF conquest, listen the cry OF suffering and helpless
and children and performing an act OF pure disnte-
rested benevonce This hoped would have been the posi-
ton taken by Government towards Yucatan But this
have been mistaken seshness has umphed over bene-
Violence of dominion has superseded the love OF peace
and the measure stripped Of all its high claims OF humanity
is presented to cold calculating project OF ma
tona policy will endeayo 10 show that that the cha
racier of the proposition submitted the message of the
Executive Of the 29h of April and embodied in the bill now
under consideration.
On the 2ls of April last Santiago Mendez then Governor
of one Of the OF the Republic Of Mexico sends COM
unicaon Executive representing that that State
was suffering under the calamity Of domestic war, asking
the aid Of our Government and Offering in the relief be
granted transfer the dominion and sovereignty OF ms coun
try to the United States.
This is certainly very liberal and very singular PROPOSE
ton; impores charity and at the same time poers most
valuable donation 1t sake tempting to our humanity
and seshnes appeals at once to our generosity as
Christian people, and Of donnon ambitious ma
ton There here such mixing fopposte motives Tor ac
ton that accept the proposition must be ever doubtful
whether moved by feelings OF humanity or by tue
love Of dominion whether Yucaan from the horrors
of civil for the sake of its people, whether we save
the people for the sake of taking Yucatan ourselves Upon
looking at this strange proposition the first inquiry IS who
and what he who thus to deal with the caaes
of his country and poers her dominion and sovereignty for
present help, in time of need who, appears from bis
communication, going from court to court and crying
out like drowning woman, in the poetic language OF the
Senator from Michigan, Mr. CAss, "save me and take
me-" Why, sir, il is certain Mr.. Santiago Mendez And
who Santiago Mendez The documents your table
give you his official authority and character He was, at the
date Of his communication Government 25th of March,
ls4s Governor of Yucaan but do find any evidence
whatever showing that such Governors he clothed
with authority transfer the sovereignty of his State upon
any emergency The only authority pretended is the follow
ing article contained in decree made by the Congress OF
Yucatan the 18th Of January, ls4S
1. "The Government empowered to take any
sures executive Legislative which it judge
for the restoration peace the consolidation ORDER and the
ameioraton all the branches OF the public
BY the third article of the same decree, it is declared:
"These powers shall cease the LIST OF September next
when the chambers the second constitutional period
There authority conferred by this decree for the
ordinary proposition cede the sovereignty Of the State Of
Yucatan. But if he had any authority for that pur
poe that authority had ceased before his communication
presented TO Executive and that fact known TO the
President when he the proposition by his
OF the 18th of April As early the 4h of April Com
mander Bgelow, then at Laguna, writes 10 Com. Perry
I'VE have from Yucan which state that the troops
stationed at Texax learning OF Barbachnos having
seeded Mendez in the Presidency immediately took up the
line Of march for Campeachy and abandoned their position
The parties appear be divided and hostile each other
or perhaps, the troops who wished took
advantage of the change OF the Government their
cowardice.
And on the 18th of April Commodore Perry informs the
Navy Department that
Governor Mendez has resigned in favor of his political
rival, Senior Bsrbachno, which has, it seems pro-
duced increased discussions among the roopSee enclosed
extract from the report OF Commander Bigeow.')
Thus appears that before the 2ls April the day
which this proposition presented 10 Government
Governor Mendez had been superseded by his political rival
Barbachno and appears that this change in the Executive
officer was the cause Of renewing party hotes among the
nf
try and that the troops took advantage Of the change
Government to theft cowardce abandoned their posi-
ton of defence against the Indians reiterated Campeachy
and left the people Of Yucaan exposed the very caame
from which asked relieve them But this not
all These documents show that the civil raging Yu
catan nsgated by the conduct Of Mendez and his party
that for the purpose Of advancing his ambitious views
be first excited the Indians against bis political rival by pro-
misses OF relief from odious and oppressive tar and then,
alter he had attained power by their aid only broke his
promises but cruelty inflicted outrages upon their per-
sons Commodore Perry, in his letter Of the 18th March,
says;
In the removal pfguel Barbachno the government
OF fucaan, about six months SINCE and the substitution OF
Santiago Mendez the Indians engaged by the Campeac
enos IN support OF Mendez with promises remission of the
cptaon tax and other indugences but when Mendez
elected the tax was claimed the Indians refused and nts
collection some OF them put death Ouages also
the families Of the chiefs of the Indians have
been perpeated by officers from Campeaehy hence
the Tears OF the Campeachenos and the comparatively
feelings of the inhabitants Of Merida and its vicinity
among the gentlemen whom met at the eommandant's
was Don Pedro Camaa said TO have been leading of the
Bsrbaehno party before its expulsion from Office This gen.
ueman spoke with confidence OF the ability OF the whites
to resist the Indians and seemed very confident and much
his All Of which further inclined the belief that
the whole matter party quarrel which that Of Bsrbachi
has the best and that OF Mendez the worst though they
have put elements agitation which overwhelm them
both and hence wish for Spanish interference and
50 much for the character official and personal Santiago
Mendez who now asks humanity in exchange for the
sovereignty Of his country.
desire now TO trace the history Of this proposition the
causes that induced IL and the and motives which
caused our Executive TO entertain the In November
ls47, Mr. Juso Sierra, styling himself 'Commissone and
Special Agent of the Govemmenof Yucatan that Of the
United States opened correspondence with Secretary
OF State In his first letter. dated Gath November ls47 he
relates the grievances which Yucaan had sustained the
hands of Mexico and that consequence Of these grievances
fucaan taking (which will probably end in
special declaration of absolute independence Yucatsn
had maintained the rigid and honest neutrality the
existing between Mexico and the United Sales.r
He then presents two requests to our Government
al That the duties imposed Laguna under the
thoriy Of the United States vessels and productions Of
lucatsn may be abolished.
90 That the naval forces Of the United States may cease to
occupy the port Of Laguna and island of Carmen"
Here would remark, passing, that late as November
last Yucaan asked protection from but on the contra
y, begged that would withdraw our naval forces from her
ports and permit her to enjoy the rights Of neutral Power
Mr. Buchanan in his answer dated 4h December 10 that
communication, grants the first request refuses the second
The for his refusal stated by the Secretary as fol-
lows
roe;,ioc NJ yoca,an Z; macmillan T,a