Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-03-30
THE END OF THE PROTOCOL


centric and impracicable couse Ex-senator ben'o
| OF Missouri, they will scarcely be aslonishcd D
| his recent position on The Mexican PROTOCOL
Though, as Senator Fooe truly said, The late &C
I mnistraion had gone farther in conferrns la
yors on him than on any other man-we aliude
the Lieuenan, Generalship, which we never ap
proved-yet Mr.. Benton, perhaps piqued al III
laletPresidenls approval OF The Court OF Enquiry
sentence on Col Fremont, seems TO have harbof
| ed an ill-will towards Mr.. Polk and his Cabine
which be seized The occasion of president Polk
departure from office and from ashingIon 10 gra
tify. When some time since the Protocol question
was brought up in The Senate, Mr.. Benton lhougi
specially appealed to, kept guarded and al
ominous silence. Then it might have been pro
per for him 10 file his bill Of indictment agars
| Mr.. Folks administration, SO that the govern
ment officers charged might have an oppor
lunity 10 explain and defend their course but hi
| preferred to wait until new administration, anc
10 this aspect things do mol ausur well for his
| fairness or justice.
As the movement was made in secret session,
| the facts are not officially known-bu as all the
letter writers agree in their Statements they must
| be regarded as substantially true. The fullest
| notice OF The points made by MIR. Benton we ind
| in the Washington correspondence OF the New
York Evening Post, as follows We would re-
mark that the prejudiced writer does injustice 10
Mr.. Polk, and 10 mir. Foo,e who is represented
| by others as having made manly and thorough
exposure of Mr.. Benon's course
| ssThe points made by Mr.. Benton were, that
| the protocol was entered into before the ratif-
cation of the treaty; that il would not have been
ratified but for the protocols that the govern
| ment is bound by the acts Of its authorized
agents; that if the protocol is part of the treaty,
| it should have been ratified by the Senate; and
| that the late administration acted in bad faith
towards the country, towards the Senate, and
towards Mexico, in keeping the arrangement
secret, and that 10 preserve inviolate the faith
of the nation, further action IS required oil the
Senate
at is stated further that communication
from The state department was received IN rela.
ton 10 the subject Of Col. Benton's enquiries,
that debate took place upon the same in which
MIR. Benton set forth the points above indicated
at length, and that Mr.. Foote made replies which
/
versions, but that other Southern Senators. Of
more character and consideration, defended the
course of the past administration against his
| structures with zeal and ability.
81! is rumoTed outside Of The cha mber and the
rumor doubtless proceeds from The inside thai!
the protocol has been The subject OF an angry cor
| respondeDce between the Mexican minister Sc
! nor Rosas, and The State deparlmen tina. as srCa
| as Mr.. Polk transmitted bis message 10 Congress,
asserting in substance that the protocol was
me:c diplomatic device 10 facilitate the business
| OF procuring The ratification OF The treaty, and
| that il meant nothing and secured nothing, the
NJ xican minister addressed a lo!e Of q very DC
ciced character 10 the President, affirming that
The government ct Mexico looked upon that in
slrumenl as an important Modification CT The
treaty, and as the guarantee OF rights and ad-
vantases which il could not Willingly Ielinquish,
and desiring 10 be informed whether the govern.
ment of The United States intended 10 repGdiale
It's stipulation.
mo reply was made TO this communication.
| Her minister made another one oil like import.
| To this Mr. Buchanan replied in accordance
with the terms OF the Presidents message 10 Con.
| gress. Her minister Teloined with vigorous
! protest, in which he iieraed the understanding
| under which this protocol had been agreed 10 by
| his government and reci,ed the consequences oil
| Thus The mailer stood at The advent OF Gen.
| Taylor and Mr.. Clayton; what has since taken
| place, will probably appear IN some subsequent
development, Of the proceedings oil The Senate in
| Executive session."
TIE Washington correspondent of the New
York True Sun gives fuller glimpse Of Mr.
Foote'S course, and of the improper conduct Of
| Colonel Benton, in playing into the hands of a
Foreign Government:
"To'day Mr.. Foote squashed the life out of
Colonel Benton's Protocol business. The Co.
lionel made the commencement of what was 10
have been his speech This exordium occupied
the attention Of the Senate for an hour. Mr..
Foote replied in scorching expose Of the i'm
propriety of the part which Colonel Renlon's
sanguine temperament was leading him 10 play.
After showing that the subject matter was a
sheer mares nest, he proved the fact, that the
Colonel was acting in strict alliance with the
Wings; and further, that his chosen counsellor
and right-hand man is no other than Signor de
Ia Rosa, the Mexican Minister, whose words
FUSED in despatch TO Mr.. Buchanan) Mr.
Benton used in his appeal 10 The Senate. AS
collision with the agent of foreign govern
ment upon an international question, in which
that government is the party against his own
is not the most praise.worthy attitude for an
American Senator to occupy, it has caused no
little excitement hero. Mr.. Foote's speech wa:
very able, convincing all OF the folly ito use no
harsher term) Of Mr.. Benton, and the utter
humbuggery of his movement; which, after
MIR. Foote had concluded, was quietly laid on
the table, there to rest forever. Not one vote
was thrown to save it from this unceremonou
and ignominious treatment"
We rejoice 10 hear from the Union that The
present administration lends no counrenance Il
the movement, and that indeed il is now sail
that the Mexican minister in Washington is /,
be informed that no sort OF obligation is allache,
10 The Protocol Indeed, we have strong evdenc,
/ that The Mexican Government itself originally al
lached no weight TO the PROTOCOL for Mr.. Nay
, or, E1-M. c. and Governor of Mexico, when la
ken by our arms, informed the correspondent o.
the New York Express, a few days since il
, Washington, that "lhe Mexican authorities frs
published The treaty officially ir,tiout the Proo
col, both in The Spanish and English, and afer
wards, with the Protocol, in Spanish and Englis
. also" "Every way" as the Union well says
'Ihe pistol misses fire." We trust that Mr. Ste
phenS, and the wing press, Will now feel hiatt the
have pursued a ridiculous and mischievou
course on this subject.
As 10 MIR. Benlon's "Last Card" The Pennsyl
vanan hits il of severely but justly. For The Ia,
few years he has done essential mischief 10 III
Democratic parly-bu he has now placed him
, self in position where he can do ii no HARM
i, The Pennsylvania says:
"The recent attack of Thomas H. Benton, Sc
nator from Missouri, on the last administration
is as foreign 10 that gentleman's ohivary in ear
lier life, as il is consistent with his more recen
8 eccentrlci,ies. A few months ago he put tn,
, government 10 an expense of nearly two thou
sand dollars for the publication Of speech as
sailing a dying man-and, indeed, hardly wa
the speech itself concluded ere the object Of hi
4 venom had breaihed his last Now, when MIR
' Polk had left the Capital-When his members q