The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-24

This correspondence shows more, it shows
that willis Mr. Webster induced you to believe
that he had refused TO consider the proposition
made by Mr.. Marks, because he had no conf
denee in the integrity or honor of Mexico, and
That we could not safely accept the drafts drawn
oy The Mexican government, because in case OF
revolution, we might be required to Pay it again
ne Is now making large advances to his favored
contractors, not on the receipts OF the Mexican
government, but on certificates that the Mexican
government had borrowed like sums Of money
IRON Forestall, not to q credited as payment
on our debt to Mexico, but to be refunded to him.
1t is certificate that Mexico owes 80 much
money TO Forest,ll, il is not a receipt for so
much money paid on account Of the United
States
DO you not see that instead of paying the
money which we Ito Mexico, and have placed
III teir hands for that purpose, these rich bank
ers, have made us entirely responsible for the
good faith of Mexico Say that a revolution
should occur; that the new government should
say as they would have right to say, that the adj
vanres madc by the Barings was no payment of
our debt, but usurious loan to Mexico, and
demand payment by usl If so. you place the
United States in the disgraccfnl attitude of co.
ercing the payment of usurious debt due by
Mexico to the Barings, and Of assuming di-
rectly all the responsibility, discrcdt and Dis
honor OF extorting usurious interest from Mex
leo; which usury we quietly permit the Barings
and their associates whoever they be, to put
into their own pockets. DO you not see that,
under your arrangement, you put upon the
United States all the risk and all the dishonor of
this usurious loan, and put all the profits into
the pockets of the agents whom Mr. Webster
has selected! Our proposition is, that the gov
eminent OF the United States accept the drafts
OF the Mexican government, payable in New
| York when the instalment becomes due. Mr..
Webster's Arrangement is to advance our money
| to the Barings, upon certificate of the Mexi-
can government that they have borrowed a like
amount from the Barings to be "refunied' to
them when we pay the indemnity to become
due. Now, ask you what connection can.
there be between the usurious loans made by
the Barilgs to the Mexican government, and the
payments which we are bound to make to Mex
leo. What right have we to consider an usu-
rous loan OF money to Mexico by the Barings,
| as payment of our debt to Mexico! And yet
such is the arrangement on which Mr. Webster
makes these large advances to the Barngs, and
| such is the arrangement which he now requests
Congress, through you, to ratfy by an appro-
priation for the next instalment, which will not
become due for fifteen months Could fur
tiiSH SFiCuCC W SilOW Ititt All tniL
Webster induced you TO say in relation to the
want Of confidence in the Mexican government
was mere Ipre.encc, and for the sole purpose of
inducing Congress to ratify, by an appropria-
tien, the contract he had made with the Earrings
With what face can he, who now makes such
! large advances to the Barngs on the certificate
OF the Mexican government, that they had bor-
rowed q like sum from the Earrings to be re
funded to them, (n0t OIL of) but mIien the next
instament is paid by us, now say rs he last
year prompted you to say that we cannot safely
accept the drafts of that government, payable
when they become due To persist in snch
declaration would be to stultify himself and
Congress.
refer you TO the message for another fact.
Mr. Webster denies that Mr.. de la Rosa ever
communicated to the President, or to The Depart
ment any such information as was called for by
the Senate. There is but one explanation Of this,
and that is, that Mr.. Webster makes distnc-
ton between the information communicated to
him personally, and information communicated
to the department. He may say, and suppose
he will say, that the conferences held with him
were verbal and that he did not feel bound to
report them to the President or to Congress.
Will such an explanation satisfy you! Will it
satisfy Congress! Will it satisfy the world!
Why were the conference held with hun
Was it not because he was Secretary of State
and was it not his duty as Secretay of State, to
communicate to the President and to the Senate,
the substance ofwhat was said in those conieren
ccs! What was said and done during those confer
ences may never transpire, so as to be fully
known to the public, but | venture to assert,
that if it ever does transpire, it will not only
fully sustain all that | have said in relation to
Mr.. Websters conduct towards the Mexican
minister and his government, but it will also
prove that Mr.. Webster has eyerted himself in
the most extraordinary manner to defeat the
contract made with Mr.. Marks. What can be
his motive? for Mr.. Webster does not act with
out motive.
| again assert upon the most direct and I'M
questionable authority that, Mr. de la Rosa, as
lie asserts did hold with Mr. Webster several
conferences on the subject of Mr.. Marks con-
tract, and that Mr. Websterin his reply to the call
Of the Senate, suppressed the information thus
communicated to him by Mr.. De la Rosa. On
the same unquestionable authority, now again
assert that Mr.. de la Rosa has addressed note to
the State De- artment correcting Mr.. Webstcrs
report and confirming his own previous declara-
ton, and which note it was the duty of Mr..
Webster to communicate to the Senate under
their call.
ster, in his official communication to the Senate,
has Intentionally suppressed the information
which it was his duty to give that the informa-
ton thus suppressed, was supplied in writing
by the official note of Mr.. de la Rosa, correcting
Mr.. Websters official report; that that informa-
ton is indispensable to the proper action Of
Congress, on the bill reported by your commit
tee; and call upon you, as you value your own
reputation, and that of Congress and of the gov
eminent, to require Mr.. Webster to lay before
Congress- copy and translation of Mr.. de la
Rosa's note.
have just learned that Mr.. Webster after
having attempted to mislead the action of Con-
gress, by suppressing this information, and by
denying that he had held such conferences with
Mr. de la Rosa, has addressed toyour committee,
and to the Committee of Finance of the Senate
n confidential C) letter, in which he agues that
the drafts drawn by Mexico under the contract
with Mr.. Marks, and at the invitation of the late
Secretary of State, cannot be accepted, because
the treaty requires that the money should be
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