Daily American telegraph., 1852-01-13

addressed note to MIR. De la Rosa, claiming
from his government for his failure to
comply with his instructions, as alleged in Mr..
webster's report
Under these circumstances, notwithstanding
his desire, and the instructions Of his government
to treat Mr.. Webster with the greatest respect
and delicacy, Mr.. De la Rosa could no longer
refrain from yindicating himself, which he did in
a communication, which is, or ought to be, now
on file in the State Department. We urged him
to furnish us copy for publication; but, resolute
to maintain throughout the strictest propriety Of
diplomatic courtesy, he refused, and referred US
again to another resolution of the Senate, as the
proper mode of eliciting the facts. In the few
days of the session which then remained we
could not, for want of time, obtain the passage
of another resolution of inquiry.
Your Excelency will remember that about that
time the agents of the bankers with whom Mr..
Webster had contracted circulated false report
that the Mexican government had repudlated
Mr.. Markss contract, and made new one with
Mr.. Forstall, their agent in Mexico 1t was for
the purpose of giving currency to this falsehood,
and of thereby misleading the action of Congress,
that Mr.. Webster said in the conclusion OF his
report, as follows:
From the accompanying copy of the note Of
the Sd instant and of the papers therein referred
to, addressed by Mr.. De la Rosa to this depart
ment, it appears that Mr.. Edward j. Forstall has
made contract with the Mexican government,
pursuant to which, he has advanced to that gov
eminent $650,000 on account of the instalment
due 31st May next, agreeably to the treaty OF
Guadalupe Hidalgo"
Now, sir, the letter of Mr.. De 10 Rosa, Of the
Sd instant, here referred to, with the enclosures,
itself suficed to show that this assertion of Mr..
Webster was incorrect. It does not appear from
that note, and the papers therein referred to- that
the Mexican government had made any contract
with Mr.. Forstall to advance money :" on account
Of the indemnify" nor does it appear that the
$3.50, 900 were advanced son account Of the in
demnity." For Mr.. De la Rosa's note expressly
states that these $650,0O0 were--not an advance
/" on account Of the indemnity but loan, g to
be refunded IN full to hin, a0hen the nert iastalment
shall become due"
Our advices from the Mexican government, re-
ceived about that time, informed us that it had
been compelled to pay at the rate of Is per cent.
per annum for this loan. The control which the
contract made by Mr.. Webster gave to Earrings
s. Co. over the funds Of the United States and
the credit of Mexico enabled their agent to ex-
tort this usurious interest from the necessities of
that government; and but for their desire to OBJ
tain some document as basis on which to
enable Mr.. Webster to make an incorrect and
deceptive report, and thereby mislead the action
Of Congress, they would have exacted still
higher rate of interest.
And now, sir, were we at full liberty to spea k,
we could disclose other facts, exhibiting Mr..
Webster's conduct in this transaction in a light
still more strange and startling. From the con
fdential relation by virtue of which we became
acquainted with those facts, we do not think
proper to state them at present; but the time may
come when they will be made public.
Thus, Mr.. President, it appears that your Sc
cretary of State, on call of the Senate for infor-
nation, made to you report, (Which you trans
mitted to the Senate,) not only suppressing the
called for, but also containing mis-
statements intended to deceive the Senate and
mislead its action on matter involving the loss
of a large sum to the the public treasury, and
affecting most injuriously our foreign relations
and the character and fair fame of this govern
ment.
What action this may require on your part, so
far as the Secretary of State is concerned, it is
not for us to suggest But, as this matter must
shortly again come before Congress for its action
thereon, we respectfully ask you to address the
Senate communication, correcting the errors
and misstatements contained, and furnishing the
suppressed, in the report transmitted
by your former message on this subject.
Your Excellency knows that we have not
sought this issue; that we have done all in our
power to avoid it that, at you own suggestion,
we have endeavoured to compromise with those
in whose favor Mr.. Webster, in disregard of the
wishes of the Mexican government, set aside our
prior and stronger claims; that we were willing
to transfer to them our contract to surrender to
them our whole pecuniary interest, anxious only
on that resolutely determined.
Your Excellency also knows that, Congress
having adjourned on the 4th of March last with
out having taken any action on this subject Mr..
Letcher, our Minister in Mexico, with whom Mr..
Marks had communicated and acted in concert
in negotiating his contract with the Mexican
government, arrived in this city. Aware of the
wishes of the Mexican government and of the
many reasons, both Of public policy and national
character for gratifying those wishes, Mr.. Letcher
was anxious to devise some means of doing so
You also expressed desire to serve and crafty
Mexico, but felt compromised by the contract
made by Mr.. Webster, who refused to vary that
contract unless by consent Of the Earrings. Mr..
Hatcher himself undertook 10 obtain that con sent