Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-01-07


said, in the House of Representatives, yesterday,
that
duff Green had made an offer to make these
payments Ito Mexico) at one-haf per cent less
than any one else would make them for. But the
Committee of Ways and Means OF the last Con-
gress. not believing in Duff Green's responsibility
to the extent of making payment of three and
half millions of dollars took no favorable action
on his offer, preferring that Of responsible par
ties"
If Mr.. Bayly is correctly reported, this is
deliberate falsehood and Misrepresentation. Duff
Green made no offer to make the payments TO
Mexico. What he did was simply this: For and
in behalf of the Mexican government, he pro-
posed that this government should accept the
drafts Of that government for the third and fourth
instalments Of the indemnity, and that the Next
can government would allow the United States
for such acceptance one per cent. more than any
banker would give for contract to make the
payments. There was no question of his re-
sponsibity involved. He was not to receive from
the United States nor to pay in their behalf one
single dollar. He acted only as the agent of the
Mexican government; and the purpose was to
have the payments made to the Mexican govern
used the agency conferred upon them by the
United States to speculate on the necessities of
Mexico. The Mexican Minister was to present
the drafts, receive the acceptances or payments,
and give full and valid receipt
When this matter was before Congress at the
last session, the administration refused to COM
municate to Congress the necessary information
fthe wishes and objects of the Mexican govern
ment, as communicated officially by Mr.. De la
Rosa, and unofhcially by letters addressed by
various members of the Mexican Cabinet to va
rious members of the American Cabinet. We
earnedfrom the chairman of the Committee on Fl
nance that the chief obstacle to the payment of
the money, as was desired by the Mexican govern
ment, and as had been promised by Gen. Taylor
and Mr.. Clayton, was, that neither the Senate nor
the committee had any official information of the
wishes Of Mexico. We reported this conversation
to Mr. De la Rosa, who was at first disposed to
adopt our suggestion, and make the necessary
communication to Congress, through the chair
man of the Committee on Finance. On more
mature reflection, however, he determined that it
was not proper for him thus to appeal from the
Executive to the Legislature, and he accordingly
determined to address to Mr.. Marks the con-
tractor and agent for the Mexican government,
the following note:
"MExIoAN LEGATION IN U. s. OF THE NORTH,
+" Washington, January 80, 1851.
Mr.. l. D. MARKS: am informed by your note
of the 28th instant that Mr.. Hunter the chair
man of the Committee on Finance of the Senate,
wishes to know in positive manner whether the
pOV n olv tore
the contract made with you to advance the sums
which are to become due for the indemnity which
the United States pay to that republic. l regret
that l cannot reply to this; but you must know
that in this, in all other matters of my lega-
ton, l can only communicate with the Honorable
Secretary of State / have already had various |
conferences with that gentleman in relation to |
your contract, and understand that if the Senate
wish to know the desires of Mexico in respect to
the realization of the said contract the Secretary
of State will inform them correctly of what
have made known to him on this subject.
81 am your attentive servant,
"LOUIS DE LA ROSA"
A copy of this letter was enclosed to the chair
man of the Committee on Finance, with q request
that the information should be called for in the
manner indicated by Mr.. De la Rosa. This led
to the adoption by the Senate, Of the resolution
of inquiry of the 10th of February, 1851. In
answer to that resolution, the President trans
mitted to the Senate the following report:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
"Wdshington, February ~, 1851.
:" The Secretary of State, to whom was referred
the resolution of the Senate of the 10th instant,
requesting the President to communicate to the
Senate, if compatible with the public interest all
the information communicated to him by the
Mexican Minister, Mr.. DE la Rosa, relative to the
drafts drawn by the Mexican government on the
treasury of the United States, under the contract
made by that government with l. ID. Marks and
the wishes of the Mexican government in relation
thereto, has the honor to report to the President
that there is no information Of the character re-
ferred to in this department, nor is the Secretary
of State aware that Mr.. De la Rosa has Mt any
time communicated to the President or to this de-
partment any such information.
:" From the accompanying copy of the note of
the Sd instant, and of the papers therein referred
to, addressed by Mr.. De 10 Rosa to this depart
ment, it appears that Mr.. Edmund J. Forstall
has made a contract with the Mexican govern
ment, pursuant to which he has advanced to that
government six hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars on account Of the instalment due on the 31st
Of May next, agreeably to the treaty of Guada-
lupe Hidalgo
Respectfully submitted.
"DANIEL WEBSTER.
"To the PRESIDENT of the United States"
When this report was sent to the Senate, the
Secretary Of State was not aware that we had in
our possession q letter from Mr.. De Ia Rosa
stating that she had had parfous conferences wah
Mr. Webster on The subject Of Mr.. Markss contract. "
Yet it is most surprising that Mr.. Webster should
have ventured to say that "he acas not a,care that
Mr.. DE la Rosa had at any time communicated 10 The
President or 10 this department any such nforma-
ton" when he had authorized Mr.. Bayly to state