Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1852-05-27
NO. So.
Tehuantepeci

IN our history. The unqualified assault has been
made upon the vested rights of our citizens the most u
dsgushed insult offered the honor and interest of the
nation by corrnpt clique Of Mexican officials and If
this is permitted to pass unredressed there will be no
safety henceiorth for the persons aud property Of Amer
leans ia any portion Of Spanish America. Even the
immense and aImportanr consideration OF the
shortest and most secure highway the Pacific, worth
as 1t s millions year to commerce. and even more
to the necessities Of interstate communication be-
comes of small moment compared to this question Of
principle which the tyranny and bad faith of Mexico is
now pressing home to every mans heart Shall foreign
governments be permitted to iRUeiele ci-ens into
terPrises inrOlviag itmes Of labor and the outlay Of
hundreds Of combined fortunes and promising nealcuaBe
Advantage to our country, soeH to the one
ktHg these deceM guarantees and then at the first cap
rice recede from her pledges and Orerissl ruin all
those chO hare been led to rely on her good faith?
This has been done with impunity in the case Of Te-
huantePec, although every State in the Union is inter-
ested in the work and although the government Of the
Unted States has been first arfuy deceived and then
openly insuted by the act In the have
been, and in the same manner will be, other bodies of
American citizens and other American interests tram
pied under foot by these ahess and changing des-
posms But for this license of oppression towards
citizens in the Spanish American States all their teem-
ing rivers would resound to the rough notes Of eur
painting steamers bearing them from shores the
-four and fabrics they need much and bringing back
to in cheap abundance, their tropical wealth, which
now lays dead and useless on their hands Compane.
from the Hudson, the Mississippi and the Ohio have
been Induced by the farseemng prors Of the Spanish
American governments to build and 60 there
to open trade, hoping by their active enterprise
rich themselves and benefit the country But almost in
varaby does it happen that the crowns
these efforts some high official falls in love with their
property and without ceremony seizes for his
IL the luckless complain, there prison; If he
appeals to government he entangled in ruinous
system Of diplomatic delays and evasions and is
happy and Fortunate if the end of his lost year
specuator will give him the twentieth part Of his just
and legal claim whercwth to begin life over again We
end this system Of robbery and forever II is
time that our government should establish firmly the
paih principle that other nations shall keep faith and
observe the conditions they make with citizens.
There should be parade Of this useless and
ending diplomacy with irresponsible powers IL
have rights people, and the power to enforce them,
let action supercede words There is no need Of war,
the slightest occasion for gun soldier
than we now maintain. We have but to withdraw from
the service of Queen Isabella who spare them very
well for a while the ships of war doing police drty
the shores OF Cuba and place them guard the gulf
entrance of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, detach
steamer do the service the Pacific side, and
them of begging with folded hands and downcast
eyes through years OF rebuff and insult for the decent
and honest treatment of American citizens let gov
the truth and enforce Justice.
This is not party toplc- the whole people
There is dissenting vcice-there be none-where
the facts known Ten years since the Of
Mexico made compact with Don Jose Garay, Of
her citizens open channel Of trade and travel
across the fs.hmus of Tehuantepec and join the Mex
can Gulf to the Pacific by railroad or canal. Liberal
concessions made induce foreigners 10 come for
ward and perform the supendous work. for Mexico and
Mexicans yet ripe for such undertaking.
The preliminary surveys were made, some auxiliary
roads were by Senor Garay and then he disposed OF
the claim in part, if wholly, TO Manning and Mack
intosh, the great English bankers in Mexico. Then
slight additional concessions in the way OF time
were asked and granted and for years through
all its successive changes and mutations the dc fact0
government of Mexico recognized aud confirmed the
contract and the contractors went expending large
sums in advancing their work. Our war with Mexico
and the treaty which concluded it, set upon the seal
beyond even the Mexican skill in double dealing We
possessed the couny flag waved over her mountain
grdled capital ships held every port, even to the
most precious of ALL the outlet Of the Hussacuaco the
gate of the sthnus which held needed and inevitable
pathway California and with the boundess promise ef
the orient and our wsest statesmen OF all parties, felt
that the right to use it freely must add new and
browning star of empire to the Union In this iron
souled Marcy and sagacious Buchanan kept even step
and anxious watch with the immortal Clay and the elo-
quent Webster. There not Of the great lights
of the country, who from their lofty position cast their
farreaching eve along the lines Of growing glory,
that did not feel and declare that anything could this
great gain would amply repay to the nation and to hu-
man, the cost of the war. How then did we, in the
full flush of victory and in the absolute possession OF the
coveted prize yield up the possession Of Tehuanepec
The Mexican government de facfO plead the sacred
rights of property the just claims Of investments made
by this company under her pledges and guarantees and
we yctors, were, bowed to the sancuty oil these
pror rights aud released mortal foe the most pre-
cous of our boodwcn fruits But all may see that by
this act Mexico barred herself and forever from
denvna her position on this charter, and least Of all
with
Thus stood the affair of Tehuanepee at the close Of
the war and soon after Mr. p A. Hargons, an American
citizen purchased the rights of Gsrey. Manning, and
Macintosh and with his American associates expended
some two hundred thousand dollars energetic
meneement Of the union of the seas. The Mexican
government always smiling upon and encouraging them
up to the point which the perfect practicabliy and
probable profits Of the project became esden and then
,f barr he