The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-05

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express conditions that he should cause the neces,
sary surveys to be made at his own expense, ana
begin the work within a prescribed period other
wise the exclusive privilege to cease; and granting
to him, as compensation for his services and ex-
pendtures, thirty miles Of public lands on each sue
Of the road subject 70 the condition OF forfeiture iof
nor performance of the stipulated services and 10
the further condition, that the assignees OF the
lands thus granted must, if foreigners, renounce
their nationality and become American citizens,
SO as to prevent all pretext for foreign In
PREVENTION IN any case or for anv cause. sup
pose that Mr.. Whitney should fail 10 comply
with the conditions of this grant, and
that well knowing that the executive had no au-
thority to promugate any such decree, aud fearing
that Congress might either declare 1t null or the
era Mt forfeited for non funent Of the conditions,
be should secretly assign it to British subjects N
the hope that the power OF Great Britain woulo
intimdate the American Congress, and deter them
from asserting their constitutional authority IN the
premises. To make the analogy complete. let US
suppose that the government of Great Britain,
interruptions as it generally is, where the Interests
Of British subjects concerned, should Ieeoll
from and refuse to lend its aid in any such scheme
Of intimidation, force and fraud-that those
British subjects should present themselves to the
United States government as the assignees OF Mr.
Whitpey-that the United States government
should promptly deny the validity OF the grant
and the transfer-that those British subjects hould
tbereupon make another assignment to French
citizens and that the latter should accept this
sigpment, with full notice that the United States
government had repudiated the grant, and pub.
licly proclaimed it to be invalid ana extinct
And now, let us suppose that the United states
were "poor, weak and distracted" "with an ex.
hausted treasury and sinking credit" like Mexico,
and that France was as rich and powerful, as com.
pared to the United Staes as the latter are IN COM
paIison to Mexico. Suppose that this attempt Of
Mr. Whitney to iDterp0ss the power of Great Bri
tain and France, to intimidate the Congress Of his
own country into submission to bis pretens,ons,
shou arouse the Indignation Of bis c0untrymen,
so that he and his grant should come 20 be . de-.
tested by all parties" (see Mr. Letcher's de-
spatches), and that the French minister should
pass sharp notes very hastily prepared" pc.
rmptorily dem snding that Mr.. Whitney transfer,
through Britih subjects, to French citizens should
strong language his disapprobation Of the course
taken by the American Secretary Of State, be-
the latter DARED to show, by an able and Dig
nifsd argument, that their prete nsions were un-
founded and, finally, that President Louis Napo-
leon should address himself directly to the Pres-
dent of the United States, threatening q disturb.
ance of exstng harmonious relations, unless those
pretensions be admitted
Can any one doubt what would be the action of
the American Congress and people under such cir
cumstances Would they quietly submit to such
indignity !? Would they, at the dictation of the
french minister, surrender their constitutional
functions, repudiate the principles which lay ut the
foundation Of their government, and tamely submit
to menace and opprt ssiOn
Yet such is the course to which Garay, backed by
the American executive, is seeking, by intimida-
ton and thre ats to drive the Congress and govern
ment Of Mexico The case have supposed, absurd,
preposterous, outrageous, as 1t seems, when applied
to ourselves. is precisely the case presented such
the exact attitude of the United States and Mexico
in reference to this Carey grant.
Can the people Of the United States approve such
conduct towards Mexico If So is it because Mexi-
co is weak and the United STATED powerful Is il
because Mr. Garay. who in lS47 charged the Anne
rican people with covetousDess and cowardice, has
any special claim to their favor and protection? Was
the stigma which Carey thus threw upon the Amer
lean character, well deserved Are they both
covetous and cowardly, ready to "trample on the
rights of Mexico in q manner which they would
not dare attempt where British interests were in
v0lved ? Can it be that
The good oh rule
Suffceth them the simple plan
That they shall take who have the power,
And they shall keep. who can!'
If SO. what do they want Is it possible that their
late calumDiator, Garay has, by some mysterious
telgepce, become object of such interest to their
govern ment. that they are ready to repNlate the
principles of their own constitution and every senti-
ment Of magnanimity. right and justice. to aid his
private speculatons and make fortunes for him and
bis associates Or do the American people simply
desire to see road open ed, by which they and all
the world have free equal terms 70 the
Pacific oy the lsthmus OF Tehuantepec!
Ifthis last be all they desire. Mexicois as anxious
for It's Accomplishment az they are. Read the pub
llsueu SEE Ia tue nltAiCiu CIV
eminent has not throughout manifested an earn, :.
despe ,s crafty tie Unaesb The former could
~. Of national dishobor and degradation The
record when complete, shows that. Garny him
self admitted, IN his petition of the 18th OF
Oct Ss6. above quoted, that the decree OF the 9th
of Nov. 1916. on which his ptetensions rest. was
lot within the reach .: tue executive p)ger, and
was, therefore unconstitutional and Invalid Yet,
it was no. enough to demand that Mexico should
pudiate Der own constitution and laws in favor OF
bis pietensons. She was also required to consent
by treaty that a foreign commissioner should reside
within her territory, with power, ut his discretion,
to call in foreign military force to preserve order
within her own jurisdiction Was a more degrading
proposition ever made to any recognized govern
ment ! Could such proposition ever be m ,de
with any expectation of lis being acquiescd in un.
less by that government which tamely submitted
to the iDpudent pretensions Of Great Britain and
France, to exercise "a naval police jurisdiction over
the seas in the immediate vicinity of the United
States" and to determine what was "lawiul,' -
what unlawful, trade in those seas :! (See cores
pondence between MessIs Crlttenden and Webster,
and Messrs Crampton and Sartiges on the subject
Of the orders given to the British and French naval
commanders on the West India station)
To this demand the Mexican government replied,
that t infripged the sovereignty the honor, the
dignity, and national pride Of Mexico" Where
upon the American Minister stock suitable occa-
to say" that in the event OF Mexico refusing to
enter into treaty required, "his government vas
deter mined to take the affair into her hands,
To this threat Mr.. Letcher says-(See his despatch
to Dir Webster, No. S3, Oct. 22d, 1862
The spswor was substantially ths:-Your government
is strong weak You have the power to take the
whole any portion Of our territory you may think it
baye not the faculty TO resist We have done all that
we could to satisfy your country and to crafty per-
fonslly. We can do more " is the policy ana the
wish of Mexico to be the most friendly foang with
the United States. What Is required OF us we cannot
grant.
Again, in his despatch Of the 18th Oct 1851, Mr..
Letcher reports the following the language of the
Mexican Minister
Mexico is not disposed to throw obstacles in the way
Of great improvement which would be Of incaculabl
benefit to all the commercial world. She Il willing to
grant the privilege to the United States fair
almost sny shape you may ask It, but she will
part with her sovereign rights TO mere corporation
She will suffer every thing before she Will allow that.
And. again, in his despatch Of the lith December,
1851, as follows-
lie (Mr Ramirez) altogether satisfied the interest
of Mexico. and in fact that Of the whole commercial
world. demanded the contemplated connection bet seen
the two Oceans that FAR from throwing obstscles in
the vsy Of that connection Mexico fully prepared to
eyeiy reasonable length 70 that great object
that MextcD hints IA he had