The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-03
RELATIONS WITH MEXICO.
SPEECH OF HON. JOHN P. HALE, OF n H

For which Mr.. SEWARD had offered the fol
lowing a substitute:
strike out an after the ~ord Resolosd " sad Insert
That the United states sUspend dipomate nseo
reasonable time receive nom IT, oder ii artitrs
ton, according to the Of the treaty Of uu@AlaDe Il
| dalgo.
| Mr.. HALE MIR President. believe that It
was about the time of the last war with Eng
land, that a gallant and deceased officer of the
American navy, at II public dinner, gave this
toast 4" Our country; may she always be right ;
but right or wrong, may she ever be victorious"
| have no wish at the present time to find fault
| with the sentiment but modern progress has
abbreviated it somewhat and in the common
parlance of the day it is thus expressed briefly,
"Our country, right or wrong" emitting the
most material part of the wish and toast "may
she always be right" Sir, desire always to
be ON the side of my country. desire that she
| may be always right but whether she is right
or wrong, am always with her and for her.
believe it is the first duty of patriotism, when
| We find the country wrong, to endsavor to set
| her right and when we find that she is going
in direction which is likely 10 place her in a
wrong position, she is entitled To our best eff
| torts to put her in different direction.
| know further sir, that there is another Ak
| ION in the politics of modern days which il,
that when the country is in q war, no matter
| whether chat war is Just or un just no matter
whether We had good and sufficient cause for
it or not it is the duty Of patriotism to sustain
| the war, and sustain the Administration in "A
vigorous and efficient prosecution of it. shall
not combat that sentiment at present but will
claim for it this qualification: That it is not
the duty of patriotism - when an individual
sees the country about to take position which
will lead to war, when if the war ensue il
must inevitably be I'M ust-to hasten the coun-
try into such position but on the other
hand it If the dictate of patriotism and of duty
| TO endeavor to arrest q series of measures which
are calculated to place the country in such an
unfortunate position.
| believe, sir, that the course recommended
| by the Committee on Foreign Relations Of the
Senate to be pursued in relation to Mexico has
ust exactly that tendency, and is calculated to
produce exactly that result IL those resou-
tons mean anything-and they certainly do,
because they do not come from a source where
mere idle gasconade is used-they mean that
diplomatic relations with Mexico are to be sus-
pended, that this country is to assume posi-
ton of hostility looking to war unless Mexico
reverses its whole policy, unless it DEGREES and
confirms that which the people and the Gov
eminent of Mexico have pronounced to be null
and void-I mean the Garay grant.
That is the position which the committee
take, as | understand their resolution. They
say that they are fully prepared to sustain
the Executive department in the position"
which it has assumed towards Mexico; and
they conclude by recommending to the Senate
| the adoption of the resolutions which are now
| before us and which are familiar to every
| member of the body in which they say: 1T
is not compatible with the dignity of this Gov
eminent 20 prosecute the subject further by
| negotiation" We are to fold our arms in Of
| Tended dignity, and wait for Mexico to come to
| us and il Mexico does not come to US, we
| stand committed to our citizens "to protect
them in their rights abroad az we'll as at
| home" and il Mexico fails within reasona-
bic time TO reconsider her position respecting
the Garay grant, "then it will have become
the duty of this Government to review all ex-
isting relations with that Republic, and to
adopt such measures as will preserve the honor
of the country and the rights Of its citizens
Sir, claim to have given some attention 10
this subject and heard the speech that was
made by the honorable chairman Of the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations Mr.. Mason with
good deal of pain, because | thought it was
placing the Senate, and If the country followed
| luo Stuutc, IL WuS TIC oouutI III VI very
false position The reason for that opinion
now propose to give to the Senate as briefly as
may The materials upon which this opinion
is founded are spread over good many pages,
and cover a large portion Of the history of our
diplomacy in Mexico, and of the domestic his
tory of that Government, for several years past
The position which is assumed by the Presi-
dent, by the Secretary of State, and by all the
officers of the Administration who have had
anything to do with this matter, by our foreign
! minister's and by our committees, Is this That
the citizens of the United States, relying in good
| faith upon the offers and Inducements which
have been holden out by Mexico, have invested
their funds and incurred large expenses in this
undertaking. and that now they are debarred
and prevented from going on to perfect what
they have undertaken, and to realize the bene-
fits of the investments they have made by the
bad faith of Mexico. You find this idea spread
| over the whole correspondence. You find it in
the letter of Mr.. Fillmore to President Arista
for in that letter he says, Il quote the extracts
given by the committee in their report
In addition to the motives | have urged for the
speedy adjustment of this matter. bog leave most
earnestly to call the attention of your Exoollency to
the probable difficulties that may grow up between
tho two nations, should Mexico break her pghted
faith in tho grant to Garay. Our citizens rely ing
upon her good faith, have become Interested In that
grant they have advanced large sums Of money for
the purpose Of carrying out its objects they have
surveyed route for n railroad, and demon the
pracicability Of constructing IT, and II 10 not posi-
bio that thcy should now be deprived of the priM-
loges guaranteed by that grant and sustain the heavy
losses that must ensue without appealing 10 their
own Government for tho enforcement of their rights
My nxous desire lie 10 avoid tho too probable CON
sequences that must result from such an appeal We
oannot IL we would, be indifferent to IT. II Is duty
protect their rights at homo and abroad; and the
growing out OF the disagreement Of the
proprietor of the Garay grant and tho Government
of Mexico such true friend Of this country
OF Of Mexico can look upon with Indifference"
What does that language meant War. IL
can mean nothing else. Then the President of
the United States, in a formal letter to Presi-
dent Arsta, denounces war by this Republic
upon the Republic Of Mexico, unless the latter
confirms the Garay grant; and it is assumed
that citizens of the United States, relying upon
the plighted faith of Mexico, have invested
their means in the enterprise secured by the
Garay grant, and that by the bad faith of
Mexico they arc debarred from enjoying the
privileges OF that grant. The same thing il
said by Mr.. Webster in his letter TO MIR
Letchsr dated August "a, 1880. Here is his
language
British subjects Hence the validity Of their title is
conceived 70 have derived peculiar sanction which
tho honor OF this Government demands should DO
maintained unimpared." - III Mex
leo should reject overtures for this purpose
will extend our protection TO them alone according
to our own sense Of right and duty, aud us future
events may require"
Mr.. Webster there threatens, that il the
Government Of Mexico docs not confirm this
grant, the Government Of the United States
will 20 upon her territory and enforce its own
ideas Of the protection which is due to Its citi-
zens, without the consent of Mexico, and against
its will But Mr.. Webster in that letter, was
not content altogether 10 act the part Of the
warrior. He manifested, at the Close Of it.
what think wnnld be called in the Snnthern