Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-07-01

VIII OF man could devise. And the Mexican
commissioners, when they inserted this clause
into the treaty, meant to stipulate for the ut
most possible degree of protection that human
| power could afford. And this is the provision
| OF treaty eXtorted from that nation when
they were PROSTATE in the dust; when their
energies and means had all been exhausted
when our victorious armies traversed their
country in every direction, and their beautiful
capital itself was in our hands; when Mexico
lay under our feet, bleeding at every pore, this
was the treaty we forced upon her. And the
question now is, shall we screen ourselves from
the obligations of that treaty by mere play
of words
On such play of words as the member from
Missouri Mr.. Benton used yesterday, that we
were not bound to extend to them any more
protection than we had extended to our own
citizens; that we had showed no energy or zeal
in protecting our own citizens and that the
want OF energy we showed in protecting our
own citizens, was the measure of energy that
we were under obligations to bestow in pro-
tecting the people Of Mexico. Why, sir, has it
come to this, that we shall use our own wrong
to relieve ourselves from the obligations Of
treaties? Has it come to this, that we shall
use our own want of duty to our own citizens
as a reason why we should not do dutywh
we bound ourselves by treaty to perform to q
foreign nation, and a weak and defenceless
nation, over which we had triumphed? am
against that sort of morality. would not
learn morality in such school. say, those
words bind us in the strongest way in which
language can bind us, to have protected the
border provinces Of Mexico. And If we have
failed to do so--a fact about which there is no
dispute-then we are bound to make indem-
nifty. We should put them in the same condi-
ton in which they would have been had we
performed our part. of the treaty. That is
what contend for. would perform a treaty
with the weakest as with the greatest power,
and of all powers the Mexican the most-that
weak, that distracted, that discordant power,
which has been in a state of chaos since it first
struck for liberty; the government of which
has been occupied by one military despot after
another; which has been torn and conyulsed
with civil discord, and whose ruin has been
almost completed by our own arms say
that II there is any power on earth for which
would go further to perform treaties with than
another, it is this Mexican power. would
act towards her with generosity, good faith,
justice, and magnanimity. If we adopt the
construction which the member from Missouri
puts on this treaty, and say that we are not
Liable, the name of America will become by
word. American faith will be worse than
Punic faith. One will be ashamed to acknow-
ledge that he was an American, if we thus
play on words with weak and defenceess
power.
On the ground of obligations under this
treaty and the liabilities which we assume under
its eleventh article, am in favor of voting this
appropriation, in order TO get rid of them. 1t
is an article which, so long as it exists, may
subject US to great expense, and what is morel
if we refuse to perform its obligations, we shal
strike blow at thesreputation of our country
which should be dearer to us than money
There is a clause in the treaty too, which SAYS.
that on any violation of it in any particular,
either government shall have the right to refer
the matter to arbitration, with the exception
that the other government may refuse to do SO
if it deems it utterly inconsistent with its safety
or interest Then we should be bound to refer
this matter to arbitration. Who would we refer
tito? doubt whether there could be found
government who would go into it with all its
sympathes on the side of Mexico, and we
would come out Of the arbitration with ten,
twenty, or thirty millions Of dollars due to that
nation. l am unwilling 10 run the risk of that
arbitration. think it wise to settle the mat
ter by the treaty.
1t has been said that the late administration
offered 100000 or $7,000,000 for the abro-
cation of that eleventh article Of the treaty of
Guadaloupe Hidalgo. If that be true, then we
have an additional reason for this treaty. That
would be an Interpretation of our own on the
treaty, and we would be estopped from denying
our own liability.
There is one remaining view of this treaty
that recommends itself to my mind. 1t secures
railroad route to the Pacific. / do not de.
sire this route simply because it is southern
route, for am willing to see road established
at the north, and in the centre. look upon
the prosperity Of the country with pleasure,
and the making of these great improvements,
as so many indications of the progress of the
country. The Legislature of the State of Texas
have granted immense tracts of land to en-
able railroad to be run, through that State
from the Louisiana line to Ell Paso, and to
secure its construction. From FL Paso to the
navigabe waters of the river ella, is not more
than four hundred and fifty miles. The con-
struction of this road would connect the At
lantic and Pacific, but of course this road
would pass on to San Diego, and eventually to
San Francisco. l think, therefore, that the
southern route Is the best route for railroad
TO the Pacific, for this reason, among others
which could be given, that it would be the
shortest route. This treaty is really valuable
to the whole country because it secures this
great route. And for the reasons have thus
hastily given shall vote for the appropriation
to carry out the provisions of this treaty.
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From tho New York Evening Mirror.
Native and Foreign.
Tha Oh .a tolro al