The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-12-30

| establishment of the HudsOn's Bay Compa-
ny for raising sheep. A short time before
| his ARRIVAL ore of these residents had shot
an animal belonging to the company, while
trespassing upon his premises, for which,
| however, he offered to pay twice its value;
but that was refused. Soon after, the " chief
| factor of the company at Victoria Mr..
| Dalles, son-in-law of Governor Douglass,
came to the Island in the British sloop-of-
war Satellite, and threatened to take this
American Mr.. Cutler) by sOrce to Victoria,
to answer for the trespass be had commit
| ted. The American seized his rifle, and
told Mr.. DalIes if any such attempt were
made, he would Kill him ON the spot. The
affair then ended"
| Under these circumstances, the American
| settlers presented petition 10 the General
through the United States inspector of
customs, Mr.. HubbS, to place force upon
| the island to protect them from the Indians,
as well as the oppressive interference of the
authorities of the Hudson Bay Company at
Victoria, with their rights as American citi-
zens.' The General Immediately responded
TO this petition, and ordered Capt. George
| f. Pickett 9th infantry, " TO establish his
company on Bellevue San Juan Island,
on some suitable position near the harbor
at the southeastern extremity" This or
| uCL was ltOhipbi1 O'thNt, anu ~ iilfilbdIF
post was established at the place designated
The force was afterwards Increased, so that
| by the last return the whole number of
troops then on the island amounted in the
| aggregate to 691 men.
While do not deem it proper on the
present occasion to go further into the sub
jeet, and discuss the weight which should be
attached to the statements of the British col
onial authorities, contesting the accuracy of
| the information on which the gallant Gen
eral acted, it was due to him that | should
thus present his own reasons for issuing the
order to Captain Pickett. From these it is
quite clear his object was to prevent the
British authorities on Nancouver's Island
from exercising jurisdiction over American
residents on the Island of San Juan, as
well as to protect them against the incur
sions of the Indians
Much excitement prevailed for some time
throughout that region, and serious danger
| of collision between the parties was appre-
hended. The British had large naval force
| in the vicinity, and it is but an act of simple
justice to the admiral on that station, to state
that he wisely and discreetly lorbore to com
nit any hostile act, but determined to refer
the whole affair to his governments and
await their instructions.
This aspect of the matter, in my opinion,
demanded serious attention. IL would have
been great calamity for both nations, had
they been precipitated into acts of hostility,
not on. the question of title To- the Island,
| but merely concerning what should be its
condition during the Intervening period,
whilst the two governments might be en-
| ployed III settling the question to which of
them it belongs. For this reason, Lieuten-
| ant General Scott was dispatched on the
18th OF September last, to Washington ter
ritory, to take immediate command of the
United States forces on the Pacific coast,
should he deem this necessary. The main
object of his mission was to carry ont the
/ spirit of the precautionary arrangement be-
| tween the late Secretary of State and the
British minister, and thus to preserve the
peace and prevent collision between the
| British and American authorities pending
the negotiations between the two govern
ments.
Entertaining no doubt of the validity of
our title, | need scarcely add that, in any
| event, American citizens were 10 be placed
on footing AZ least as favorable as that of
| British subjects, it being understood that
| Capt. Picketts company should remain on
the island. 1t is proper to observe that, con-
sidering the distance from the scene of ac-
! ton, and in ignorance of what might have
| TRANSFERRED on the spot before the Generals
arrival, it was necessary to leave much to
his discretion, and | am happy to state the
event has proven that this discretion could
| not have been intrusted to more competent
hands. General Scott has recently returned
from his mission, having successfully accom-
! plished its objects, and theTe is no longer
any good reason to appreh6Ad Il collision
| between the forces of the two countries
during the tendency of the existing negot-
| ations.
regret to inform you that there has
been no improvement in the affairs of Mex
leo since my last annual message, and am
again obliged to ask the earnest atten-
ton of Congress to the unhappy condition
of the Republic.
which adjourned on the 18th of February.
1857, adopted constitution, and provided
for popular election. This took place in
the following July, 1857 and Gen. Com
oAfort was chosen President almost with
out opposition. At the same election a new
Congress was chosen, whose first session
commenced ON the 10th of September
TI857l. BY the constitution Of 1887, the
presidential term was to begin on the LIST of
December 1851 aud continue for four
years. On that day Gen. Comonfort APP
pcarrd before the assembled Congress in the /
city of Mexico, took oath to support the |
new constitution, and was duly maugurated /
as President. Within month afterwards |
he had been driven from the capital and a !
military rebellion had assigned the Supreme
power of the Republic to Gen. Zuloaga-
The constitution provided that in the alb
sence of the President his Office should de-
vOlve upon the Chief Justice OF the Su-
prcme Court, and, Gen. Comontort having |
left the country, this iunctlonary, General /
Juarez, proceeded TO form, at Guanujuato, a
constitutional government.
Before this was officially known, how /
ever, at the capital, the government OF Zu-
loaga had been recognized by the entire iii
plomatic corps, including the minister OF .
the United States, as the de .tacto govern
ment of Mexico. The constitutional Presi-
dent, nevertheless, maintained his position
with frmness. and was soon established |
with his cabinet at Vera Cruz Meanwhile /
the government of Zuloaga was earnestly
resisted in many parts of The Republic, and
even in the capital, Il portion OF The army