The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-29

effective. Their testimony in this respect, and
in reference to the only remedy which, in their
judgments, would meet the exigency, has been
both uniform and emphatic. Nothing but a
manifestation of the power of the Government
of the United States, (wrote our late minister
in 1867 and of its purpose to punish these
wrongs, will avail. / assure you that the uni
versaI belief here is that there is nothing to be
apprehended from the Government of the
United States, and that local Mexican officials
can commit these outrages upon American
citizens with absolute impunity."
81 hope the President wrote our present
Minister in August last) "will feel authorized
to ask from Congress the power to enter Mexico
with the military forces of the United States, at
the call of the constitutional authorities, in or
der to protect the citizens and the treaty rights
of the United States. Unless such power is
conferred upon him, neither the one nor the
other will be respected in the existing state OF
anarchy and disorder, and the outrages already
perpetrated will never be chastised; and, as
assured you in my No. %, all these evils must
increase, until every vestige of order and gov
eminent disappears from the country" have
been reluctantly led to the same opinion and,
in justice to my countrymen who have suffered
wrongs from Mexico, and who may still suffer
them, feel bound TO announce this conclusion
to Congress.
The case presented, however, is not merely
case of individual claims, although our just
claims against Mexico have reached a very
large amount. Nor is it merely the case of pro
lection to the lives and property Of the few
Americans who may still remain in Mexico, al
though the life and property of every American
citizen ought to be sacredly protected in every
quarter of the wsrld. But it is question which
relates to the future as well as to the present
and the past, and which involves, indirectly at
least, the whole subject of our duty to Mexico
as a neighboring State. The exercise Of the
power of the United States in that country to
redress the wrongs and protect the rights of our
own citizens is none the less to be desired, be-
cause efficient and necessary aid may thus be
rendered at the same time to restore peace and
order to Mexico itself. In the accom- plishment
of this result, the people of the United States
must necessarily feel deep and earnest inter
est. Mexico ought to be rich, and prosper
Gus, and powerful Republic. She possesses an
extensive territory, fertile soil, and an meal
culable store of mineral wealth. She occupies
an important position between the Gulf and the
ocean for transit routes and for comm cree. Is
it possible that such a country as this can be
given up to anarchy and ruin, without effort
from any quarter for its rescue and its safety
Will the commercial nations of the world, which
have so many interests connected with it, re-
main UuOllJ W SuCu ~ result! OdH
the United States, especially, which ought to
share most largely in its commercial inter
course, allow their Immediate neighbor thus TO
destroy itself and injure them? Yet, without
support from some quarter, it is impossible to
perceive how Mexico can resume her position
among nations, and enter upon a career which
promises any good results. The aid which she
requires, and which the interests of all CONNER
cial countries require that she should have, it
belongs to this Government to render not only
by virtue of our neighborhood to Mexico, along
whose territory we have a continuous frontier of
nearly thousand miles, but by virtue, also, Of
our established policy, which is inconsistent
with the Intervention of any European Power
IN the domestic concerns of that Republic.
The wrongs which we have suffered from
Mexico are before the world and must deeply
impress every American citizen. Govern
ment which is either unable or unwilling to re-
dress such wrongs is derelict to its highest du-
ties. The difficulty consists in selecting and
enforcing the remedy. We may in vain apply
to the Constitutional Government at Vera Cruz
although it is well disposed to do us Justice, for
adequate redress. Whilst its authority is ac-
knOwledged in all the important ports and
throughout the sea coasts Of the Republic, its
power does not extand to the city of Mexico
and the States in its vicinity, where nearly all
the recent outrages have been committed on
American citizens. We must penetrate into
the interior before we can reach the offenders
and this can only be done by passing through
the territory in the occupation of the Constitu-
tional Government. The most acceptable and
least difficult mode of accomplishing the object
will be to act in concert with that Government.
Their consent and their aid might, l believe, be
obtained but if not, our obligation to protect
our own citizens in their Just rights, secured by
treaty, would not be the less imperative For
these reasons recommend to Congress to pass
a law authorizing the President under such
conditions as they may deem expedient, to en-
ploy sufficient military force to enter Mexico
for the purpose of obtaining indemnity for the
past and security for the future. | purposely
refrain from any suggestion as to whether this
force shall consist of regular troops or volun-
teers, or both. This question may be most APP
propriately left to the decision of Congress. |
would merely observe that, should volunteers be
selected, such force could be easily raised in
this country among those who sympathize with
the sufferings of our unfortunate fellow citizens
in Mexico, and with the unhappy condition of
that Republic. Such an accession to the forces
of the Constitutional Government would enable
it soon to reach the city of Mexico, aud extend
its power over the whole Republic. In that
event, there is no reason to doubt that the Just
claims of our citizens would be satisfied, and
adequate redress obtained for the injuries in
1cted upon them. The Constitutional Gov
eminent have ever evinced a strong desire to
do us justice, and this might be secured in ad-
vance by preliminary treaty.
| 1t may be said that these measures will, at
least indirectly, be inconsistent with our wise
and settled policy not to interfere in the do
mestic concerns of foreign nations. But does
not the present case fairly constitute an ex-
| ception? An adjoining Republic is in a state
of anarchy and confusion, from which she has
proved wholly unable to extricate herself She
/ is entirely destitute of the power to maintain
peace upon her borders, or to prevent the incur
sions of banditti into our. territory. In her fate
and in her fortune-in her power to establish
and maintain a settled Government-we have
a far deeper interest, socially, commercially,
and politically, than any other nation. She Is
now wreck upon the ocean, drifting about as
she is impelled by different factions. AS
good neighbor, shall we not extend to her a
helping hand to save her? If we do not, it
would not be surprising should some other ma
| ton undertake the task, and thus force us to
interfere at last under circumstances of in
creased difficulty, for the maintenance of our
established policy.
l repeat the recommendation contained in
my last annual message, that authority may be
| given to the President to establish one or more
temporary military posts across the Mexican
line in Sonora and chihuahua, where these
| may be necessary to protect the lives and prop
| erty of American and Mexican citizens against
the incursions and depredations of the Indians,
as well as of lawless revers on that remote re-
| gion. The establishment of ope such post at
point called Arispe in Sonora, in country
now almost depopulated by the hostile inroads
| of the Indians from side of he limo xyOnld