Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-12-29


Ieaanicd have boen whoy poWiroaa 10 make thelr d.
manN snoctve. Their toshmony W this respect, nnd
IN feoftuce 20 nc ony REMEDY which, 70 their Juag
form and emphatic. "Nothing but n manifesation Of
the power n the Government Of the united States
lufota our late miustur IN 1891 and II It, purpose
10 punish these wrongs will avail assure Won that
The universal belief hore Is that there h nothing 10 be
apprehendfd from the Government Of the uned states
aud that local Mexican officials can commit these out
RACES upon American citgens with ahsnlute impunity
II hope the Presideut-wrOte our Minister In August
last-'wil feel authorized to ask from Congress the
power TO enter Mexico with the military f0rcea Of he
United States, a. the call Of the constitutional snthor
Ties 10 order 70 protect the citizens and the treaty
rights Of ,he United States Unless such power i
be respected In the erstng state Of auarehy ant dts
order and the outaFes already perPotaied viii never
be chaetlsed; aud, assured you In my No. %, all
these evils increaee until overy vestge OF order
aud government disappears from the country" have
been reluctantly led 70 the ssme opinion and, In jua
to my countrymen who have suffered wrongs fom Mex
CO. aud who may still suffer them, feel bound 10
Eonnce this conclusion 10 Congress.
The case presented, however, is not merely
d case Of individual claims, although our just
claims against Mexico have reached a very
large amount. Nor is IL merely the case Of
protection to the lives and property of the
few Americans who may still remain in Mex
leo, although the life and property Of every
American citizen ought to be sacredly pro-
tected in every quarter Of the world. But it
well as to the present and the past, and which
involves, indirectly at least the whole sub
ject 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 cit
izens is none the less 10 be desired because
efficient and necessary aid may thus be rem
dered at the same time to restore peace and
order to Mexico itself In the accomplish
ment Of this result the people of the United
States must necessarily feel deep and ear
nest interest. Mexico ought to be a rich and
prosperous and powerful Republic, for it pos
sesses an extensive territory fertile soil and
an incalculable store of mineral wealth.
She occupies an important position between
the Gulf and the ocean for transit routes and
for commerce. Is it possible that such a coun-
try as this can be given up to anarchy and
ruin without an effort from any quarter for
its rescue and its safety2 viii the CONNER
cial nations of the world, which have so many
interests connected with it, remain wholly
Indifferent to such result? Can the United
States especially, which ought to share most
largely in its commercial intercourse allow
their immediate neighbor thus to destroy it.
self and injure them? Yet, without support
from some quarter, ii is impossible TO perceive
how Mexico can resume her position among
nations and enter upon a career which prom
ises any good results. The aid which she re
quires, and which the interests of all COM
mercial 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 con-
tinuous 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 con.
Germs of that republic.
The wrongs which we have suffered from
Mexico are before the world, and must deeply
impress every American citizen. A govern
ment which is either unable or unwilling to
redress such wrongs is derelict to its highest
duties. The difficulty consists in selecting
and enforcing the remedy. We may in vain
apply to the constitutional government al
Vera Cruz, although it is well disposed to do
us justice, for adequate redress. Whilst its
authority is acknowledged in all the impor-
tant ports and throughout the sea coasts OF
the Republic its power does not extend 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 occupa-
tion of the constitutional 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, 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 law
1. L. 4. i Is
tions as they may deem expedient, to employ
a sufficient military force to enter Mexico for
the purpose of obtaining indemnity for tho
past and security for the future purposely
refrain from any suggestion as to whether
this force shall consist of regular troops or
volunteers, or both. This question may be
most appropriately left to the decision of Con-
gress. | would merely observe that, should
volunteers be selected, such force could be
easily raised in this country among those who
sympathise with the suiferings of our unfor
tunate fellow citizens in Mexico, and with the
unhappy condition of that 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
inflicted upon them. The constitutional gov
ernment have ever evinced strong desire t
do us justice, and this might be secured in
advance by preliminary treaty.
1t may be said that these measures will, a
least indirectly, be inconsistent with our wis,
and settled policy not to interfere in the do
nestle concerns of foreign nations. But doei
not the present case fairly constitute an ex
ception? An adjoining Republic is in a statt
Of anarchy and confusion from which she hal
proved wholly unable to eXtricate herself
She is entirely destitute of the power to main
tain peace upon her borders, OF to prevent thu
incursions Of banditti into our territory. Ii
her fate and in her fortune-in her power Il
establish and maintain a settled government
-we have far deeper interest, socially
commercially and politically, than any othe
nation. She is now a wreck upon the ocean
driven about as she is impelled by differen
factions. As a good neighbor shall we no
| extend TO her helping hand TO save her?
we do not, it would not be surprising shoulC
some other nation undertake the task, anC
thus force us to interfere at last, under cir
cumstances Of increased difficulty, for In
maintenance Of our established policy.
| repeat the recommendation contained il
my last annual Message, that authority ma,
be given to the President to establish one o
more temporary military posts across tn
Mexican line In Sonora and Chikuahua
whore these may be necessary to protect tn
lives and properly of American and Mexican
citizens against the incursions and depreda
tions Of the Indians, as we'll as Of lawlsss 70
vers in that remote region. The establish
ment of one such post at point called Aris
Pc in Sonora, in country now almost depop
ulated by the hostile inroads Of the Indian
from our side of the line, would It is believed
have prevented much injury and crueltie
during the past season. A state Of lawless
ness and violence prevails on that distan
frontier. Life and properly are there who'll
insecure. The population Of Arizona, noV
numbering more, than ten thousand souls, ar
practically destitute Of government, Of laws
or Of any regular administration of justice
Murder, rapine and other crimes are commit