The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-12-28


proven, would have seemed impossible
10 country which claims to be civilized -
~ ints description was the brutal massacre
"a "a April last, by order Of Gen. Marquee, OF
.nree american physicians, who were seized
In tne hospital at Tacubaya while attending
upon the sick and the dying of both parties,
ana without trial, AS without crime, were hur-
rlea away to speedy execution. Little less
snockIhg was the recent fate of Ormond Chase,
VINO was shot in Topic on the 7th Of August
oy order OF the same Mexican General not
onIy Witnout trial, but without any coniec-
1ie III py MS friends OF the cause of his arrest.
a. AZ Is represented as a young man of good
character and intelligence who had made nu-
merous friends in Topic by the COURAGE and
humanity which he had displayed on several
,:c.as OCCASIONS, and his death was as unex-
peS yea as II was shocking to the whole COM
nlunity. Other outrages might be en- umerat ted :
out tnese are sufficient to illustrate the wre th
eu s.aIe OF the country and the unprotected
;;;aon c;;;sanH OF Ine persons and property of our
IN ali tnese CAGES our ministers have been
constant and faithful in their demands for re-
uless, whia, out both they and this Government,
h.no I'LL .ney nave successfully represented,
nse oeen Whotly poWerless to make their de.
n.snus eHecfive. Their testimony in this re-
spect, and in reference to the only remedy
wnircn, sxi, IN their judgments, would meet the
Nothing but manifestation Of the nnyrer NJ
lne Iose sernment of the United States. fwrote
our late minister in 1881 and of lis nnrnose
WI W punisn tnese wrongs will avail. 1 assure
you that the universal belief here is tho ;
there is nothing to be apprehended from the
government of the United States and thai
local mexican officials can commit these oI1t
rages upon American citizens with absolute
present minister in August last) will feel an .
tnorlzed to ask from Congress the power IN
enter Mexico with the military forces of the
onited States, at the call of the constitutional
authorities, in order 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 ehas tised; and, as L assured you in
my No. %, all these evils must increase until
every vestige OF order and government dis
appears from the country / have been re-
luctantly led TO the same opinion, and. in jus
tice to my countrymen who have suffered
wrongs from Mexico, and who may still suffer
them,~I feel bound to announce this conclu
sion to Congress.
The case presented, however, is not merely
case of individual claims, although our jus
claims against Mexico have reached yer,
large amount. Nor is it merely the case o
protection to the lives and property of the few
Americans who may still remain in Mexico
although the life and property of every Anne
rican citizen ought to be sacredly protected ii
every quarter OF the world. But il is q ques tioI
which relates to the future as we'll as to tht
present and the past, and which involves, indi
rectly at least, the whole subject of our duty Il
Mexico as neighboring Stale. The exercise o
the power of The United States in that country
to redress the wrongs and protect the rights o
our own citizens is none the less to be desired
because efficient and necessary aid may thu:
be ren dered at the same time to restore peac,
and order to Mexico itself. In the accomplish
ment OF this result the people of the United
States must necessarily feel deep and earnes
interest. Mexico ought to be a rich and pros.
porous and powerful republic. She possesses aI
extensive territory, fertile soil, aud an meal
culable store of mineral wealth. She occupies
an important position between the gulf anG
the ocean for transit routes and for commerce
Is it possible that such country this car
be given up to anarchy and rum without an
effort from any quarter for its rescue and its
safety! VIII the commercial nations OF the
world, which have so many in terests connect
ed with 1t, remain wholly indifferent to such
result! Can the United States, especially
which ought to share most largely in it's COM
merclal in ntercourse, allow their immediate
neighbor thus to destroy itself and injure
them Yet, without support from some quar-
ter, 1t is impossible to perceive how Mexico
can resume her position among nations and
enter upon career which promises any good
results. The aid which she requires, and
which the interests OF all commercial coun-
tries require that she should have. it belong.
to this Government to render, nol only by vir-
tue of our neighborhood to Mexico, along
whose territory we have continuous from
tier of nearly a thousand miles, but by virtue
also, of our established policy, which is in
consistent with the intervention of any Eu-
ropean Power In the domestic concerns of thai
republic
Mexico are before the world, and must deeply
impress every American citizen. A govern.
ment which is either unable or unwilling tt
redress such wrongs is dereiict to It's highes
duties. The difficulty consists in selecting anC
enforcing the remedy. We may in vain appl,
to the constitutional government at Vert
Cruz, although it is well disposed 10 do III
justice, for adequate redress. Whilst its au
thority is acknowledged in all the importan
ports and throughout the sea-coasts OF th'
Republic, its power does not extend to th,
city of Mexico and the States in its vicinity
where nearly all the recent outrages hay'
been committed on American citizens. W.
must penetrate into the interior before we car
by passing through the territory in the occu
patton of the cons stitutional government. Th'
most acceptable aud least difficult mode of ae
eomplishing the object will be to act in con
cert with that government. Their consentan
their aid might, believe, be obtained; but
not, our obligation to protect our own citizens
in their just rights, secured by treaty, wonlt
not be the less Imperative. For these reasons
l recommend TO Congress to pass law au
thorizing the President, under such conditions
as they may deem expedient to employ sufh
cient military force to enter Mexico for th
purpose of obtaining indemnity for the pas
and security for the future. l purposely re
frain from any suggestion as TO whether thi
force shall consist of regular troops or yolnn
teeIs, or both. This question may be mos
appropriately left to the decision OF Con
gress. l would merely observe that, shoult
volunteers be selected, such a force could b,
easily raised ia this country among thos'
who sympathize with the sufIerings OF oul
unfortunate fellow citizens in Mexico, an6
with the unhappy condition of that republic
Such an accession To the forces OF the constl
raaJ 1nrf a
reach the city of Mexico and extend its power
over the whole republic. In that event thert
is no reason to doubt that the just claims o
our citizens would be satisfied and adeq Hatt
redress obtained for the injuries inflicted upor
them. The constitutional government have
ever evinced a strong desire to do us justice
and this might be secured in advance by apre
liminary treaty.
1t may be said that these measures will, a
least indirectly, be inconsistent with our wist
and settled policy not to interfere in tbs
domestic concerns of foreign nations. Bu
does pot the presentcase fairly constitute M
exceptionl An adjoining republic is in stat'
of anarchy and confusion from which she has
proved wholly unable to extrieate herself
She is entirely des titute of the power 10 main
tain peace upon her borders, or to prevent th'
incursons OF banditn into our territory. II
her fate and in her fortune-in her power Il
establish and maintain settled government
we have far deeper interest, socially, com
mercially, and politically than any other ma
ton. She is now wreck upon the ocean
drifting about as she is impelled by differen
factions. As a good neighbor, shall we no
extend to her q helping hand to save her 1
we do not, it would not be surprising shuule
some other nation undertake the task, ane
thus force us TO interfere at last, under eircun
stances of increased difficulty, for the main
tenance of our established policy.
repeat the recommendation contained IT
my last annual message, that authority ma,
be given to the President to establish one OF
more temporary military posts across the Mex
ican line in Sonora and Chihuahua. where these
may be necessary to protectthe lives and pro
perty of American and Mexican citizens agains
the incursions and ddepredations ofthe Indians
az well as of lawless royers on that remote re
gion. The establishment of one such post =
q point called Arispe, in Sonora, in,a eonntrJ
now almost depopulated by the hostile inroad,
- tha Indians from our side Of he line would