The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1859-12-31

lEAaPp!-E. however, the constitutional govern
rient has not been able 10 establish its power over
lhe whole Republic L IS sE3porrei f6T a Lar
majority o. Inc people and the states but thege arc
important i'-ts q liz country whc4e u eu-
force no oieoi--ace General MiI.sIl5A maintains
E-Ilsei - sLe eAP-ta!. and some % the distant
provinces there are military governors Who ma =
little respect Tor the decrccS nf either government
IN the meantime. the eNcesses which always attend
upon civli war especially in Mexico are constantly
/ recurring Oc--aSeS OF the worst description are
I committed both upon persons and property There
Is scarcely any form OF injury which has not been
suneTeu oE our citizens N Mexico during the last
few Years. We have been nominIllv at peace with
THAT Republic. bur iar IS the interests of our
commerce or OF our citizens who have visited the
country as merchants. shipmasters or in other ca
p2clties are concerned. We might Is well have been
war. Life has been insecure propsrtv unrro-
tccted anu trade impossible. except at 4 risk of
loss when prudent men cannot be expected to
incur.
Important contracts involving lar.sa ex1a,fi-
lures entered into by the central government In &c
been set At defiance by the 10, al governments.
feaceiuI American residents. occupying their right
1ul possessions. have been suddenly expelled bv the
country, IN defiance of treaties and by the mere
force ot arbitrary power. Even the course Of jus
tlce has not been safe from control. and a recent
decree OF MlramOn permits the intervention OF GOV
erInent II all suits where either party foreign
er. Vessels Of the United States have been seized
without law, and a consular officer who protested
against such seizure has been fined and imprisoned
Tor aisresprct 10 the authorities. Military contri-
buttons have been levied IN violation OF every piv-
ciple OF right. AM the American who resisted the
la"lesS demand has had his property forcibly tax
en- away. and has been himself banishcd From
conflict Of authority different parts of the coun-
try. tariff duties which have been paid in one place
have been eXacted over again in another place.
Large numbers of our citizens have been arrested
and imprisoned without any form Of examination
or any opportunity Tor hearing, and even when
released have only obtained their liberty after mvch
suffering and injury. and without any hope of re
dress.
The wholesale massacre of Crabba and his ass5-
cates without trial. in Sonora well as the seizure
and murder of four sick Americans. who had taken
shelter in the house ofan American, upon the soil OF
the United States. was communicated 10 Congress
its last session Murders Of still more atrocious
character have been committed in the very hear of
Mexico, under the authority of MiramOns Govern
ment. during the present year. Some OF these We're
only worthy 'f barbarous age, and. if they had
not been clearly proven, would have seemed inpos-
sible in a country which claims be civilized. OF
this description was the brutal massacre in April
last. by order of General Marquee of three Ameri-
can physicians who were seized in the hospital at
Tacutaya, while attending upon the sick and dying
of hoth parties, and without trial without crime
were hurried away to speedy execution. Little less
shocking the recent fate Of Urmond Chase, who
was shot at Topic on the 9TH of August, by order
Of the same Mexican General, not only without
trial but without any conjecture by his friends of
the Of his arrest. He is represented young
man OF good character and intelligence, who had
made numerous friends in TepIc by the courage and
humanity which he had displayed on several trying
occasions and his death was unexpected as it
shocking the whole community Other outrages
might be enumerated: but these sufficient il
ustrate the wretched state OF the country and the
unprotected condition OF the persons and property
OF our citizens in Mexico.
In all these cases our Ministers have been con-
stant and faithful in their demands tor redress, but
both they and this Government, which they have
successfully represented. have been wholly power
less TO make their demands effective. Their testl-
mony in this respect. and IN reference the only
remedy which, in their judgments, would meet the
has hprb and ,I,atia
" Nothing but manifestation OF the power of the
Government of the United States, (wrote our late
Minister in 1866 and of its purpose TO punish these
wrongs will avail | assure YOU that the universal
belief here is. that there is nothing be appre-
hended from the Government of the United States,
and that local Mexican officials can commit these
outrages upon American clizens with absolute i'm
puplty. hope the President (wrote our present
Minister in August last) will teel 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 order protect
the citizens and the treaty rights OF the United
States. Unless such power is conf. rred upon
him, neither the one the other Will be respected
in the existing state of anarchy and disorder and
the Outrages already perpetrated will be
chastlsed and as l assured you in my No %, ali
these evils increase until every vestiye of or
der and government disappears from the country"
have been reluctantly led to the 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 Con-
gress.
The case presented however is not merely a case
of individual claims, although just claims
against Mexico have reached a very large amount.
Nor is il merely the case of protection TO the lives
and property CT the few Americans who may still
remain IN Mexico, although the life and property OF
every American citizen ought to be sacredly pro
tected in every quarter of the world. But it is
question which relates to the future well as to
the present and past and which involves, indirectly
at least, the whole subject of duty to Mexico
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 because efficient and
aid may thus be rendered at the same
time TO restore peace and order TO Mexico itself In
the accomplishment of this result the people of the
United States must necessarily feel a deep and ear
nest interest Mexico ought to be a rich and pros
porous and powerful Republic
She possesses extensive territory, fertile soil,
and an incalculabe store of mineral wealth. She
occupies an important position between the Gulf
and the for transit routes and for commerce.
Is possible that such country as this can be CIV
en- up to anarchy and ruin without an effort from
any quarter for its and Its safety? VIII the
commercial nations of the world. which have SO
many interests connected with it. remain wholly in
different TO such result? Can the United States,
which ought share most largely in its
commercial intercourse, allow their lmmediate
neighbor thus destroy itself and in lure them?
1et without support from some quarter. 1t Is i'm
possible to perceive how Mexico can resume her po
stion among nations, and enter upon career which
quires and which: the interests OF all commercial
countries require that she should have it belongs
this Government to render not only by virtue of our
TO Mexico, along whose territory
have a continuous frontier OF nearly a thousand
miles, but by virtue, also of 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. \ government which is either
lct TO its highest duties. 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 Justice for
inadequate redress Whilst its authority is acknOwl
edged III all the important ports, and throughout the
sea-coasts of the Republic, its power does
tend 10 the city of Mexico and the States in its Vi
clnlty, where nearly all the recent outrages have
been committed American citizens. We must
penetrate into the interior before reach the
offenders, and this only be done by passing
through the territory in the occupation OF the con-
stitutonal 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 Ee obtained; but If not our obli-
CATION to protect our own citizens IN their just
rights secured by treaty would not be the less I'M
peratiye. For these reasons, l recommend TO Con-
gress TO pass law authorizing the President under
such conditions they may deem eXpedlent, to EN-
poy sufficient military force TO enter Mexico for
the purpose of obtaining indemnity for the past and
security for the future. | purposely refrain from
suggestion whether this force shall consist
of regular troops volunteers. cr both.
This question may be most appropriately left to
the decision of Congress. lwoud merely observe
that. should volunteers be selected. such a force
could be easily raised in this country among those
who sympathiZe with the sutferings of unfortu-
nate tellow-ctzens in Mexico, and with the unhap-
py condition of that republic. Such accession to
the forces of the constitutional government would
enable it TO reach the city OF Mexico and extend
its power over the whole republic. In that event
there is no to doubt that the just claims of
citizens would be satisfied and adequate redress
obtained for the INJURIES inflicted upon them The
constitutional government have evinceda strong
desire to do US justice, and this might be secured in
advance by preliminary treaty.
1t may be said that these measures Will. at least
Indirectly be inconsistent with wise and settled
policy not to interfere in the domestic concerns of
foreign nations But does not the present case fair
ly constitute exception. An adjoining Republic
Is i'll a state Of arnachy and confusion, from which
she has proved wholly unable 10 extricate herself.
She is entirely destitute of the power to maintain
peace upon her borders prevent the incursions
of banditu into territory. In her fate and in
her tortune-in her power establish and maintain
a settled government-we have Il far deeper interest.