Des Arc citizen., 1859-12-21
ID ES

should be it's condition during the inter- vening period whilst the two Governments might be employed in settling the ques | ton to which of them it belongs. For this reason Lieut.. General Scott was dis patched on the 17th September last to l Washington Territory to take immediate | command or the United States force on the | Pacific coast should he deem this neces- sary. The main object of bis mission was to carry out the spirit of the precaution- ary arrangement between the late Secre- 1 tary of State and the Brirish minister. and thus preserve the peace and prevent | collision between the British and Ameri- can authorities pending the negotiations | between the two Governments.
 Entertaining no doubt of the validity of our title, need scarcely add that, in any event, American citizens were to he | placed on a footing at lest as favorable as that of British subjects. it being under stood that Capt. Pickett's company should remain on the island T. is proper to ob- serve that, considering the distance from the scene of action, and in ignorance of what might have transpired on the spot before the Generals arrival, it was neces- sary to leave much to his discretion, and l am happy to state the event has proven that this discretion could not have been | intrusted to more competent hands. Gen. Scott has recently returned from his mis- sion, having successfully accomplished | it's objects, and there is no longer any good reason to apprehend collision be- | tween the forces of the two countries du- ring the pendency of the existing negotia- tions.
 | regret to inform yon that there has been no improvement in the affairs of l Mexico since my last annual message, and am again obliged to ask the earnest attention of Congress to the unharpy con dition of that republic.
 The constituent Congress Of Mexico, which adjourned on the 17th of February. | 1857, adopted a constitution and provided for popular election. This took place in the following July, T1S57,1 and General l Comonfort was chosen President almost without opposition. At the same election new Congress was chosen, whose first session commenced on the 18th of Septem- Der, [1857.1 By the constitution of 1857 the president term was to begin on the lst of4 f4December, [1857, and continue for four years. On that day General Comon- fort appeared before the assembled Con- gress in the City of Mexico, took the oath to support the new constitution, and was duly inaugurated as President Within | the capital, and military rebellion had assigned the supreme power of the repub- lie to General Zuloaga. The constitution provided tbat in the absence of the Presi- dent his office should devolve upon the | Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and. | General Comonfort having left the coun- l try, this functionary. General Juarez, pro- ceeded to form, at Guanaiuato, a consti- | tutional government.
 Besore this was officially known. how ever, at the capital the Government of | Zulo tga had been recognized by the entire | diplomatic corps. ,including the Minister of the Unieed States, as the defacto Gov ernment of Mexico The constitutional Presiden, nevertheless, maintained his po- sition with hrmness, and was soon estab lished with his cabinet at Vera Cruz. l Meanwhile, the government of Zuloaga was earnestly resisted in many parts of republic, and even in the capital, portion of the army having pronounced against it. it's functions were declared terminated, and an assembly of citizens was invited for the choice of new President This assembly elected Gen. Mramon, but bat officer repudiated the plan under which he was chosen, and Zuloaga was thus restored 1 to his previous position. He assumed it. however, only to withdraw fir m it, and | Miramon. having become, by his appoint menf, "President Substitute, continues, with that title, at the head of the insur- gent party
 | In my last annual messa9e I communi. | cated to Congress the circumstances un- der which the law minister of the United States suspended his official relations with the Central Government, and withdrew from the country It was impossible to maintain friendly intercourse with a gov ernment like that at the capital, under whose usurped authority wrongs were constantly committed, but never redressed. Had this been an established government, with it's power exlendng, by the consent of the people, over the whole of Mexrco, resort to hostilities against it would have been quite Justifable, and indeed necessa. ". But the country was prey to civil war, and it was hoped that the success of | the constitutional President might lead to condition of things less injurious to the
 United States. This success became so probable that, in Jauarv last, employed a reliaqle agent to visit Mexico, amp report to me the actual condition and prospects of the contending parties.
 In consequence of his report, and from information which reached me from other sources, favorable to the prospects of the constitutional cause, felt justified in an- pointing new minister to Mexico, who might embrace the earliest suitable oppor- tunity of restoring our diplomatic rela- lions with that Republic. For this pur- pose distineushed citizen Of Maryland was selected. who proceeded on his mis- sion on the 8fh of March last, with dis cretionary authority to recognize the gov ernment of President Juarez, if, on his ar rival in Mexico, he should find it entitled to such recognition. according to the es- tablished practice of the United States.
 On the 7th of April following, MT. Me
 Lane presented his credentials to Presi- deDt Juarez, having no hesitation Gin pro- nouncing the government of Juarez to he the only existing government of the Re- public" He was cordially received by the authorities at Vera Cruz, and thev have ever since manifested the most friend " disposition toward the United States.
 Unhappily, however, the constitutional | government has not been able to establish it's power over the whole Republic.
 It is supported by a large majority oJ the people aud the States, but there are important parts of the country where it can enforce no obedience. Gen Miramon
 maintains himself at the capitol; and in some Of the distant provinces there are military governors who pay little respect to the decrees of either governments. In the meantime the excesses which always attend upon civil war, especially in Mexi- co, are constantly recurring. Outrages of the worst description are committed both upon persons and property. There is scarcely any form of ininries which has not been suffered by our citizens in Nexi- co during the last few years We haSe been nominally at peace with that repub- lie, but ESQ far as the interests of our commerce or of our citizens who have vis- tied the country as merchants, shipmas- ters, or in other capacities, are concern ed. we might as well have been at war.''
 Life has been insecure, property nnprotec- t@d, and trade impossible except at risk of loss which prudent men canuot be ex- pected to incur.
 Impo tsnt contracts, involving'!arge eX- penditures, entered into by the fentrat
 Government, have been set at defiance by the local governments. Peaceful Amer
 ican residents, occupying their rightful
 possessions have been suddenly expelled
 the country in defiance of treaties, and
 by the mere force of arbitrary power Even the course of justice has not beer safe from control, and recent decree oi Miramon permits the intervention of gov \ a foreigner. Vessels of the United State; have been seized without law, and con sular officer who protested against suct seizure has been fined and imprisoned fol disrespect 10 the authorities Military
 contributions have been levied in violation of every principle of right, and the Amer ican who resisted the lawless demand ha. had his property forciblv taken away, anC has been himself banished. From a con !, hict of authority in different parts of th' country, iariff iduties which have beer 1; paid in one place have been sxacted ovel !, again in another place.
 Large numbers of our citizens have heel l arrested and imprisoned without any foIn q of examination or any opportunity for
 hearing and even when release hay
 only obt ined their liberty after much suf . fering and injury and without any hope O
 redress The wholesale massacre O Crahbe ant his associates without trial il | ,-x -l1 !. T