The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-28

7 1HU WeHchttuf HUWtVEE, hot MercIY =
case Of individual claims. although our just claims
I against Mexico have reached very large amounk
Nor II II merely the case Of protection to the lives
end property OF the few Americans who may ST
remain III Mexico, although the life and property of
/ every American citizen ought TO be sacredly pre-
tected in every Quarter Of the werld. But It u
| question which relates to The future well a. -
the present and the past and which involves, indi
rectly at least, the whole subject Of our duty t.
Mexico as DeighboriDg State. The exercise a
the power Of the United States in that ceunxy -
redress the wrongs and protect tue rights sf or
own citizens is the less to be desired, because
eftcient and necessary aid may thus be rendered ak
the same time to restore peace and order 20 Mexi-
CO itself Ia the accomplishment Of this result thA
people OF the United States must necessarily fcel
deep and earnest interest. Mexico ought to bs .
| nch and prosperous and powerful rcpubiic. Sha
Possesses an extensive territory, q fertile sa4
snd an incalcaiable store of mineral wealth
sbe occupies an important position between thu
GuK and the oceaE for transit routes and for oocr
merce. Y y possible Mat such : country ~ ~
tort from any quarter for its and its saSsR
Will the commercial nations of the world, whieh
have SO many interests connected with it, remai1
! wholly Indifferent to such a result? Can ti,o
United States, especially, which ought to shars
most largely ia its commercial intercourse, allow
their immediate neighbor thus to destroy itself ~
lnjure thems Yet. without support frem soma
quarter, it is impossible to perceive how Me,ciSU
can resume her position among nations and enter
| upon a career which promises any good resalkG-
Ihe aid which she requires, and which the Interests
VI 0u require LnaL enc SnOulQ
have. it belongs to this government to render n0k
| only by virtue of our neighborhood to Mexiea,
/ along whose territory have a continuous from
| tier Of nearly thousand miles but by virtue alsn
ct established policy which is inconsistens wiR
the intervention Of any European Power in the db-
| mestic concerns Of that republic.
| The wrongs which we have suffered from Moxxea
| are before the world, and must deeply impress
! every American citizen. government which =
| either unable unwilling to redress such wroBeu
is derehct to its highest duties. The difficulty
sisia in selecting and enforcing the remedy. We
| may in vain apply to the constitutional )vernusent
at Vera Cruz, although it is well disposed to do -
justice for adequate redress. Whilst its authority
is acknowledged in all the important ports a.a
throughout the coasts of the republic, its power
! does not extend to the city of Mexico aud the
States IN ts vicinity, where nearly all the receuk
| outrages have been committed on American oisi-
zens. We must penetrate into the interior before
| can reach the offenders and this only ~
done by passing through the territory in the
| patton of the constitutional government The
| most acceptable and least difficult mode q
accomplishing the object will be to aae
! in concert with that government Their con
sent and their aid might believe, be obmineds
| but if not our obligation TO protect our own oitr
ZeDs in their just rights secured by treaty, vOaA
| not be the less imperative. For these reasons,
| recommend to Congress to pass Law authorizing
the President, under such conditions as they may
deem eXpedent, to employ sufficient military
force to enter Mexico for the purpose Of obtaining
indemnity for ,he past and security for the futas1.
purposely refrain from any suggestion as to whe
ther this force shall consist Of regular troops or va
lunteers, or BOTH This question may be most a4r
| propfiately left to the decision of Congress- I
| would merely observe that. should volunteers he
selected, such force could be easily raised in thi1
country among those who sympathiZe with tha Suk-
| ferines of unfortunate fellow citizens in Mem
co, and with the unhappy condition of that repuhla
Such accession to the forces OF the constitutions
government would enable it soon to reach the Cit
| Of Mexico and extend it's power over the whole re-
public. In that event there is to doahs taf
the just claims of our &fzens would be satisfied an1
adequate redress obtained for the Injuries iBilicte1
| upon 1hem The constitutional governments hsvs
| ever evinced a strong desire to do JUSTICE and
this might be secured in advance by prelimiaasy
| treaty.
IL may be said that these measures will at least
indirectly, be inconsistent with our wise and setaasA
policy not TO interfere in the domestic concerns of
foreign natons. But does not the present oass
| fairly constitute an exception An adjoining 70
public IL in state of anarchy and confusion fron
| which she has proved wholly unable to extricata
herself. She Il entirely destitute of the power -
| maintain peace upon her borders, or to prevent
the iDcursions OF landtti into our territory In hnr
| fate and in her fortunein her power to establiA
! and maintain q settled govcrnment-we have .
| far deeper interest socially commercially and no-
liiicaly than any other nation. She il now q wrcck
upon the ocean, drifting about as she is impellea ~
| different factions As a good neigh5sr. shall -
| not extend to her helping hand to save her2 II
| we do not, it would not be surprising should soua
other nation undertake the task, and thus force -
| to interfere at last, under circumstances Of in
creased difficulty, for the maintenance OF o.
tablished policy.
! MILITARY POSTS ON THE MEXICAN FRONTIER
| 1r~ at the recommendation contained in my
last annual message, that authority may be gVea60
the President to establish one or more Temporary
| military posts across the Mexican line In SonorS
/ and chihuahua, where these may be necessary u
| protect the lives and property Of American 81
Mexican citizens against the incursions and depre1A
tions Of the Indians, well of lawless r0veFs q
! that remote region. The establishment Of one
such post at point called Arispe, in Sonora in
country now almost depopulated BY the hostile n
roads Of the Indians from our side Of the line wsu
it is believed have prevented much injury and maG
| crueltes during the past season. A state Of lAg-
lessness and violence prevails en- that distant foa
tier. Life and property are there wholly insecure
The population of Arizona now numbering mo9U
than ten thousand souls, are practically destitute
cf government OF laws, Of any regular admin
tratioD of justice Murder rapine, and other crimes
| are committed with inpuDity. the refore agsia
call the attention of Congress to the necessity far
establishing territorial government over Arizona
The treaty with Nicaragua Of the 18th February,
1857 to which referred in my last annual messa8n.
failed to receive the ratification OF the governmsnk
Of that republic, for reasons which need not snn
merate. A similar treaty has been since concludes
between the parties, bearing date on the leek
March, 1859 which has already been ratified By tke
Nicarsguan Congress This will be Immediately
| submitted to the Senate for their ratification II
provisions cannot think fail TO be acceptable -
the people of both countries
Our claims against the governments of Costa
Rica and Nicaragua remain uuredressed, though
| they are pressed in an earnest manner, and mss
without hope Of success.
| deem it to be my duty once more earnestly 10
| recommend 70 Congress the passage OF law
authorizing the President to employ the naval
force at his command for the purpose OF Proteca-
| ing the lives and property of American citizens
passing in transit across the Panama, Nicarsgas
! and Tehuantepec routes, against sudden and law
lese outbreaks and depredatioDs. l shall not ~
peat the arguments employed in former messages
In support Of this measure. Suffice it to say that
| the lives of many of our people, and the security
| of vast amounts of treasure passing and repasssg
| over one or more of these routes between the AZ
/ lantic and Pacific, may be deeply involved In the
| action OF Congress on this subject
i | would also again recommend to Congress |thAx
authority be given to the President to employ tko
naval force to protect American merchant vessels,
| their crews and cargoes against violent and la0s
less seizure and con6scaon In the ports OF Mcxiee
and the Spansh American States when these ceun-
| tries NAV be in disturbed and revolutionary con-
dition. The mere knowledge that such an authoxi
| ~ lad been conferred. as ! have already ssat0d