Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-12-29

ov, citizens il none the less to he desired, 10
rause efficient and niece ssary aid may thus be rem
dsr,l Mt the same time to restore peace and order
IN Mexico itself. In tho accomplishment of this
result the pcnplo Of the United States must neces-
sar;ly feel u deep ai"l earnest interest. Mexico
ou.ht to be a rich and prosperous and powerful
rrpublic. She p assesses an extensive territory, u
fertile sDil. and an inealculabie store "t mineral
wealth. She occupies an important position To-
tween tic Gulf and the ocean for transit routes
and far commerce. Is it possible. that such IL
country ~ this can he given up to anarchy and
r,in without an effort from any quarter Tor its
rescue and it's safety? Will the commercial ma
tions of tho world. which have SO many int rests
connected with il, remain wholly Indifferent to
,n. h a result? Can the United States, especially,
which ought to share most largely in its CONNER
cial intercourse. allow their immediate neighbour
thus to destroy itself and injure them Yet.
wjthou, support from snme quarter, 1t Is lmgo'si-
ne I, perceive how Mexico can resume her posi-
ton among the nations and enter upon a career
which PROMISES any 60 ID results. The aid which
,he rennire.. and which the Interests nf all com
,nercinl countries require that she shouli have, 1t
belongs Ia this Government 70 rem lcr, not only by
virtue of our noishhorhood to Mexico, alons whose
territory we have a continuous frontier OF nearly
II thousand mites. but by virtue, also, "t our cstao-
I;.I,el n,licy. which is inconsistent with the inter
ven,ion at any Europenh io"ef II uoHhcS''0
c,nrerns of that republic.
The wrongs which we have suffered from Next
.,"c hof,re Tho world, and must deeply impress
,,,rv American citizen. A government which is
oithcr unable nr unwilling to redress such wrongs
;s dcrcl,ct to it's highest duties. The d iliculty
consists in selecting and enforcing the remedy.
We NAV in vain apply to the constitutional 20
,crnment mt Vera Cruz, although it is we'll diSpos-
ed tn do W. justice, for redress. Whilst its altl,o-
rity is acknowledged in all the important ports
and throughout the sca-coa>ts Of the republic, its
power does not extend to the city ut Mexico and
,bo Stutas in ita yirinjtv whprn nearly all the re-
cent outrages have been committed nn American
citizens. We must penetrate into the interior be.
fore we can rcacl, the offenders, and this can only
lie done by passing through tho territory in the
occupation Of the constitutional government. The
most acceptable and least difficult mode of accom-
rli.hiug the object will be to act in concer, with
that government Their consent and their aid
might, | believe, be obtained; but ii not, our oh
lira,ion to protect our own citizens in their Just
rights, secured by treaty, would not he the less
imperative. For these reasons. | recommend to
Congress to pass a law authorizing the President,
under such conditions "a they may deem exre-
dent, to employ a sufficient military force to enter
Mexico for the purpose ct obtaining indemnity for
the past and security for the future. ~purposely
refrain from any suggestion as to whether tins
force shall consist of regular troops or volunteers,
or both. This question may be most appropriate.
" left to the decision Of Congress. l would mere
" observe that, should volunteers be selected,
such n force could be easily raised in this country
among those who sympathize with the sutferings
of our unfortunate icllow-citizons in Mexico, and
with the unhappy condition OF that republic.
Such an accession to the forces of the constitution
nj government would enable it soon TO reach the
city of Mexico an extend its power over the whole
rcpntlic. In that event there is no reason to
doubt that the just claims Of our citizens would be
satisfied and adequate redress obtained for tie in
juries inflicted upon them. The constitutional
government has ever evinced n strong desire to
do us justice. and this might be secured i'll ad-
vance by II preliminary treaty.
1t may be laid that these measures will, at
least indirectly, be inconsistent with our wise and
settled !, licy not to Interfere in the domestic con-
Germs of foreign nations. But does not the pre-
sent case fairly constitute an exception? An ad-
Joining republic is in n state OF anarchy and CON
fusion from which she has proved wholly unable
to cstricate herself. She is entirely destitute OF
the power to maintain peace upon her borders, or
10 prevent the incursions Of banditti into ,ur ter
ritory. In her fate and in her fortune-in her
power to establish and maintain q settled govern
ment--we have a far deeper interest, socially,
commercially, and politically than any other IA.
ton. She lie now a wreck upon the ocean, drift
ing about AZ she is ~impclled by different factions.
As good n~c;Shbor, shall We not extend to her n
helping hand to save her? IT We do not. it would
lot be surprising should sumo other nation UNI
der,ake the task, and thu, force us to inter
iere at last, under circumstances of increased
difficulty, Tor the maintainanco of our established
policy.
rereat the recommendation contained il my
last annual message that authority may be given
to the President to establish one or more Temporal.
nv military posts across the Mexican line in So
nu,a and chihuahua, where these may be neces-
sary to protect the lives and property of Ameri-
can and Mexican citizens against the incursions
and depredations ofthe Indians, as well as oflnw-
less ,overl in that remote region. Tho estab-
li.lment of one such post ut IL point called Arispe,
in Sonora, in Il country now almost depopulatcd
hy tie hostile threads Of the Indians from our
side of the line, would, it is believed. have pre-
vented much injury and many crucltics during
the p"st season. a state Of lnwlessness and sio-
lence prevails on that distant frontier. Life and
property are there wholly insecure, The nopu-
lation Of Arizona, now numbering more than ten
thousand s,ul<, are practically destitute of gov
,rnment, IF laws, or % uny regular administration
If just &c. Murder, rapinc, and other crimes
nre committed with IMMUNITY. | therefore. again
call the attention Of Congress to tho necessity
for establishing n territorial government over
Arizona.
The treaty with Nicaragua of the 10th Of Feb,
ruary, 1855 TO which | referred in my last annual
message, failed to receive the ratification of the
government of that republic, for reasons which |
need not enumerate. \ similar treaty has been
since concluded letween the parties bearing
date on the 10th of March, 1859, which has
alcealy been ratified iy the Nicaraguan Con-
gess. This will be Immediately submittcl to the
Senate for their ratification. Its provisions cannot,
think, fail to be acceptable to tho people Of both
countries.
Our claims against the governments Of Costa
hica and Nicaragua remain unredressed, though
they are pressed in an earnest manner, and not
without hope of success.
l deem it to he my duty once more earnestly to
commend to Congress the passage of n law au-