The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-12-18

ioi pay ilitlII vi luGlI dNdEuS. IHlS SOn
vention will be submitted to the Senat
for their Constitutional action Th,
claims of our citizens upon the public o
Nicaragua, have not yet been provided
for by treaty, although diligent effort
for this purpose have been made by ou
minister resident in that Republic Thes,
are still continued with a fair prospect o
success.
Our relations with Mexico remain in ;
most unsatisfactory condition. In my
two last annual messages | discussed ex-
tensively the subject of these relations,
and do not now propose to repeat a
length the facts and arguments then pre-
sented. They proved conclusively thai
citizens residing in Mexico, and our mer
chants trading thereto, had suffered g
series of wrongs and outrages such as
we have never patiently borne from any
nation. For these, our successive min.
listers, invoking the faith of treaties. had
In the name of their country, persistent
ly demanded redress and indemnifcaton
but without the slightest effect. Indeed,
so confident had the Mexican authorities
been, because of our patient endurance,
that they universally believed they might
commit their outrages upon American
citizens with absolute impunity. Thus
wrote our minister in 1856, and express
ed the opinion that nothing but mani.
festation of the powers of the Govern.
ment and of its purpose to punish these
wrongs would avail.
Afterwards, in 1857, came the adop.
ton of a new constitution for Mexico
the union of President and Congress
under the provisions, and the Inaugural
tion of a President, who was expelled
from the capital by rebellion in the
army, and the extreme power of the Re
public was assigned to Gen. Zuloaga
This usurper was in his turn soon COM
PEELED TO retire from the place by Gen
eral Miramon.
Under the constitution which had thus
been adopted, Gen. Juares, as Chief Jus
tlce of the Supreme Court, became the
lawful President of the Republic, and it
was for the maintenance of the constitu-
ton and his authority derived from it,
that the civil war commenced and still
continues to be prosecuted. Throughout
/ the year 1853 the Constitutional party
grew stronger and stronger. In the pre-
yious history of Mexico a successful mil
itary revolution at the capital had most
universally been the signal for submis-
sion throughout the Republic.
Not so in the present; majority OF
the citizens persistently sustained the
constitutional government. When this
was recognized, in April, 1859, by the
government of the United States, its au-
thority extended over majority of the
Mexican States and people, including
Vera Cruz, and all the important seaport>
of the Republic From that period our
commerce with Mexico began to revive
and the constitutional government has af
iorded it all the protection in their pow
er. Meanwhile the government of Mir
anon still held sway at the capital and
over the surrounding country, aud con.
tinued lis outrages against the few Amer
lean citizens who still had the courage Ia
remain within its power. To cap the
climax, after the battle of Tacubaya, il
April, 1889, Gen. Marques ordered three
citizens of the United States, two of then
physicians, to be seized and shot withou
trial. This was done, notwithstanding
our unfortunate countrymen We're at lh,
moment engaged in the cause Of offering
relief to the soldiers of both parties wh,
had been wounded in the battle, withou
making any distinction between them
The time had arrived, in my opinion
when the government was bound 10 exer
It's power to avenge and redress tn,
wrongs OF our citizens, and to afford then
protection in Mexico. The interposing
obstacle was, that the country under th,
sway of Miramon could not be reacheC
without passing over territory under the
jurisdiction of Constitutional govern
ment. Under these circumstances deem
ed 1t my duty to recommend 10 Congress.
in my last annual message the employ
: ment OF sufficient military force TO pen
citrate into the interior, where the gov
ernment of Miramon was TO be found
Never have | had q clearer conviction
on any subject than have of the justice
as we'll as wisdom OF such policy. \,
/, other alternative was left. except the en-
!, tire abandonment Of our fellow citizen
who had gone 10 Mexico under the iaitl
OF treaties, TO the systematic injustice
cruelty, aud oppression Of the Miramol
, Government. Besides. il is certain tha
a simple authority TO employ this fore
would oi itself have accomplished all ou
/ objects without striking single blow
The Constitutional Government woul
, then have been established at the CIly g
, Mexico, aud would have been ready an,
wiling TO the extent OF It's ability, To d,
us justice. In addition, and deem thi
most important consideration. foreigr
Governments would have been deprive,
OF all pretext 10 interfere in the terrific
, rial and domestic concerns OF Mexico
We should thus have been relieved iron
the obligation OF resisting by force
should this become necessary. any ~
tempt by these Governments TO deprlv
our neighboring Republic OF portions ,
: her territory, a duty from which We coul
/ not shrink without abandoning the ira
q diuonal and we'll established policy of tn
| American people.
4 am happy TO observe that, firmly rs