The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-01-06

HE anu property OF every American cltl- !
zen ought to be sacredly protected in eve
ry quarter of the world. But it is ques
ton which relates 20 the future as well as
to the present and the past, and which in
wolves, lndlrect Y at least, the whole SUBJ
ject of our duty to Mexico as a neighbor-
ing State. The exercise of the power of
the United States in that country to re
dress the wrongs and 2 otect the rights of
our own citizens is none the less to be de-
sired, because efficient and necessary 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 necessa-
riy feel deep and earnest interest. Mex
leo ought to be a rich and prosperous and
powerful Republic. She possesses an ex-
tensjve territory, fertile soil, and an in
calculable store of mineral wealth. She
occupies an important position between
the Gulf and the ocean for transit routes
and for commerce. Is it possible that
such a country as this can be given up to
anarchy and ruin without an effort from
any quarter for its rescue and its safety p!
Will the commercial nations Of the world,
which have SO many interests connected
with it. remain wholly Indifferent to such
result?
Can the United States. especially, which
ought to share most largel in its CONNER
cial intercourse, allow their immediate
neighbor thus to destroy itself and injure
theml Yet, without support from some
quarter, it is impossible to perceive how
Mexico can resume her position among
nations, and enter upon a career which
promises any good results. The aid which
she requires, and which the interests of all
commercial countries require that she
should have, it belongs to the Government
to render, not only by virtue Of our neigh
boihood to Mexico, along whose territory
we have continuous frontier of nearly a
thousand miles, but by virtue, also, Of our
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
most deeply impress every American citi-
zen A Government which is either I'M
able or unwilling to redress such wrongs
is di reict to its highest duties. The diff
Guilty consists in selecting and enforcing
the remedy. We may in vain apply to
tie Constitutional Government at Vera
Cruz, although it is well disposed to do us
Justice, for adequate redress. Whilst its
authority is acknowledged in all the i'm
portant ports throughout the sea coasts of
the republic, its power does not extend to
the city of Mexico and the States in its
vicinity, where nearly all the recent out
RACES have been committed on American
citizens.
We must penetrate into the interior be-
fore we can reach the offenders, and this
can only be done by passing through the
territory in the occupation of the Consti
tutional Government. The must accept
able and least difficult mode of accom-,
plishing the object will be to act in con
cert with the Gd@ernment. Their con
sent and their all might, | believe, be oh
tanned; but if not, our obligation to pro
tect our own citizens in their just rights
secured by treaty, would not be the less
imperative. For these reasons | recon-.
mend to Congress to pass law authoriz
ing the President, under such conditions
as they may deem expedient-to employ
q sufficient military force to enter Mexico
fol the purpose Of obtaining indemnify fol
the past, and security for the future.
purposely refrain from any suggestion as
to whether this force shall consist of regu
lar troops or volunteers, or both. This
question may be most appropriately left
to the decision Of Congress. | would
merely observe that should volunteers be
selected, such a force could be easily rails
ed in this country among those who sym
pathise with the sutierings of our unfortu-
nate telIow-citizens in Mexico. Such an
accession to the force of the Constitutional
Government would enable it soon to reach
the city of Mexico, and extend its power
over the whole republic. In that event
there is no inst reason to doubt that the
just claims of our citizens would be salts
fed, and adequate redress obtained for the
Injuries inflicted upon them. The consti-
tutional government have ever evinced a
strong desire to do us justice, and this
might be secured in advance by prelim-
mary treaty.
1t may be said that these measures will
at least indirectly, be inconsistent with our
wise and settled policy not to interfere in
the domestic concerns of foreign nations
But does not the present case fairly con
stltute an exception En- adjoining re
public is in astateof anarchy and confusion
from which she has proved wholly unable
to extrcate herself She is entirely desti-
Of the power to maintain peace upon her
borders, or to prevent the incursons of
bandltu into our territory. In her fate
and her fortune-in her power to establish
and maintain a settled government-we
have far deeper interest, socially, com
merciaIly, and politically than any other
nation. She is now wreck upon the
ocean, drifting about as she is impelled by
different factions. As a good neighbor,
shall we not extend to her helping hand
to save her? If we do not, it would not
be surprising should some other nation un-
dertake The task, and thus force us to in
tertere at least, under circumstances of in
creased difficulty, for the maintenance Of