American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1860-01-05
LANCASTER, OHIO THURSDAY MORNING. JANUARY n 1880 s

Tee General Immediately responded TO this
petition, and ordered Captain George E. Pick.
EFT, 9th infantry; "to establish hs compan,
on Bellevue, OF San Juan island, on some suity
able position near TIE hsfbof at the southees
tern extremity" This order was promptly
o5eyed, and military pos. was established at
the place designated. The force was after.
wards Increased, so that by The last TetusG the
whole number Of troops then ON the island
mounted IN The aggregate 10 6ei men.
Whilst do not deem it proper on the pies.
ent occasion TO go furtherinto the subject. and
discuss the weight which ought 10 he attached
TO the statements Of The BuiiSh colonial au.
thorues, contesting the accuracy Of the in
formation on which the gallant General acted
It was due 10 him tba. should thus present
his own reasons for issuing the order to Csp
tain Pickett From these it is quite clsaI bis
object was to prevent the Biitish authorities
on Vancoueefs Island from exercising pms
diction over American residents on The Island
Of San Juan, as well as 70 prp.eci them a
gainSt the ihcursions Of the lllians.
Much excitement prevailed for some time
throughout that region, and serious danger Of
collision between the parties was app.ehend
ed. The British had large naval loiceia the
vicinity; and II is but an acl " simple justice
to the admiral on the station 10 state ,hai lie
wisely and discreetiy f0rbore 10 commit any
hostile act but determined 70 reler the whole
affair to his government ami await tkeiE in
struction.
This aspect Of the matter, in my opinion,
demanded serions attention. 1t would have
been great calamity for both nations had
they been precipitsted into acts ofhostiity not
on the question Of title 70 the island, but mcie.
ly concerning what should BE rs condition
! during the Intervening period whist the two
governments might Unemployed in settling he
! question 10 which Of them Il Belongs. Fnr
| this reason Lieutenant General Scott was dis
! patched on the lTth Of September last 10
| Washington Territory to take immediate com
mand OF the United States forces on The Pacif
ic coast should be deem his Necessary. Tie
main object OF his mission was to CARY op;
the spirit Of the precautionary Arrangement
betwt en- tie lateSecretsIy Of Sisteand the Brit;
ish Minister, and thus preserve tbe peace aud
prevent collision between the British and
American authorities pending The Negotiation:
between the two governments. Entertain me
no doubt OF the validity Of our title, need
scarcely add that, in aty event, Ameriran eli
izens were to be placed gu footing at least q:
favorable as that of British subjects, il being
understood that Captain Pcketps COMPANY
should remain on the island. II is pro,eI 4
observe that considering the distance nom tbt
scene ufaction and ignorance of%hat nigh
have transpired on the spot before TIE gener
ais arrival, it was necessary 10 leave much I,
bis discretion, and an happy 10 state the
the event has proven tbatthis Dis stretion cuul
not have been intrusted TO more cornpelen
hands. General Scctt has recently returne
+ from his mission, having successfully accom-
, plished its objects and there is no longer an
good reason TO appreheRd collision hetwee
/ the forces OF the two countries during tie pen
dency OF the existing negotiations
Il | regret 10 in fofm YOU that there has bee
no Improvement in the affairs Of Mexico sinc
my last annual message, and am again obi,
ged 10 ask the earnest attention Of Congress |
the unhappy condition Of MAT Requisite.
The constituent Congress Of Mexico, whic
t adjourned on the nth ofFebfnary, 1857 adn
I ted constitution and provided for rnru.'
, election. This took place in the f6llowin
e July 1857 and General Com1niort was ch,
s sen President, almost without opposition.
] the same election new Congress was chose
whose first session commenced on the roth
( September 1851 BY the Constitution
{ 1857 the presidential term was TO begin on Il
lst Of December, 1857, and continue for 70,
' years. On that day General Comonfort 81
. peared before the assembled Congress in Il
city Of Mexico, took.the oath 10 support II
: new constitution and was duly naugurated
q President. Within month afterwards
e had been driven from the capital, and a mil
II tary rebellion had assigned the supreme pow
r OF the republic o General Zuloaga The co
J, stitution provided that in the absence OF Il
2. President his Office should devolge upon Il
n Chief Justice Of be Suptenle Court. and Ge
of eral ComonfoTt having left the country, b
e functionary General luarez, proceeded to foi
/. at Guanajuto, constitutional government.
e Before this was officially known, however,
/, the capital, the government of Zulnaga
l. been recognized by the entire diplomatic cor
% including the Minister OF the United States,
is the de tactO government Of Mexico. The CO
n stitGtionalP President, nevertheless, mainia
/. his position with frmness, and as soon t
y tabhshed with his cabinet at Vera Crnz.
d Meanwhile the government of Zulraga "
y earnestly resisted In many parts uf the K
/ publ lie and even in the capital,a puftiOn
If the army having pronounced against n,
e functions were declaEed Terminated, and
}. assembly ofcitizens was invited Cor tie choi
e Of new President This assembly elect
I
J., the plan under which he was chosen. and 4
loaga was thus restored 10 lis previoua pO'
It ton. He assumed it, however, only to wit
IT dtaw from it, and Mramon, having become
J. his appointment, president Substitute co
: tinues, with that title, atthe head OF the inSu
T. gent party. u
/. In my last message communicated toCoHgre
e the circumstances under whichthe lateMinSi
l. of the United States suspended his official !
d lations with the central government, and wit
o drew from the county. II was impossible
st MAINTAIN friendly inleIcoupe with cover
h ment like that at the capital, under who
e usuTped authority, wrongs were constant
l. committed, but never redTessed. Had Il
ii been an established gOyenme ut, withits po
/. or extending, by the consent Of The peup
over the whole of MeSlco, resort to host iall
,f against it would have been quite iuSlif
n BILE, and indeed necessary. But the oOunl
e was prey 10 civil war; aud it was hopedlh
Is the success OF the c0nStitu tlonal Preside
1t might lead TO a condition ol things less inju
T. Gus 10 the United States. This success b
'e came so probable that ia January last, e
n ployed a relia Bile agent to visit Mexico, and |
s. port to me the actual condition and pIoSpeC
p Of the contending parties. Ia consequt nee
1t his report, and, from lnfOrmationi which reae
)f ed me from other sources, favorable TO- t
i. constitutional cause, felt justified in appoir
d ing new Minister 10 Mexico, who might el
d brace the earliest opportunity OF restoring c
,e diplomatic relations with that Republic. L
d this purpose distinguished citizen Of. MAJ
lie land was selected, who proceeded on
rs mission on the Sth or March last, with discl
{. tionaIy authority tOTeeognize the goveInmt
of Pres ident JusIez, if on his srnval in Me
N co he should find it entitled to such Tecog
j, tiou, according to the established practice
s. the United States. On the 7th of April folio
ne ing, Mr., McLane presented his Credentials
MS PresidentJuaTeg having no hesitation ''in P
u nouncinG the government Of JuaEez to be
o- only existing government of the Republi
/" He was cordially received by the authori