Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1860-12-08

with other aims Of our citizens which hll
been loug urged in vain, are referred for ad-
justmeut 10 board OF commissioners. sub
nit cop5 Of the convention 10 Congress, and
recommend the legislation Necessary to Cary it
into effect.
C1sIA RIGA AND NICARAGUA.
P,rseyyriug efforts have been made for the
adjustment OF the claims Ui American citizens
against the government OF Costa Rica, and |
attn happy to inform you that these have finally
prevailed. \ convention was sixuei at the
city OF San Jose. on the y of Juiy lat. bt :
tween the minister Icsidcnt Ot the United
Statcs in Ccst3 E;ll AID the plenipotentiaTies
of that republic, Referring these claims L. q
l. arC al Commissioners and providing iuI the
payment Of their awards. This convention
will te submitted immeli.tely 10 the s-Uate
fOr their constitutional action.
Tie claims of our citizens upon the republic
Of Niclragsa have mt ct been provided FOR
by treaty, although diligeut Efforts Tor this puT-
pose have b.rn made ly our minister resident
II that republic. Ihas= aye still continued With
a fair prospect oi success.
NIx.c0.
Our relations with Mexico remain il a most
unsatisfactory condition. In my two last al
uual messages discussed e1reas lve!y the sub.
let I these relations. and 10 bot nov propose
TO repeat 10 length the facts and arguments
then presented They proved c0nclusiy-'y that
oUr citizens rtsi!In. in Mexico and our u.tI-
chants trading thereto had suffered q series Of
vTOH-s and oatragcs such - w have never
Patiently borne fsCm any other nation For
tGeSe cur sucCs-s -siyc ministers, invoking the
faith OF treaties. hal. ia the name OF their
country, persistenjly demanded redress and III
deuuiflCatiuu, bUt without the s,i-Ltest effect
Indeel, 80 confident hsd the Mexican auihJTi-
ties become Of our patient endurance. that they
universally believed they might commit thts-
CutTage- upon American citizens with abs luIe
impuHity. thus wrote cur minister in lsJj.
aui expressed the opinion that nothing but
manifestation Of the power oi the Government,
and OF IT. purpose 10 punish these wrongs will
avail.
Aucrwal-. in 1871 came the adoption of 4.
new constitution Tor Mexico, the election Of 4
President aud Congress under It's provisions.
aud the Inaugural! q Of the President Within
one short ninth, however, this President las
expelled from the capital ty rebellion in the
army. and the supreme power Of the republic
was assi-nel to General ZulOaga, This usurIer
wa. IN his turn soon compelled 10 retire and
give lac to General MlTamon.
Under the constitution which had thus been
adopted, Seii0r Juart8 as CHEF Justice OF The
SupreEle Court, became the lawful President Of
the constitution aud his authority derived
from it that the civil war commenced, and still
continues 10 be prosecuted.
Throughout the year 1858 the constitutional
party grew stronger and stronger. In the previous
history OF Mexico 4 successful military revoiu-
ton at the capital had almost universally been
the signal for submission throughout the repub
fic. SotS0 on the pTe5ent occls IN. \ maj orty OF
the citizens persisttntly sustained the constitu-
tional government. When this was recognized
in April, 1853. BY the Government of the
I United States, its authority extended over
/ large ma j0rity Of the Mexican States and people
including Vera Cruz and all the other import
ant sea ports OF the republic. From that pc
Rod Our commerce with Mexico began 70 re
vive aud the constitutional government has
Afforded il all the protection in their power.
Meanwhile the government OF Miramon still
held sway at the capital and over the surround
. ing country, and continued its outrages against
the few American citizens who still had the
courage TO remain within its power To cap
the climax After the battle OF Tacubaya. in
April, 1883, Gen. Marquez ordered three citi-
zens Of tie United States two of them physi-
Clans, TO be seized in the hospital at that
place, taken ont and shot, without crime and
without trial. This was DONE notwithstand-
ing Our unfortunate countrymen were at the
moment engaged iu the holy cause of affoIdiDg
relief 10 the soldiers Of both parties who had
been wounded in the battle, without making
any distinction between them.
The time had arrived in my opinion, when
this Government was bound to exert its power
to aveuge and IedIess the wrongs of our citizens
and to afford them protection in Mexico. The
interpreting obstacle was that the portion of the
country under the sway Of Niramon could not
be reached without passing over territory un-
der the jurisdiction Of the constitutional gov
ernment. Under these circumstances deemed
it my duty TO recommend to Congress in nv
last annual message, the employment of a suf-
hcieUt military force 10 penetrate into the inte-
Iior where the government OF MarimOn was 10
be found, with, CT, ii need be without the CON
sent OF the JuareZ government, thought it was
not doubted that this consent could be obtain
ed. Never have had a clearer conviction on
any subject than Of the Justice as well as wis
; dom of such a policy. No other alternative
was left, except the entire abandonment of our
| frllOw-ctizens who had gone to Mexico, under
the faith OF treaties, to the systematic Injustice
: cruelty, and oppression of MTamou's govern
} ment. Besides, il is almost certain that the
simple authority to employ this force would OF
itself have accomplished all our objects with
5 out striking single blow The constitutional al
, government would then ere this have been
. established at the city of Mexico, and would
have been ready and willing, to the extent Of
its ability, to do US justice.
In addition-and deem this a most impor
taRt Observation-Disclosures governments
, would have been deprived of all pre,ext to in.
terfere in the territorial and domestic concern,
/, of Mexico. We should thus have been reliev-
l ed from the obligation OF resisting, even by
force, should this become necessary, any at
tempt by these governments 10 deprive oul
neighboriug republic of portions of her terri
: tory a duty from which we could not shrink
without abandoning the traditional and estab
i lished policy of the American people l au
happy to observe, that. firmly relying upon
, the justice and good faith OF these govern
= ments, there is no present danger that such
contingency will happen.