Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-12-04
nitted Immediately to the Senate for their constitutional

ntted Immediately to the Senate for their constitutional
action.
The claims of citizens upon the republic of Mica
have not yet been provided for treaty. although
dgent efforts for this purpose have been made by our
minister resident to that republic These still
unued. with fair prospect of success.
MEXICO
Our relations with Mexico remain in most unsatisfac-
tory condition. In my last go annual messages dis
cusseo extensively the subject of these relations and do
not now propose to repeat at length the facts and argu
ments then preeented They proved concusively that
our ctzens residing in Mexico and merchants trading
thereto lad suffered series of wrongs and outages such
as We have patiently borne from any other nation
E0r these successive ministers invoking the faith OF
treaties had in the of their country persistenty
demanded redress and ndemnifcation but without the
slightest effect. Indeed confident had the Mexican
authorities become of patient endurance that they
universally believed they might commit these out
RACES upon American citizens with absolute impunty
Thus wrote our minister in 1885, and expressed the opn
ION that notbng but manifestation of the power of the
will AVAIL
afterwards in 1857 came the adoption of new con-
stuton for Mexico the election of President and Con-
gress under its provisions and the inauguration of the
Psesident Within short month"; however this Presi-
dent expelled from the capital by rebellion in the
army, and the supreme power of the republic
signed to General ZuOaga This usurper in his turn
soon compelled to retire and give place to General Mira
mon.
Under the constitution which had thus been adopted
Seor Juarez chief justice of the Supreme Court be-
the lawful President of the Republic and it for
the maintenance of the constitution and his authority
derived from it that the civil commenced and still
continues to be prosecuted
Throughout the year 1853 the constitutional party grew
stronger and stronger In the previous history of Mexico
successful military revolution at the capital had almost uni
versay been the signal for submission throughout the
public Not SO the present occasion. majority of
citizens OorgiStently
eminent When this recognised in April 1859 by
the Government of the United States its authority e
tended over large majority of the Mexican States and
people, including Vera Cruz and all the other important
sea ports of the republic. From that period our COM
merce with Mexico began to revive, and the consttu
onal government has afforded it all the protection in
their power.
Meanwhile, the government of iraon still held sway
at the capital and the surrounding country and
continued its outges 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 1859, Gen. Marquee ordered three citizens of the
United States two of them physicians to be seized in the
hospital at that place. taken out and shot, without crime
and without trial. This done notwithstanding our
unfortunate countrymen at the moment engaged
IN the holy cause of afording relief to the soldiers Of
both parties who had been wounded in the battle. with
out making any distinction between them.
The time had arrived in my opinion, when this Gov
eminent bound to its power to avenge and
dress the wrongs of citizens and afford them pro-
lection In Mexico. The inteposing obstacle that
the portion OF the country under the sway of Mramon
could not be reached without passing over territory un-
der the jurisdiction of the constitutional government
Under these circumstances deemed it my duty to rec,
ommend to Congress, in my last annual message the
employment of sufficient military force to penetrate into
the INTERIOR where the government of Mran,on was to
he found with If need be- without the consent of the
Juarez government though was net doubted that this
consent could be obtained Never have had clearer con-
vction any subject than of the Justice well wisdom
OF such policy No other alternative left except
the entire abandonment of fellowcitsens who had
gone to Mexico under the faith of treaties the sys-
tematic injustice cruelty, and oppression of Mamon
government Besides it is almost certain that the sim
pie authority to employ this force would of itself have
accomplished oil objects without striking o single
blow The constitutional government would then ere
this have been established at the city of Mexico and
would have been ready and willing, to the extent its
ability, to do us Justice.
In addition-and deem this q most important con-
Sdcation-European governments would have been de-
prived of all prcext interfere in the territorial and
domestic of Mexico. We should thus have been
relieved from the obligation of resisting by force
should this become necessary any attempt by these gov
enmeuts to deprive neighborng republic of portions
of her territory; duty from which wo could not shrink
without abandoning the traditional and established policy
OF the American people. am happy to observe, that
firmly relying upon the justice and good faith of those
governments there is present danger that such con-
tngency will happen.
Having discovered that my recommendations would
not be sustained by Congress- the next alternative
TO accomplish in some degree if possible, the OBJ
jects by treaty spuations with the constitutional gov
eminent Such treaties accordingly concluded by
our late able and excellent minister to Mexico and on
the 4th January last submitted to the Senate for
ratification AS these have not yet received the final &C.
ton OF that body it would be improper for me to pre-
sent detailed statement of their provisions Still may
be permitted to express the opinion in advance that they
calculated to promote the agricultural manufactu
ing and commercial interests of the country and to &C.
cure our just influence with adjoining republic as
to whose fortunes and fate we can never feel Indifferent
whilst at the time they provide for the payment OF
considerable amount towards the satisfaction of the
claims OF our injured fellow citizens,
KANSAS AND UTAH.
AT tho period of my Inauguration was confronted in
Kansas by revolutionary government existing under
what IS called the Topeka constitution. Its avowed OBJ
ect was TO subdue the territorial government by force
and to naugurae what called tho Topeka govern
mept in its stead To accomplish this object an extensive
military organization formed and its command en-
trusted to the most violent revolutionary leaders Under
these circumstances it became my imperative duty to
exert the whole constitutional power of the Executive
prevent the flames of civil from again raging in Kan
ss, which, in the excited state of the public mind both
North and South might have extended into the neigh
boring States
against each other by emssries both from the North and
the South, to degree of magnity without parallel in
our history. To prevent actual collision and to assist
the civil magistrates in enforcing the laws strong de-
tachment of the army stationed in the Territory
ready to aid the marshal aud his deputies when lawfully
called upon, posse comiats in the execution of civil
and criminal process.
STILL the troubles in Kansas could not have been per
manently settled without election by the people, The
baotbox is the surest arbiter of disputes among free
Under this conviction, every proper effort
poyed to induce the hostile parties to at the election
of delegates to frame State constitution, and afterwards
at the election to decide whether Kansas should be slave
free State The nsurgent party refused to vote at
either lest this might be- considered RECOGNITION on their