The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-01-05

| nad been driven from the capital, and
a rebellion had assigned the Supreme
power of the republic to Gen. Zuloaga,
The constitution provided that in the
absence of the Chief Justice Of the
! Supreme Court, and, Gen. Common
fort having left the country, this func-
tionary, Gen. Juarez, proceeded to
form at Guanajuato, a constitutional
Government. Before this was official
ly known, however, at the capital, the
government of Zuloaga had been re-
cognized by the entire diplomatic crops
Including the minister of the United
States, as the de .facto Government of,
Mexico. - f.-.,. .s.,.i.,.4 ~ ,..ee, ~
The constitutional President, never
theless, maintained his position with
| firmness, and was soon established with
his cabinet at Vera Cruz. Meanwhile,
the government of Zuloaga was earn
estly resisted in many parts of the re-
public, and even in the capital, por-
ton of the army having pronounced
against it, its functions were declared
terminated, and an assembly of citizens
was invited for the choice of new
President. This assembly elected
General Miramon, but that officer re-
pudiated the plan under which he was
chosen, and Zuloaga was then restored
to his previous position. He assumed
it, however, only to withdraw from it,
and Miramon, having become, by his
appointment, :" President Substitute.
continues, with that title, at the head
of the insurgent party. r-s .s9,is liz al
In my last annual message / commu-
nicated to Congress the circumstances
under which the late Minister of the
United States suspended his official re-
lations with the central government,
and withdrew from the country. 1t
was impossible to maintain friendly in
tercourse with a government like that
at the capital, under whose usurped
authority wrongs were constantly COM
mitted, but never redressed. Had this
been an established government, with
its power extending, by the consent Of
the people, over the whole of Mexico,
resort to hostilities against it would
have been quite justifiable, and indeed
necessary. - ~ s.ese-.
but the country was prey to civil
war; and it was hoped that the success
of the constitutional President might
lead to condition of things less in
furious to the United States. This sue
cess became so probable that, in Janu-
airy last, | employed reliable agent to
visit Mexico, and report to me the ac-
tual condition and prospects of the
contending parties. In consequence
Of his report, and from information
which reached me from other sources,
favorable to the prospects of the con-
stitutional cause, felt justified in ap-
pointing new minister to Mexico, who
might embrace the earliest suitable op-
portunity of restoring our diplomatic
relations with that republic. For this
purpose distinguished citizen of Mary
land was selected, who proceeded on
his mission on the sth of March last,
with discretionary authority to recog-
nize the government of President
Juarez, if on his arrival in Mexico he
should find it entitled to such recogni-
ton, according to the established prac-
tice of the United States. On the 7th
of April following Mr.. McLane pre-
sented his credentials to President
Juarez, having no hesitation Gin pro-
nouncing the government of Juarez to
be the only existing government Of
the republic" He was cordially re-
ceived by the authorities at Vera Cruz,
and they have ever since manifested the
most friendly disposition towards the
United States. -. -. -
Unhappily, however, the constitu-,
tional government has not been able TO
establish its power over the whole re-
public. 1t is supported by a large ma
jority of the people and the states, but
there are important parts of the coun-
try where it can enforce no obediencs.
Gen. Miramon maintains himself at the
capital; and in some of the distant
provinces there are military governors
who pay little respect to the DEGREES of
either government. In the meantime
the excesses which always attend upon
civil war, especially in Mexico, are con-
stantly recurring. Outrages of the
worst description are committed both
upon persons and property. There is
ScaTceiy any ioiii VI INJURY Whioh HAA
not been suffered by our citizens in
Mexico during the last few years. We
have been nominally at peace with
that republic, 'but so far rs the inter-
ests of our commerce, or of our citizens
who have visited the country as mer-
chants, ship-masters, or in other capac-
tiles, are concerned, we might as well
have been at war" Life has been in
secure, property unprotected, and trade
impossible except at risk of loss which
prudent men cannot be beexpected to in-
cur. Important contracts, involving
large expenditures, entered into by the
central government, have been ret al
defiance by the local governments.
Peaceful American residents, occupy
ling their rightful possessions, have
been suddenly expelled from the coun-
TRY, in defiance of treaties, and by the
mere force of arbitrary power. Even
the course of justice has tho been safe
from control, and a recent decree Of
Miramon permits the Intervention of
i government in all suits where either
party is a foreigner, be4 9vad sa no
i Vessels of the United States have
been seized without law, and = consu-