Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-01-06

Quesilon, lhe tteTclte W the tsmf stltth oi
iofbe,rance which ). incpleated nv you (Nr.
Marcy) on 'he authorities and citizens OF the
Uhited States"
1 Thus matters remained OpUn the faith Of
this arrangement until the Och Of July last,
when Gen llainey paid visit to The lslard.
Tie found upon it t~eniy five American reel.
debis. With their families, and als1 an e,iab-
li.hment of the Iui-on's BAY Company foe
the purpose Of raising sheep. A short time
belurc HE arrival one II these residents had
shot an animal belonging u the company,
whilst usspassing upon his premises, i"r
which. hoveyer. he offered To paw twice is
value but that was refused. Soon after.
"thr chief f,etor Of tho Company al Victoria,
Mr. D,lles. san.in-law Of Governor Douglas.
came to the Island 10 the English sloop.of.
var S,tellne. snd Threatened 10 take this
American (Mr Cutter) by force To VIcluris.
~ snssef tor the trr.ptss he had Committed
The American sciIsd his rifle and told Nc.
Dallas " any soch aitempl was made he
would kill him on the spot. The affair then
ended "
lluder these Circumstances The American
settlers presented petition 10 the General.
"through ;he Uhited SIstes Inspector Of
Sessions. Mr.. HOBBS. TO place Dtce upon
the leland 10 protect them IRON the lndians
a. we'll ~ the oppressive interference Of the
authorities Of the llud.on BAY COmp,ny at
Niel"ria With their rights A. Amerc.b citi-
Erns' The General immediately responded
'io this petition. snd ordered Capt. George T..
| Pickett, oh infantry. 80 establish hi. con-
pany on bellevue. az San Juan l.lsnd on
solne sullsble po,ilion near the h,'bor al the
sou,hea.lern extremity" This order va.
promptly obeyeJ, AMI military post Vas
established al ih" place designated. The
lufrc was afterwards increased. 80 that by The
last retum the whole number oi troop, then
on the Island amounted in The aggre lalo to
60l men.
Whilst do not deem il proper On the
present occasion. To GO fsuhsr inio The -ub-
lcct. and discuss the wrighl which ought To
br attached to the st,temebt- Of the British
culuhial auihorities. cuuie-iing the accuracy
ul the .nipimitIun on which the gallant Gen.
er,l acted. It sas due To lin that should
ihus present 10. own reasons iuf issuing tie
oFdef 10 Captain Pickett. From these IL i.
quite clear hls "bjrct was TO prevent Ihs Brit.
Ish authorities on NancouscT's Island from
exercising jurisdiction over American resi-.
dents on the Island OF san Juan. 40 we'll q.
10 protect them sg,lnsi the ineuTsions oi the
lndians
Mech excitement prevailed f1r some time
ihious shuul that region. aud serious danger
oi collision bclsren the parties wa- sppre-
hehded The Bfi'i,h had a large naval iOice
IN the vicinity aud IL Is an act Of simple
justice 10 the Admiral on that station IN state
that be wisely aud di,cfeetly ioreborc 10 conl-
NH any hostile act. bot determined To Ieier
he whole affair to his government aud await
their Instructions.
The aspect of the matter. In NV opinion.
demanded serious attention IL would have
teen gieat calamity ir both nation. bad
the, been prrclpit.trd into act, Of hostility,
not on the question oi title to the Island, bot
merely concerning what should be- IT, condI-
ton duTing the iRieuenlng period whilst the
two gu'ernmenls might be employed IN ,et.
iling The qu,,,lon tu which OF then li be.
longs. For thi. reason l.ieuienaGt General
Scott was despatched. on The l1ih September
last. {" Washington Territory o. take imme.
d,,c command ui the uGncd States forces
"a the Pacific coast, should he deem ilis
Necessary. The maln object of his mission
~as to cary oul the rpinl Of the precautions
ary arrangement bst~een the late Secretary
oi State and the British Minister. and thus
To presefre the peace and prevent collision
bciween The British and American aulhuti-
tis-. pending the neeotiatlohs bctsesn The
Two governments Entertaining ~ doubt of
The validity of ouI iiile. ! need SCARCELY add
that in anv event. American citizens were
t. BE- placed on a footing si least as favorable
a. that of Brili,h subjects. It being under
stood that Capi,in Plckeit's company shuud
remain on the l,'nd II Is proper 10 ob.
serve that, considering the distance iion tho
scene Of action, ard ~ ign"'nce OF what
might have tHnsplied on the spot before the
Generals arii'al. u Was necessary 10 leave
much 10 h. discretion. and sm happy TO
state the event Ia. prO'en that this discretion
could not have been entrusted ~ more COM
psient hands General Scott has Iecenlly
returned from hi. mission. having success
fully accomplished its objects. and there is
no lurger any good reas"n To- aPprehend
collision between The forces of the tso coun-
lrie' during the pendsncy Of the existing
negotiations.
regret to inform yOu that there has been
no Improvement 10 the Affairs ~ Mexico
since my last annual message, aud am agaIn
obliged to ask the earnest attention Of Cons
gres' 10 the unhappy condition Of that re-
puhlic
The constituent Congress of Mexico, which
adluurnri on the I'm oi February. 1857.
adopted constitution aud provided ior a
popslar election. This took place 10 the
following July Qsj7I. ans General Comon.
fuu was chosen President almost without
upp"siIian. At Ihe same sleciirn new
Congress VAS chosen. whose arsi session
commenced 90 the lCh ol September, 1857
By the consultation OF 1857 the Presidential
term vas iO begin 90 The lsi Of December,
1857. and continue for ioui years Ga that
dsy General Conpnforl spp~ared before tie
assembled Congress ~ The CIty Of Mexico.
took the oath 10 support The new constitution,
and was duty insueupted as President
Within a nonlh afterwards he had been :
driven from the capital. and a military rebel.
lion had assigned the sopieme power Of tie
republic N General Zuloaes. Tie cln'litu.
lion provided that in the ab-ence ~ the Pres
idenl his otHr- should de,ol'e upon the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court, and General
Cemoniori ha,iny lefi the coantry, his fune-
tionary. General Jaaiez. proceeded to form
a. Gusnaiusia. a constitutional government.
Before this was officially known. hpwcser.
At the cspil,l the government oi Zulo,ga had
been recognized by the enlire ciplnms,ic
corps, including The Minister Of the United
States, az tic dcfoofo government Of Mexico.
The eor.iitutiunal President. nevertheless.
maiht,lned hi. position with hrmness. and
was soon established with his cabinet nj Vera
Cruz. Meanwhile, the government oi Lulo-
aga was earnestly resisted in many paris Of
the repnblic, and even 10 the capital, por-
lion Of the army having pronounced against
IL, II. functions were DECLARED Terminated.