Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-12-15

solute impunity, Thus wrote our minister
in 1856, and expressed the opinion that
"nothing but a manifestation of the power
of the government, and of its purpose to
punish these wrongs, will avail"
Afterwards, in 1857, came the adoption
of a new constitution for Mexico, the cleo
ton of President and Congress under
its provisions, and the Inauguration of the
President Within one short month,
however, this President was expelled from
the capital by rebellion in the army and
the supreme power of the republic was
assigned to General Iuloaga. This usur-
per was, in his turn, soon compelled to re-
tire and give place to General Miramon.
Under the constitution which had thus
been adopted. Senor Juarez, as Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court, became the
lawful President of the Republic and it
was for the maintenance of the constitu-
tion, and his authority derived from it,
that the civil war commenced, and still
continues to be prosecuted.
Throughout the year 1858 the consti-
tutional party grew stronger and stronger.
la the previous history of Mexico sue
cessful military revolution at the capital
had almost universally been the signal for
submission throughout the republic. Not
so on the present occasion. A majority
of the citizens pcrsistently sustained the
constitutional government. When this
was recognized in April, 1859, by the
Government of the United States, its au-
thority extended over large majority of
the Mexican States and people, including
Vera Cruz and all other important sea
ports of the republic. From that period
our commerce with Mexico began to re-
vive, and the constitutional government
has afforded it all the protection in their
power.
Meanwhile, the government of Miramoh
still held sway at the capital and over the
surrounding country, and continued its
outrages against the few Americaa citi-
zeus 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 citi-
zens 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 was done,
notwithstanding our unfortunate country
mon were at the moment engaged in the
holy cause of affording relief to the sol.
diers of both parties who had been woun-
ded in the battle, without making any
distinction between them.
The time had arrived, in my opinion,
when this Government was bound to ex-
ert its power to avenge and redress the
wrongs of our citizens and to afford them
protection in Mexico. The interposinc
obstacle was that the portion of the coun.
try under the sway Of Miramon could not
be reached without passing over territory
under the jurisdiction of the constitutional
government. Under these circumstances,
| deemed it my duty to recommend to
Congress, in my last annual message, the
employment of a sufficient military force
to penetrate into the interior, where the
government of Miramon was to be found,
with, or, if need be, without the consent of
the Juarez government, though it was not
doubted that this consent could be obtain
ed Never have had clearer convic-
ton on any subject than of the justice as
we'll as wisdom Of such policy. No
other alternative was left, except the en-
tire abandonment of our fellow citizens
who had gone to Mexico, under the faith
of treaties, to the systematic injustice,
cruelty, and oppression of Miramon's
government. Besides, it is almost certain
that the simple authority to employ this
force would of itself have accomplished all
our objects without striking 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 of its ability, to
do us justice.
In addition-and I deem this q most
important Observation-Disclosures gov.
ernmonts would have been deprived Of all
pretext interfered in the territorial and
domestic concerns of Mexico. We should
thus have been relieved from the obliga-
ton of resisting, even by force, should
this become necessary, any attempt by
these governments to deprive our neigh.
boring republic of portions of her terrific
ry; duty from which we 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 these governments, there is no
present danger that such contingency
will happen,
Having discovered that my recommen,
dations would not be sustained by Con-
gress, the next alternative was to accom-.
plish, in some degree, if possible, the same
objects by treaty stipulations with the
Constitutional Government Such treaties
were accordingly concluded by our late
able an excellent minister to Mexico, and
on the 4th January last were submitted to
the Senate for ratification. As these have
not yet received the final action of that
body, it would be improper for me to pre-
sent detailed statement of their provis-
ions. Still l may be permitted to express
the opinion in advance that they are cal
culated to promote the agricultural, manu-
featuring, and commercial interests of the