Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-01-04

BE- over the whole of Mexico, resort to hosttles
against il would have been quite jstifable and in.
deed necessary But the country was prey to civil
war and it was hoped that the success OF the con,
stitutional President might lead to condition OF
things less injurious to the United States ms
success became so probable that in January last
employed reliable agent to visit Mexico and re-
port to me the actual condition and prospects OF Inc
contending parties. In consequence OF his report
| and from information which reached me from otner
sources favorable to the prospects OF the consttu-
tional cause felt justified in appointing new min
lister to Mexico who might embrace the earliest
suitable opportunity of restoring our diplomatic re-
ations with that republic. For this purpose dis
tinguished citizen of Maryland was selected, who
| proceeded on his mission the 9Th OF March last
with discretionary authority to recognise the gov
eminent of President Juarez, if on his arrival in
| Mexico he should find it entitled to such recognl-
ton, according to the established practice Of the
United States. On the 7th of April following, Mr.
McLane presented his credentials to President Jua-
| rez, having no hesitation in pronouncing the gov
eminent of Juarez to be the only existing govern
ment of the Republic" He cordially received
by the authorities at Vera Cruz and they have ever
since manifested the most friendly disposition to-
wards the United States. Unhappily, however, the
constitutional government has not been able to es-
tablish its power over the whole republic. 1t is
supported by large majority of the people and the
States but there important parts of the country
where it can enforce no obedience. General Mira
mon maintains himself at the capital; and in some
of the distant provinces there military COVER
who pay little respect to the DEGREES Of either
government. In the mean time the excuses which
always attend upon civil war, especially in Mexico,
are constantly recurring. Outrages of the worst
| description are committed both upon persons and
property. There is scarcely any form of injury
which has not been suffered by our citizens in Mex
leo during the last few years. We have been nomi-
nay at peace with that republic, but so far as the
| interests of our commerce or of our citizens who
have visited the country as merchants, shpmasters,
or in other capacities, are concerned we might as
we'll have been at war;" Life has been insecure,
property unprotected, and trade impossible except
at risk of loss which prudent men canno. be ex-
pected to incur Important contracts, involving
large expenditures, entered into by the central gov
ernment have been set at defiance by the local gov
ernments. Peaceful American residents, occupying
their rightful possessions, have been suddenly
PEELED the country, in defiance of treaties and by
the mere force of arbitrary power. Even the
of justice has not been safe from CONTROL and a re-
cent decree of Miramon permits the intervention of
government in all suits where either party is for
cigner. Vessels of the United States have been
seized without law, and consular officer who pro-
tested against such seizure has been fined and i'm
prisoned for disrespect to the authorities. Military
contributions have been levied in violation of every
principle of right, and the American who resisted
the lawless demand has had his property forcibly
taken away, and has been himself banished. From
conflict of authority in different parts of the coun-
try, tariff duties which have been paid in one place
have been exacted again in another place
Large numbers of our citizens have been arrested
and imprisoned without any form of examination or
any opportunity for hearing, and even when re-
leased have only obtained their liberty after much
suffering and injury and without any hope of re-
dress The wholesale massacre of Crabbe and his
associates without trial in Sonora as well as the
seizure and murder of four sick Americans who had
taken shelter in the house of an American upon
the soil OF the United States, was communicated to
Congress at its last session. Murders of still more
atrocous character have been committed in the very
heart of Mexico, under the authority of Mramon's
government, during the present year. Some of
these were only worthy of barbarous age, and, if
they had not been clearly proven would have seemed
impossible i'll country which claims to be civil
lied. o. this description was the brutal massacre
in April last, by order Of Gen. MARQUEE, of three
American physicians, who were seized in the hos
pital at Tacubaya while attending upon the sick and
the dying of both parties and without trial. as with
out crime, were hurried away to speedy execution.
Little less shocking was the recent fate of Ormond
Chase, who was shot in Topic on the 18th of August
by order of the same Mexican general, not only
without trial. but without any conjecture by his
friends of the of his arrest He is represent
ed as young man of good character and intelli-
gence, who had made numerous friends in Topic by
the courage and humanity which he had disiayed
on several trying OCCASIONS and his death was as
unexpected as it was shocking to the whole comml-
nifty. Other outrages might be enumerated, but
these sufficient to illustrate the wrctched state
OF the country and the unprotected condition of the
persons and property of our citizens in Mexico
In all these cases ministers have been constant
and faithful in their demands for redress but both
they and this Government, which they have sue
cessively represented, have been wholly powerless
to make their demands effective. Their testimony
in this respect and in reference to the only remedy
which, in their judgments, would meet the exigencv
has been both uniform and emphatic. "No.hing
but manifestation of the power of the Government
of the United States, (wrote our late minister in
1860 and of its purpose to punish these wrongs
will avail. l assure you that the universal belle
here is that there is nothing to be apprehended from
the Government Of the United States anG that loca
Mexican officials can commit outrages upon Ameri
can citizens with absolute impunity." 81 hope tn.
President (wrote present minister in Angus
las twill feel authorized to ask from Congress thu
power to enter Mexico with the military forces O
the United States, at the call of the constitutions
authorities, in order to protect the citizens and thu
treaty rights of the United States Unless such :
power is conferred upon him, neither the one no
the other will be respected in the existing state
ohaiS anu uooiueI, anu Iue OuLfaSeS already
petrated will never be chastised; and as ASSURED
you in my No. %, all these evils must increase un
til every vestige of order and government disappear
from the country" have been reluctantly led tt
the same opinion and, in justice to my countrvme,
who have suffered wrongs from Mexico and VIII
may still suffer them fee! bound to announce thi
conclusion to Congress.
The case presented, however, is not merely cas-
Of individual claims, although our just claims agains
Mexico have reached very large amount. Nor
merely the case of protection to the lives and prc
perty Of the,few Americans who may still renal
IN Mexico, although the life and property of ever
American citizen ought to be sacredly protected Ii
every quarter of the world: But it is a ouestio
winch relates to the future we'll as to the presen
and the past and which involves, indirectly at least
the whole subject of our duty to Mexico as neigh
boring State. The. exercise of the power of tn
United States in that country to redress the wrong
and protect the rights of our own citizens is nom