National Republican., 1884-06-14


duties incident to such citizenship so long as
they remain in any part of that republic.
Such, at least, Is tbo Outstanding in the eyes OF
Mexico, though the United States can not
consent to such mode Of transferring the
allegiance of her citizens to % foreign power
Although this government has abandoned
the foudal doctrine of perpetual allegiance,
and now holds that tho right of repatriation
Is the inherent right of every citizon, 1t
insists that tho exercise of such right must
be evidenced by some voluntary act on the
part Of tho citizen. Thus, whom it is mani
tested by the oath of allegiance to q foreign
government that is sufficient to establish the
repatriation of such person. But IL has never
been asserted that one government can COM
pei q citizen Of another TO yield up his
allegiance due to his native country
against his own voluntary consent. Tho
United States may not question the compe-
tenoy of Mexico to adopt these municipal
laws or regulations, or to enforce them on
her native-born citizens, but assuredly this
government cannot by any act
divcst itself of it's duty to
| protect its citizens, nor can its citizens
forfeit their reciprocal right 10 such proteo-
| tion except by thoir own deliberate, voluntary
act Such arc the laws Of Mexico, and as
they are written sho onforces and will en-
| force them.
IL matters little what may bo the position
this government assumes as to tho OBJECT of
| these regulations upon citizens of tho United
Statos, or what may be tho result of its con-
| tcntion with Mexico on that question. No
man desires to be in pcrl of property, liberty,
| or life while waiting the result of q conteu-
! tiOn between tho two governments. Tho
laws, delays, aud hardship5 of prison life in
Mexico are we'll known.
A Texas paper lately reported the imprison-
meut Of citizen Of that state in Mexico on
| a charge of murder, aud rcoited tho fact that
! tna upuuEod. NvhilN awaiting trial w TAX n
out of Jail every other day and escorted
through the village to beg the means of sub
sstoncc. In Wow of tho hardships resulting
from the enforcement of these laws, Mexico
affords striking illustration of the familiar
| saying, that ignorance of tho law excuses no
man. And it often happens that whom for
eigners apply for relief in cases whore they
have, through want of knowledge Of these
laws, violated them the Mexican officials
taunt them with their ignorance.
There can be no relief for tho many
Americans who to-day, through ignorance OF
these laws, are deemed by the Mexican gov
ernment to be Mexican citizens while they
remain in Mexico, unless there shall be q
modification of tho laws, or an authoritative
decision of the court of final appeal declaring
| their unconstitutionality.
~ Viewing these provisions in the light Of
the liberal spirit Of Mexico of to-day, invit-
| ing the world industry and wealth to her
shores, it is not easy to comprehend tho object
| of such legislation. The twenty leagues re-
striction was enacted moro than thirty years
ago. At that time the feeling of Mexico
| toward foreign nations was one of dstrust
and non-intercourse, and toward tho United
States in particular that Of hostility.
The war between the two powers and the
bitter memories that followed only intensified
that hostility of feeling. The Mexican
people supposed that tho spirit of annexation
animated the government and people of the
United States. They viowed with much
concern the fact that tho United States had
moro territory contiguous with Mexico
than any other foreign power, Guate-
mala having but few miles
of frontier in common with her, and the only
other foreign power adjoining Mexico was
the British settlement in Honduras. To the
military spirits of that day, who wero mold
ing the future of Mexico it doubtless seemed
| to be o necessary and wise provision to
protect this strip of twenty leagues of her
territory from ever becoming the field OF
foreign settlement and the basis of filibuster-
ing expeditions from the United States.
But with the most of the people, especially
those who belong to the progressive party
and represent a controlling influence in the
administration Of the government, these ap.
prehensions have given place to the friendly
relations which now characterize the inter.
course between the two republics, and to-day
leading men of both powers join in efforts to
strengthen and extend these cordial rela-
tions, and to bring the governments and
people of Mexico and the United States into
more intimate commercial intercourse
thereby promoting the material interests oi
both.
By the treaty of commercial reciprocity
tho United States will secure in Mexico All
increased market for the products of her
manufactures, which will enable Mexico to
continue to develop her country, increase her
nnnulatinn industry mud nrn1upts tn mil u
the market the United States affords, There
is an element Of tho population Of Mexico
which is violently opposed to the treaty, OIL
to anything that would in any way change
the old order of things, and is still fearful
of annexation projects from the United States
An expression of that feeling manifested
itself in the attack made on the property
of the Mexican Central railway, connecting
tho cities of Mexico and st. Louis. And SC
there are Mexicans who, to this day. believe
that they won the battle of Buena Vista
But they arc the exceptions to friendly feel
ing for the United States held by the Mexican
people generally, and even those will wear
away as the intercourse becomes more fre-
quent and business interests multiply.
With the advent of this friendly feeling
between Mexico and the United States should
be eliminated from the statutes of Mexico
these relics of an age of dstrust and hos
tlity which deter foreigners from placing in
vestment within her Jurisdiction and retard
her progress. Mexico has made great progress
within the last ten years under tho wise and
progressive influence of her public men.
She is seeking to extend her commerce not
only with tho United States, but with
European powers. A vast work of railroads
projected by Americans built with American
capital, and equipped with machinery OF
American manufacture, connects her leading
cities with great trunk lines and cities of the
United States.
She invites foreigners, not only with the
riches of her country, but with her system Of
imm migration and colonization. The contract!
already entered into between the govern.
ment and private individuals aud corpora
tions to induce colonization of her soil, Il
successfully carried out, would bring thou
sands of industrious settlers to swell hel
population and develop her industries
The inducements offered to the intending
coonists are liberal-perhAps too liberal
Tho obligations proposed to bo assumed by
the government nndor tho contracts already
made approximately amount to S24, 100000
This amount Is so large, in view OF the finan
cial condition of Mexico, as TO make il q
matter of reasonable doubt that the govern
ment has tho means to perform these
obligations, especially since there is no public
land system in Mexico MS understood by the
term in the United States. But not enough
has boon done under these contracts as vel
to fairly tost the merits Of the scheme. And
whio these measures of tho government
may show tho sincerity of its efforts TO Induce
foreigners To her shores, these unusual re-
striptions on thoir stains and nrODprtV riUht,