Year: 1860



 Life has been insecure, property unprotect- ed, and trade impossible except at a risk of loss which prudent men cannot be expected to incur.

 Important contracts, involving large ex- penditures, entered into by the central go- vernment, have been set at defiance by the local governments. Peaceful American re- sidents, occupying their rightful possessions have been suddenly expelled the country, in defiance of treaties, and by the mere force of arbitrary power. Even the course

 of justice has not been safe from control, and recent decree of Miramon permits the intervention of government in all suits where either party is foreigner. Vessels of the United States have been seized with out law, and consular officer who protest ed against such seizure has been fined and imprisoned for disrespect to the authorities. Military contributions have been levied in violation of every principle of right, and the American who resisted the lawless de- mand has had his property forcibly taken away, and has been himself banished.- From conflict of authority in different parts of the country, tariff duties which have been paid in one place have been ex- acted over 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 released have only obtained their liberty after much suffering and injury and without any hope of redress. The wholesale massacre of Crabbe and his associates without trial in Sonora, as we'll as the seizure and murder of four sick Ame- ricans 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 a still more atrocious character have been committed in the very heart of Mexico, under the authori- ty of Miramon's government, during the present year. Some of these were only worthy of a barbarous age, and ii they had not been clearly proven, would have seem- ed impossible in country which claims to be civilized. Of this description was the brutal massacre in April last, by order of Gen. Marquez, of three American physi clans, who were seized in the hospital at Tacubaya while attending upon the sick and the dying of both parties and without trial, as without crime, were hurried away to speedy execution. Little less shocking was the recent fate of Ormond Chase, who was shot in Topic on the 7th of August by order of the same Mexican General, not only without a trial, but without any conjecture by his friends of the cause of his arrest.- He is represented as young man of good character and intelligence, who had made numerous friends in Topic by the courage and humanity which he had displayed on several occasions, and his death was as un- expected as it was shocking to the whole community. Other outrages might be emu merated; but these are sufficient to illustrate the wretched state of the country and un- protected condition of persons and property of our citizens in Mexico.

 In all these cases our ministers have been constant and faithful in their demands for redress; but both they and this government, which they have successfully represented, have been wholly powerless to make their demands effective. Their testimony in this respect, and in reference to the only reme dy which, in their judgments, would meet the exigency, has been both uniform and emphatic "Nothing but manifestion of the power of the government of the United States, (wrote our late minister in 1856, ] and of its purpose to punish these wrongs will avail. l assure you that the universal belief here is that there is nothing to be ap prehended from the government of the Unit ed States, and that local Mexican officials can commit these outrages upon American citizens with absolute impunity." "Ihope in August last, will feel authorized to ask from Congess the power to enter Mexico with the military forces of the United States, at the call of the constitutional au- thorities, in order to protect the citizens and the treaty rights of the United States. Unless such power Is conferred upon him, neither the one nor the other will be re- spected in the existing state of anarchy and disorder, and the outrages already perpe. trated will never be chastised; and, as 1 as sured you in my No. 23, all these evils must increase until every vestige of order and government disappears from the coun try" l have been reluctantly led to the same opinion, and, in justice to my coun- trymen who have suffered wrongs from Mexico, and who may still suffer them, l feel bound to announce this conclusion to Congress.

 The case presented, however, is not mere ly case of individual claims, although our just claims against Mexico have reached very large amount. Nor Is 1t merely the case of protection to the lives and property of the few Americans who may still remain in Mexico, although the life and property of every American citizen ought to be sa credly protected in every quarter of the world But it is a question which relates to the future as we'll as to the present and the past. and which involves, indirectly at least, the whole subject of our duty 10 Mexico as neighboring State. The exer else of the power of the United States in that country to redress the wrongs and the rights of our citizens is none the less to be desired, because efficient and necessary aid may thus be rendered at the same time to restore peace and order to Mexico itself In the accomplishment of this result the people of the United States must necessari- ly feel deep and earnest interest. Mexico ought to be a rich and prosperous and pow. erful republic. She possesses an extensive territory, fertile soil, and an incalculable store of mineral wealth.

 She occupies an important position be- tween the gulf and the ocean for transit routes for commerce. Is it possible that such country as this can be. given up to anarchy and ruin without an effort from any quarter for its rescue and its safety?- Will the commercial nations of the world, which have so many interests connected with it. remain wholly indifferent to such a result? Can the United States, especially, which ought to share most largely in its commercial intercourse, allow their imme diate neighbor thus to destroy itself and injure them? Yet, without support from some quarter, 1t is impossible to perceive how Mexico can resume her position among nations and enter upon careet which pro- mises any good results. The aid which she requires, and which the interest of all commercial countries require that she should have, it belongs to this government to render, not only by virtue of our neigh borhood to Mexico, along whose territory we have a continuous frontier of nearly