Year: 1859

regret to inform you that there has been Improve


in the affairs of Mexico since my last annual mes


and again obliged to ask the earnest attention
OF Congress to the unhappy condition OF t9at republic


The constituent Congress of Mexico, which adjourned
the 18th of February 1857 adopted constitution and
provided for popular election This took place in the
following July, lN57 and General COmonfort cho-
sen President, almost without opposition At the same
election Congress was chosen, whose first session
commenced the 10th of September, [lS57l. By the
constitution of 1889 the presidential begin
the St of December 1S57 and continue FOR four years


On that day General Comonfot appeared before the
sembled Congress in the city of Mexico took the oath
support the constitution. and was duly inaugurated
as President Within month afterwards he had been
driven from the capital, and military rebellion had as
signed the supreme power the republic General Zu-
loaga The constitution provided that the absence of
the President his Office should devoIve upon the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court and General COmonfor
having left the country this functionary General Juarez
proceeded to form, at Guanauato, constitutional gov
ernment.


Before this was officially known however. at the cap
tal the of Iuoaga had been recognized by
the entire diplomatic corps including the Minister of the
United States the dc fdcto government of Mexico


The constitutional President nevertheless maintained his
position with frmness and was established with his
cabinet at Vera Cruz. Meanwhile, the government Of
Zuoaga earnestly resisted in many parts of the
public, and in the capital portion of the army
having pronounced against it, its functions declared
terminated and an assembly Of citizens invited for
the choice of President. This assembly elected
General Mranon but that officer repudiated the plan
der which he was chosen and Zuoa thus restored
to his previous position He assumed it, however only
to withdraw from it. and MramOn having become by his
appointment, president Suhstituten continues with





In my last annual message I communicated to Con
the circumstances under which the late Minister of
the United States suspended his official relations with the
central government and Withdrew from the country. 1t
was impossible to maintain friendly intercourse with
government like that at the capital under whose usuped
authority wrongs were constantly committed but never
redressed. Had this been established government,
with its power extending by the consent of the people,
over the whole of Mexico resort to hoses against il
would have been quite jusabe indeed necessary.
But the country was a prey to civil war and it was
hoped that the success of the constitutional President
O tn he
United States This became probable that
January last employed reliable agent to visit Mexico,
and report to the actual condition and prospects Of
the conendng parties In consequence of his report
and from information which reached me from other
sources favorable to the prospects of the constitutional
cause felt justified in appointing n Minister
Xico, who might embrace the earliest suitable Oppor
tunity of restoring diplomatic relations with
public.


For this purpose distinguished citizen of Maryland
selected who proceeded his mission the Sth
March last with discretionary authority to recognize the
government of President Juarez if his arrival Mex
leo he should find it entitled TO such recognition accord
ing to the established practice of the United States On
the 9TH of April following Mr. McLane presented his
dentias to President Juarez, having hesitation ain
pronouncng the Government of Juarez be the only
isting government of the Republic He cordially
received by the authorities Cruz they
ever since manifested the most friendly diposOn to-
wards the United States. Unhappiiy however the con.
sttutonal government has been able to establish its
power the whole republic is supported by large
majority of the people and the States are i'm
portant parts of the country where enforce obe
dence General Miramon maintains himself capi-





tay governors who pay little respect to the DEGREES of
either government In the meantime the which
always attend upon civil war; especially in Mexico are
constantly recurring Outrages OF the worst description
committed both upon persons and property.


There scarcely any form of injury which has not been
suffered by citizens in Mexico during the last few
We have been nOmnally peace with that epub


lie, but $50 far the interests of
citizens who have visited the country merchants ship
masters, in other capacities are concerned we might
well have been at war Life has been insecure pro
perty unprotected and trade impossible except at risk
lFlpnf me- he
Important contracts, involving large expenditures
ed into by the central government have been at def
by The local governments Peaceful American resi-
dents occupying their rghtfu 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 Mramon permits the intervention of
government in all suits where either party foreigner


essels OF the United States have been seized without
law, and consular officer who protested against
seizure has been fined and imprisoned disrespect to
the authorities. Military contributions have been levied
in violation every principle of right and the American
who resisted the awess demand has had his property
forcibly taken away and has been himself banished
From conflict of authority in different parts of the
try, tariff duties which have been paid in place
been exacted over again in another place.


Large numbers of citizens have arrested and
prsoned without any form of examination any op
portunity for hearing, and when released have
only obtained their liberty after much suffering and in
jury and without any hope of redress The wholesale
of Crabbe and his associates without trial in
Sonora well 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 com
munieated Congress its last session Murders
still atrocous character have been committed in the
very heart of Mexico under the authority Miramons
government, during the present year Some of these
were only worthy of barbarous age and if they had
been clearly proven would have seemed impossible
in country which claims be civilized OF this de
scrpon was the brutal massacre in April last by order
of Gen. Marquee, of three American physicians, who
seized in the hospital at Tacubaya while attending
upon the sick and the dying of both parties and without
cution Little less shocking the recent fate
mond Chase who shot in Topic the 7th of August


trial. but without any conjecture by his friends
of his arrest He is represented young man
good character and intelligence, who had numerous
friends in Tc by the courage and humanity which he
had displayed several trying occasions and his death
was unexpected as it shocking the whole
munity Other outrages might be enumerated but these
sufficient to illustrate the wretched state of the
and the unprotected condition of the persons pro
perty of citizens in Mexico.


In all these ministers have and
faithful in their demands for redress but both they and
this Government, which they have successvely repre-
sented have been wholly powerless to make their de
mands effective Their testimony in this respect and
reference to the only remedy which in their judgments
would meet the exgency, has been both uniform
and emphatic Nothing but manifestation of the pow.
the Government the United States wrote our late
Minister in 1856 and of its purpose to punish these
wrongs will avail you that the universal belief
here is that there is nothing TO be apprehended
Government of the United States that local Mexican
officials commit these OutrageS upon American citi-
zens with absolute impnnity 81 hope the President
W rote present minister in August ast will feel
thozed to ask from Congress the to enter Mexico
with the military forces of the United States at the call of
the constitutional authorities in order to protect the cti
and the treaty rights of the United States Unless
such power is conferred upon him, neither the one nor
other will be respected in the existing anarchy
and disorder and the OutTages already perperatcd will
never be chastsed; and assured you in my No. 23
all these evils increase until vestige OF order
and government disappears from the country - have
been reluctantly led to the opinion, and in Justice
to my counrymen who have suffered wrongs from Mexi-
ico AMI who may still suffer them. bound to an
nounce this conclusion to Congress.


The presented however, is not merely of in
divdua 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 American citizen ought to be
sacredy protected every quarter of the world But il
is question which relates the future well the
present and the past, and which involves indirectly
least the whole subject of duty Mexico as a neigh
boring State The exercise of the power the United
States in that country TO redress the wrongs and protect
the rights of our own citizens is none the less to be dc
red because efficient and necessary aid may thus rem
dered at the time to restore peace and order Mex
leo itself In the accomplishment of this result the peo
pie of the United States necessarily feel
earnest interest Mexico ought to be rich and prosper
and powerful republic She possesses an extensive
territory fertile SOIL and ncalculabe store of mine
raj wealth she occupies an important position between
the Gulf and the for transit


Is it possible that such country this be given
up to anarchy and ruin without effort from any
ter for its and its safety? viii the commercial
nations Of the world which have so many interests
nected with 1t remain wholly indifferent to such result
Can the United States especially which ought share
largely in its commercial intercourse allow their
immediate neighbor thus to destroy itself and injure
themY Yet, without support from quarter, it is
impossible to perceive how Mexico resume her posi-


on among nations and enter upon which promi
any good results The aid which she requires and
which the interests Of all commercial countries require
that she should have it belongs to this Government to
render not only by virtue Of neighborhood to Mexico
along whose territory have continuous frontier of
nearly thousand miles, but by virtue, also. of
tabished policy which is inconsistent with the iuteryen
ton Of any European Power in the domestic Of
that republic.


The wrongs which we have suffered from Mexico are be
fore the world and must deeply impress every American
citizen. government which is either unable unwil


ling to redress such wrongs is derect its highest du
ties the difficulty consists in selecting and enforcing the
remedy. We in vain apply the constitutional
government at Vera Cruz although well disposed to
do justice, for adequate redress Whilst authority
is acknowledged in all the important ports and through
out the eacoasts Of the Republic its power does not
tend to the city of Mexico and the States in its vicinity
where nearly all the outages have been committed
American citizens We must penetrate into the nte-
ror before reach the offenders and this only
be done by passing through the territory in the occupa
ton of the constitutional government The accepa
BILE and least difficult mode of accompshn object
will be to act in concert with that government Their
consent and Their aid might believe be obtained but if
just rights secured by treaty would not be the less i'm
perative.


For these reasons recommend 70 Congress to pass
law authorizing President conditions


force to enter Mexico for the purpose of obtaining indem
nifty for the past and security for the future purposey
refrain from any suggestion whether this shall
consist of regular troops volunteers both This
question may be appropriately left the decision of
Congress would merely observe that, should volun-
be selected such force could be easily raised in
this country among those who sympathze with the suf
ferngs of unfortunate fellow citizens in Mexico and
with the unhappy condition of that republic. Such
accession to the forces of the constitutional government
would enable to reach the city of Mexico and extend


its power the whole republic In that event there
to doubt that the just claims of citizens would
be satisfied and adequate redress obtained for the injuries