"I cannot but decide in favour of the last alternative which this question presents; for nothing can be more evident than that an Indian war, commencing on either side of the line, will as surely extend to both sides, as that a lighted quick match thrust into one side of a powder magazine would extend the explosion to both sides."

Mr. Gorostiza, the Mexican Minister, protested against the advance of the troops under General Gaines, as a positive violation of the Mexican territory; a long and somewhat angry correspondence ensued, in which Mr. Gorostiza at length demanded peremptorily the recall of the troops under General Gaines, and failing to effect his desire in that particular, on the 15th of October, 1836, abruptly terminated his mission to the United States, and returned home.

Before doing so, however, he adopted a course unexampled in the history of diplomacy, and highly indecorous to the government of the United States. On his own responsibility he issued a pamphlet containing portions of his correspondence with the American Secretary of State, and extracts from his letters to his own government—with an introduction to the whole, containing statements and comments defamatory of the people and government of the United States. This pamphlet was sent to editors of newspapers known generally to be unfavourable to the administration, and to the diplomatic agents accredited to the United States government.

The President felt himself greatly aggrieved by this extraordinary and disrespectful conduct, especially after the long forbearance that had been exercised towards the Mexican government, which still refused not only to redress, but even to acknowledge the many injuries and insults which had been offered to the persons and property of our citizens, to the American flag, and to the dignity of our consuls and other officers.

CHAPTER II.

Injuries and Insults offered by Mexico-Outrages on the Persons and Property of American Citizens-Insults to the American Flag-Application of Texas for the recognition of her Nationality--Just and candid Policy of General Jackson-Recognition of Texas-Refusal of Mexico to redress or even admit the Injuries committed against the United States-Jackson's special Message-Action of Congress-Special Messenger despatched-Promises of redress-Neglect of Mexico to perform her Promises-Renewal of Negotiations-Convention for the Settlement of Claims-Procrastination and Evasion of Mexico-Failure of Mexico to comply with the Stipulations.

AFTER the treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, concluded in 1831, it was hoped that Mexico would observe a just and friendly policy towards our country; but, in violation of the most solemn articles, she committed outrages not only upon individual citizens of the United States, but upon her flag, and the persons of her consuls and other officers. The following list of grievances, as enumerated in a letter of July 20th, 1836, from the Department of State to Powhattan Ellis, our Chargé d'Affaires in Mexico, will exhibit the outrages of Mexico, and the unexampled forbearance of the United States.

On the 31st of December, 1831, an alcalde of Menotillan, in the colony of Guazcualco, instituted what is said to have been an illegal, arbitrary, and oppressive proceeding against Doctor Baldwin, a citizen of the United States, under colour of a suit at law, preferred and carried on by a creature of the alcalde himself. Baldwin appeared before the alcalde to answer the charge; an altercation ensued, and the alcalde ordered him to the stocks,

which Baldwin refusing to submit to, attempted to escape, and was pursued by a party of soldiers who attended the court. In the race Baldwin fell, receiving an injury in one of his legs; was captured, carried back into the presence of the alcalde, placed in the stocks, and afterwards imprisoned.

In February 1832, the schooner Topaz, of Bangor, Maine, was employed by the Mexican government to carry troops from Matamoros to Galveston Bay. The master and mate were murdered by the soldiers on the passage, the crew imprisoned, and the vessel seized and converted to the Mexican service.

On the 21st of June, 1832, the American schooner Brazoria was seized in the port of Brazoria, by John Austin, the Mexican military commandant in that quarter, and employed to make an attack upon Anahuac, then in possession of insurgents. During the attack she was injured so as to be made unseaworthy, and was abandoned as a total loss, for which the underwriters have received no compensation.

In the summer of 1832, the steamboat Hidalgo, and schooner Consolation, belonging to Aaron Leggett, of New York, were forcibly taken possession of by Mexican officers at Tobasco, and used by them. The brig John, belonging to Leggett, was also detained, and money was extorted from him. The consequences resulting from these acts are represented to have been ruinous to the sufferer, and the Mexican government was clearly bound by the treaty to indemnify him for them.

In March 1834, Captain McCeige, of the schooner Industry, of Mobile, was imprisoned at Tobasco, and an exorbitant fine demanded of him without cause. The payment of the fine being made, the only condition upon which he could be allowed to depart, he abandoned his vessel and her cargo to the authorities, who afterwards sold them.

In the summer of 1834, the brig Paragon, of New York, was causelessly fired into on her way to Vera Cruz, by the Mexican

INSULTS TO THE AMERICAN FLAG.

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public-armed schooner Tampico. In answer to an official representation on the subject by Mr. Butler, that government promised that the affair should be inquired into; but the promise was not fulfilled.

In the beginning of May 1835, the answer of officers supposed to belong to the custom-house, who boarded the brig Ophir, of New York, on her arrival at Campeachy, to an inquiry of the captain as to which of the ship's papers it would be necessary to present at the custom-house, was accidentally, or intentionally, misrepresented. In consequence of this, notwithstanding all the papers were shown to the boarding officers, the invoices only being exhibited at the custom-house, the vessel was seized and condemned.

In May 1835, also, the schooner Martha, from New Orleans, was seized at Galveston Bay, by the Mexican armed schooner Montezuma, for an alleged non-compliance with some of the formalities of their revenue laws. Four of the passengers of the Martha were put in irons, under the hatches of the Montezuma, and otherwise treated with great barbarity, merely for an imputed intention to use their firearms against a guard that had been placed on board the Martha.

In November 1835, the schooner Hannah and Elizabeth, of New Orleans, was stranded in attempting to enter Matagorda Bay. While in this condition, she was fired into by the Mexican armed schooner Bravo, boarded by twenty armed soldiers, under the command of two officers, who forcibly took the master, crew, and passengers from the wreck, pillaged them of most of their clothes, and chained them in the hold of the Bravo until their arrival at Matamoros, where they were continued in confinement; but through the urgent representations of our consul there, all but the captain were eventually released, who was kept a long time in confinement.

On the 17th of February, 1836, William Hallett and Zalmon

Hull, citizens of the United States, were arrested in the streets of Matamoros by a party of armed soldiers, who struck Hull in the face with a sword, and forcibly took both to the principal barrack in that city, where they were confined upon suspicion of being about to proceed to Texas. Shortly afterwards, sentinels were placed at the doors of the consul's residence, under false pretences, and all communication with the house prohibited. Armed soldiers broke open his gate during his absence, forcibly took a mare and two mules belonging to him, entered his house with drawn swords, and searched every room in it, for the avowed object of finding the consul.

In February 1836, an attempt was made at the city of Mexico to take from Mr. W. A. Slocum, protected by a courier's passport from the United States Department of State, public despatches of the United States government, addressed to Mr. Butler. The attempt failed, but Mr. Slocum was fined and detained, for carrying official letters on his person, authenticated by the endorsement of the American Department of State, and directed to the Chargé d'Affaires of the United States in Mexico.

In March 1836, the schooner Eclipse was detained at Tobasco, and her master and crew maltreated by the authorities.

In April 1836, the brig Jane, schooner Compeer, and other merchant vessels of the United States, were forcibly detained at Matamoros.

The same year, the military commandant of Tampico made the embargo a pretext for interrupting or obstructing the correspondence between the commander of the United States revenue cutter Jefferson and our consul there. When the Jefferson anchored off the port of Tampico, direct from Pensacola, being sent out by order of Commodore Dallas-Lieutenant Osborn and his boats' crew upon going on shore were seized and imprisoned, and the vessel prohibited from entering the river. A demand for satisfaction was made by the American Consul, but was indig