Today in History:

797 Series I Volume XXVI-I Serial 41 - Port Hudson Part I

Page 797 Chapter XXXVIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

I am persuaded that the Government of Mexico, hitherto manifesting so much friendship for the United States, and whose whole history has been distinguished by acts in the highest possible degree honorable to its people and to its rulers, will, upon full representation of the facts, admit the property of non-representatives and comply with the demands which international law and comity so clearly justify.

I respectfully call your attention to the fact that the law of blockade, hitherto respected by all nations, prohibits trade with the people of those States which have been in rebellion. So long as the boundary between Mexico and the United States was unprotected by force sufficient to maintain the blockade, no just grounds of complaint can be urged against that traffic which may have taken place over this border. The Government of the United States has now a sufficient force to maintain its rights under the blockade, and that force will be permanently maintained. I trust that you will urge upon the authorities of the State of Tamaulipas the duty of discountenancing preparations within its territory ont he part of partisans of the rebel States for the interruption of the blockade which has been lawfully established. The complete enforcement of the rights of the Government under the blockade is the surest method of ending the controversy in which our Government is engaged, and it will soon restore the ancient commerce existing between the American and Mexican States.

This remonstrance should be directed against operations within Mexican territory in favor of rebel States or the people engaged in their service. You will understand the grounds upon which this remonstrance is to be enforced.

Recent events in this State call attention to another subject which affects the interests of the Government of the United States, and, in a very strong degree, the private rights of loyal people living under its authority, many of whom are of Mexican origin, and have strong claims upon the sympathy and protection of the Mexican people. Persons assuming to act by authority of the rebel States have, without law and without justice, taken property in large amounts from inoffensive and peaceful citizens of the State of Texas, under the pretext that such property was to be devoted to the use of the rebel Government.

Such pretext, it is believed, affords no justification for such seizures, but however that may be, it certainly does not justify such assumed agents in the appropriation of property so seized (ostensibly for the use of the rebel Government) to their own private and personal use; and it is manifest whenever such property may be found which has been seized in the name of the rebel authorities and applied by such agents to their own private and personal advantage, it ought to be returned tot he persons from whom it had been taken. Property of very large amounts there seized under such unlawful pretensions, and fraudulently applied to private account of the agents or parties so seizing it, is now in the State of Tamaulipas. I respectfully ask you to call the attention of the Mexican authorities to the evidence and proof of such cases, and to demand-

1. That this property seized from peaceable and unoffending citizens in the State of Texas, either under the pretense that it was to be appropriated to the use of the rebel Government, or which may now stand in the name of private parties of individuals who have been connected with its seizure, may be returned to the lawful owners of the same, upon the presentation of the proofs of the title to the authorities in Mexico; or

2. That this property may be detained by order of the authorities of Mexico until such time as evidence can be obtained for the proper,


Page 797 Chapter XXXVIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.