and magnificence, but solemnly—almost as solemnly as the judgment day—yet throwing back his beautiful light, in softening, and encouraging, and even winning loveliness, that melts the bosom to pathos and tears.

The Cumberland, accompanied by the Potomac, put to sea on Thursday, the 11th of June; the Cumberland for Vera Cruz, the Potomac to stand on and off, and wait a few days longer for despatches and letters. The Adams had already gone to the Isla de Verde, and thither we follow. God speed us, with favorable breezes, continued health, and thankful hearts.

SECTION VII.

THE ORIGIN AND REVIEW OF THE

DIFFICULTIES BETWEEN

THE REPUBLIC OF MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES.

THE Cumberland, having filled up with provisions and water sufficient for a four months' cruise, is now again at sea. As the FLAG SHIP of the Gulf Squadron, it is a matter of some importance, that her station should be at the nearest point of communication with the Mexican government, in case any overtures should be made by that government to the United States, for adjusting the unfortunate difficulties that now exist between the two nations. These difficulties, as has been seen by a preceding section, have reached a climax; and open war is now waging between the two republics. At the same time, the Flag Ship should be at a point where orders may be readily issued to the different ships composing the squadron, as the emergency, from time to time, may require. Off the harbor of Vera Cruz, the principal seaport town and the nearest accessible point to the city of Mexico, will, of course, be the principal rendezvous of the fleet. And at that point as a consequence, the BROAD PENNANT of the Cumberland will be seen to float. While, therefore, our fine frigate is making her passage through the Gulf, to find again her olden anchorage, though a little further out to sea than before off the castle of San Juan de Ullua, and under Green Island, it will not be inappropriate to the title and the general subject of this work, to state the origin, and

to review the difficulties between the United States and "Mexico, which have led to the present state of open war between the two republics.

The Mexican spoliations and the annexation of Texas to the United States, are evidently the remote causes of the war that is now waging between the two republics. The spoliations mostly occurred between the years 1831 and 1837. A treaty of commerce and navigation had been formed between the two countries as early as 1831; and American citizens, relying upon protection, in accordance with the stipulations of this treaty, had engaged in commerce with Mexico, and many had settled within its limits in the prosecution of their businesss. But, in numerous instances, these residents were deprived of their personal liberty, and plundered of their property by the Mexican authorities; and on several occasions the flag of the United States was openly insulted. Without reference, particularly, to specific cases by further allusion, the following statement will show the extent of the deprivations, which were committed by Mexico.

The amount of demands on Mexico for spoliations, which were finally adjudicated under the convention, entered into by the two governments, dated April 11, 1839, is $2,026,189 26. (Auc. Washington Union.) The claims referred to the umpire, upon a disagreement between the American and Mexican commissioners, but which were not finally decided by the umpire, are $928,627 88. The amount of claims submitted to the board too late to be considered, according to the estimate of the claimants themselves, is $3,336,837 65. Seventeen claims, filed in the Department at Washington, since the adjournment of the board, and according to the estimate of the claimants themselves, amount to the additional sum of $1,147,989 55. These amounts, together, make a total of $7,489,594 34. Besides this amount,

there are other claims filed since the adjournment of the convention, on which the claimants themselves have placed. no estimate.

Of this seven and a half millions of dollars, which an impartial estimate would probably reduce to five millions, nothing has been paid, with the exception of three quarter-yearly instalments out of the twenty quarter-yearly instalments, into which the first adjudicated item of $2,26,139 68 was divided, together with the addition of a small sum of interest.

It is believed not to be injustice to Mexico, to affirm that she has at different times resorted to many shifts and evasions, in order to avoid the payment of these claims; and there are some circumstances of peculiar aggravation, which have marked her conduct. In 1837, General Jackson, then President of the United States, declared in his message of that year, the sentiment of the government, in connection with these unsettled claims against Mexico. "The length of time since some of the injuries have been committed, the repeated and unavailing applications for redress, the wanton character of some of the outrages upon the persons of our citizens, upon the officers and flag of the United States, independent of recent insults to this government and people, by the late extraordinary Mexican minister, would justify, in the eyes of all nations, immediate war." Instead, however, of appealing to such an alternative, or making reprisals on Mexican commerce, as was advocated at the time by some, the American Congress was controlled by milder counsels, and the result was, that a special messenger was sent to Mexico, to make a formal demand for "justice and satisfaction," agreeably to the provisions of the treaty. Nothing, however, but promises were obtained; nor has any thing, with the exception of the instalments, as previously stated, been secured since. And while it may be remarked that the obligations which the Mexican government have thus laid itself under to the govern

ment of the United States, consequent on a long series of injuries to the persons, and spoliations to the property of many of her citizens, is a debt, if possible, of yet deeper obligation than that of private contracts; and that, although Mexico was long indulged by continued forbearance on the part of the United States government, in view of the unsettled affairs and supposed embarrassment of the treasury of the Mexican republic, yet the final plea on which the Mexican government has suspended its payments, is not inability but indisposition.

The origin of this feeling, and the subsequent action on the part of Mexico, in her relations with the United States, conduct us to another and the principal point of the controversy between the two nations. I allude to the ANNEXATION OF TEXAS TO THE UNITED STATES. This, evidently, must be considered as the principal cause of the open rupture between the two governments. Mexico, at least, seized on the occasion as an opportunity for making a bluster before the world, and where the matter was better understood, in a smaller way, before the United States. She was called on, in her own esteem, to vindicate her wounded dignity, and to express national indignation at a proceeding which she declared involved the integrity of the Mexican empire. But it may be a just inquiry, whether there did not lie a deeper reason—if not various reasons-beneath this action of expressing national displeasure at the reception of supposed indignity from the United States. The Act of Congress of March 1st, 1845, for the annexation of Texas, at least, has been made a pretext for withholding the indemnity already agreed upon, and for resisting all overtures for an adjustment of the claims which have not as yet been jointly investigated. The Mexican minister, on the passage of this resolution of annexation, by Congress, demanded his passports; and the American min