Several of the fifteen complaints we have enumerated, if well founded, did not justify national interference, being injuries for v/liich the sufferers were entitled to seek redress in the Mexican courts ; others were proper sub- jects for inquiry and remonstrance ; not one afforded a legitimate cause for war, for not one had been ordered, or as yet justified by the Mexican Government.
The extreme haste with which Mexico was required to redress these complaints, is the more extraordinary when we recollect, that the alleged grievances were mostly of recent date. The complaint of Baldwin, was the oldest, viz. : five years standing ; three others occurred four years before, two in 1834, three in 1835, and the other nine within less than twelve months of the instructions to 'M.y. Ellis.
It so happened, that before Mr. Forsyth's despatch ref^phed the minister, two of the fifteen wrongs, the eleventh and fourteenth, had been settled to the satisfaction of the latter. Through the ignorance of a Post-master, Mr. Slocum had been fined $6, for a supposed violation of the law in carrying letters. The government, on Igarning the affair, censured the Post-master, and remitted the fine. The revenue cutter Jefferson was refused admittance into the harbor of Tampico, only because the port was closed against all foreign vessels, without exception ; and the commander of Tampico, had been removed for his harshness in temporarily confining the American officer and crew who had landed.
On the 26th September, Ellis laid before the Mexican Minister in writing, the thirteen remaining grievances, and was promptly assured that they would be investigated. As most of these complaints related to acts recently com- mitted by Custom-house officers and other officials, it was probable that the letter of the 2Gth September, was the first notice of them, that the Government had ever re- ceived ; yet on the 20th October following, less than/o?/r weeks from the date of the first letter, Ellis announced to the Government, that unless the Avrongs complained