(3677] [ELLIS to FORSYTH]
Legation of the United Stales of America, Mexico, July 12, 1836. On Tuesday, the 14th ulltimo, his excellency the Acting :'.\linister of Foreign Affairs called on me and expressed his surprise that an American squadron should have made its appearance off the bar of Santa Anna de Tamaulipas, wilh the avowed intention of demanding satisfaction of the authorities of that place for a supposed insult offered to the American consul, and a lieutenant of the United Stales' schooner Jefferson, when the Government of the United States had an accredited diplomatic agent residing in the Mexican capital. I replied that 1 had not been apprized of the arrival at Tampico of an Ameirican squadron, and could not therefore pretend to state the object of its visit. As I could not give him a satisfactory explanation of the object of such a movement on the part of the public armed vessels of the United States, the conversation closed by his staling that he would address me a note on the suhje:ct, and my reply that it would afford me great pleasure to give .all his communications the most prompt consideration. Previous to this interview, 1 had received from our consul at Tampico a full statement of the alleged oulTage complained of by Captain Jackson, of the United States' schooner Jefferson. I cannot well conceive of a more insulting and humiliating indignity offered lo the flag of a friendly power, than that manifested in the seizure and imprisonment of Lieut. Osborn and boat's crew, when that officer landed under orders lo communicate with the American consul. The paper marked A, contains all the facts in reference lo the improper conduct of the commandant general at Tampico; and that marked B, the correspondence between Mr. ~1onaslerio and myself; in which it will be seen this Government disavows the illegal and offensi,~e acts of l~al officer, and has removed him from office, with a1n assurance that his conduct shall be investigated by a court-m,utial, and further punishment inflicted on the offender, if found guilty. These concessions, in thalt spirit of friendship and forbear- ance which the United States have always shown with no other disposition than to cullivale the most amicable relations with this
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