Page:Mexico as it was and as it is.djvu/391



The whole trade of 1841 was carried on in vessels from the United States:

{{c|{{smaller|IMPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES}}}}

It may be well for us to take heed of the gradual decline of our commerce with Mexico, which has diminished to almost utter insignificance. I am not merchant enough to divine what are the commercial causes of this state of things; but I can readily imagine, that, in connection with the general difficulties of the country, our trade has been seriously affected by the part which our citizens have taken, or are alleged to have taken, in the insurrectionary movements of Texas. The rebellion in that province, the union of a portion of North Americans with its armies, and the sympathy of many others, expressed in a manner which I believe to be both unwise and illegal, have caused our people to be unpopular throughout the Republic, and have made the authorities averse to exhibiting that strict justice in our personal and commercial rights which should characterize the intercourse of friendly nations. Our citizens have been imprisoned in Mexico on frivolous pretences. Forced loans have been wrested from our merchants. Tribunals have been deaf to demands for restitution, and a mutual distrust has arisen, which has proved fatal in many instances to trade and intercourse. The effects of this will, however, be most strikingly exhibited in the following table, compiled chiefly from the reports of the Secretary of our National Treasury.

{{c|{{smaller|COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO.}}}}

{{smaller|For the year ending 30th September, 1823, the imports and exports to Mexico and South America generally, were as follows:}}

{{nop}}