The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-22 00:00:00

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been made to reduce her to subjection, she on the 3d
of March, 1836, declared herself an independent Repub-
lic and nobly sustained that declaration on the battle-
field of San Jacinto by the complete defeat and de-
struction of a numerous and well-appointed army,
commanded by the President of the Mexican Repub-
lic in person. She then demanded the recognition of
her independence, and asked to be annexed to the United
States. The language of President Jackson in a com-'
munication by him, addressed to Congress on the sub-
ject, affords a striking illustration of the good faith and
forbearance towards Mexico which has ever dharac-
terised the conduct of the United States. He advised
that no change should be made in the attitude of ".he
United States, if not until Mexico herself or one of the
great foreign powers should recognise the independence
of the new Government, at least until the lapse of time
or course of events should have proved beyond cavil or
dispute the ability of the people of Texas to maintain
their sovereignty, or to uphold the Government consti-
tuted by them.
These overtures on the part of Texas were pending
for several years, but were not entertained by the Go-
vernment of the United States until the period had ar-
rived when, in the language of President Jackson above
quoted, the lapse of time and course of events had proved
beyond cavil or dispute the ability of her people to main-
tain
her separate sovereignty.
Her independence must be considered as a settled
fact, which cannot be called in question.
Nearly four years since, Mr. Webster, then Secretary
of State, in a dispatch to the Minister of the United
States at Mexico, said—" From the time of the battle
of San Jacinto, in April, 1836, to the present moment,
Texas has exhibited the same external signs of national
independence as Mexica herself, and with quite as much
stability of Government. Practically free and inde-
pendent, acknowledged as a political sovereignty by the
principal Powers of the world, no hostile foot
finding rest within her territory for six or seven
years, and M. xico herself refraining for all that
period from any further attempt to re-establish her own
authority over this territory." Three additional years
•f inaction on the part of Mexico elapsed before the final
equestion o
withf thethe United
same S
Senate,tates ,
whoseth e oc cupati
prudence,on r
circum-
spection, rnenuemx
aspnedeitfioane,yanadddwoiitsideona your Excellency so justly eulo4§es,
evidentlyn a l sanction
just c oeunldd
proper,
rb eietn
hasr e requisite
übi seiet en
atoficaadmeedabs37Me sexicolh9ethrseAlif,aywhloa,stt,hrough her Minister of
Fore,gn Affairs, Mr. Cuevas, authorised by-the
Ttiosnaa!
Congres. on the
pretne dovernment -received the four --articles -6,tiove
mentioned as the preliminaries of a formal and definitive
treaty, and farther, that it is disposed to commence the
negotiation as Texas may desire, and to receive the Com-
missioners which she may name for that purpose."
The first condition was," Mexico consents to acknow-
ledge the independence of Texas." True it is, that by
the second condition Texas engaged that she would sti-
pulate in the treaty not to annex herself or become sub-
ject to any country whatever. When it is recollected
that this preliminary arrangement was made through
the intervention of the Ministers of Great Britain and
France, consequent upon the passage of the Act of An-
nexation, it cannot be denied that it was intended to
apply solely to the United States, and that while Mexico
acknowledged her inability to contest the independence
of Texas, and was prepared to ablindonall her preten-
sions to that territory, she was induced to make this
tardy and reluctant recognition, not by any abatement
of her hostile sentiments towards her, so called, rebel-
lious subjects, but in the hope of gratifying her un-
friendly feelings against the United States.
The undersigned cannot but express his unfeigned
surprise, that in the face of this incontrovertible evi-
dence, that Mexico has abandoned all intention, or even
hope, of ever re-establishing her authority over any por- •
tion of Texas, Y. E. should have asserted that " Texas
thhaedlebn an integral part of Mexico, not only during
emancipation,
periodwithout of t the
anyeS rupianntiesrhdgiocnin whatevernion,buts inceita
during
so long a space of time;' and again, that " the United
States territory, regardless of the incontrovertible rights
of the most unquestionable property and of the most
constant possession." How weak atust be the cause
which can only be sustained by assertions so circumstan-
tial, with facts that are notorious to all the world, and
how unfounded are all these vehement declarations
against the usurpations and thirst for aggrandisement
of the United States.

The independence of Texas, then, being a fact con-
ceded by Mexico herself, she had no right to prescribe
restrictions as to the form of government Texas might
hTaesx
tahs ,0
owghi tth
par
owpiesre
tappreciationr osto
vheer re i
gthr ut
ye
choose to assume, nor can she justly complain that
ha-inttehreasttosf,
the United States.
The Mexican Government cannot shift the respon-
sibility of war upon the United States, by assuming that
they are the aggressors ; a plain, unanswerable fact,
responds to all the subtleties and sophistries by which
it is attempted to obscure the real question. That fact
is the presence in Mexico of a Minister of the United
States, clothed with full power to settle all the questions
in dispute between the two nations, and among them
that of Texas. Their complaints are mutual, the consi-
deration of them cannot ba separated, and they must be
settled by the same negotiation, or by the arbitrament
whicb Mexico herself has elected.
With what reason does Mexico attribute to the
United States the desire of finding a pretext to com-
mence hostilities? The appearance of a few ships of
war on the American coasts, and the advance of a small
military force to the frontier of Texas, are cited as evi-
dence that the declaration of a desire to preserve peace
is insincere. Surely it cannot be necessary to remind
your Excellency that the menaces of war have all pro-
ceeded from Mexico; and it would seem that the eleva-

Lion to power of its actual Government was too recent
to have afforded your Excellency time to forget the
ostensible reasons for which that which preceded it
was overthrown. The crime which was imputed to the
then President—a crime so odious as to justify his
forcible expulsion from the Presidency, to which he had
been but a few months previously elected, with unpa-
ralleled unanimity, and in accordance with all the forms
of the Constitution, was that of not having prosecuted
the war against Texas, or, in other words, against the
United States—a crime, of which the enormity was
aggravated in a tenfold degree by his having accepted
the proposal of the United States to negotiate.
To suppose that the present Government has not
always intended, and does not still intend, vigorously to
prosecute an offensive war against the United States,
would be to insinuate the degrading charge of making
declarations, which it did not design to fulfil, with the
unworthy motive of supplanting a rival.
With these avowed intentions on the part of Mexico,
and so far as words can constitute war, that state actually
existing, with what fairness can she complain of pre-
cautions having been taken by the United States to
guard against the attacks with which they have been
menaced, so far at least as their very moderate peace
establishment would permit them to do so ?
Are they patiently and meekly to abide the time when
Mexico shall be prepared to strike with due effect the
threatened blow?

Your Excellency has alluded to the internal dissen-
tious of Mexico, and accused the United States "of
taking advantage of them, beguiling its vigilance by pro-
testations of friendship, bringing into play every kind of
device and artifice, and appealing alternately to intrigue
and violence." Were the disposition of the United
States such as your Excellency is pleased to attribute to
them, they would have eagerly availed themselves of the
opportunity afforded by the first refusal to receive the
undersigned, and c, rtainly no moment more propitious
into
effect the present to carry their ambitious schemes
effect could have been selected.
• rtial observers, will be considered
!Chu l ahtl Id
deglnreseteoal.l
foofrabveaairlainngcet,hethmastelbvyesmoafvit,,ptehdreL
fiphusam,vbeiiavmitithnogsa,t
impartial
been rejected repeated
on
underal
prcii
dree
u;
to offendand this most conciliatory
mfosrtann:egs°ttihaeti°bnestwchai
advanceour Excellency -to be anattempt Exmcacidieby the aggrieved party, h
isw iel
saidi by
Jhe
cannot permit himself to call by its proper name
rp( us
the nr ta
e rns
tentative que el infra scrito no se permite calificar).
This
vituperation
a rlcabl e,
freelyw
employedhen contrasted
i
in other
with
i
sremarkable,
so
o f
of the note ; or is it that Y. E. could discover no epi-
thet sufficiently energetic to stigmatise an offence so
enormous, as a renewed proposition to enter upon ne-
gotiations ?

- The undersigned has already exceeded the limits
which he had prescribed to himself for reply ; the ques-
tion has now reached a point where words must give
place. to acts.

While he deeply regrets a result so little contemplated
when he commenced the duties of his mission of peace,
he is consoled by the reflection that no honourable efforts
to avert the calamities of war have been spared by his
Government, and that these efforts cannot fail to be pro-

porly appreciated not only by the people of the United
States, but by the world.
The undersigned begs leave to renew to his Excel-
lency D. J. M. de Castillo y Lanzas, the assurance of

his distinguished consideration.

JOHN SLIDELL,

National Palace, Mexico, March 21, 1846.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY MR. JOHN SLIDELL.

The undersigned Minister of Foreign Relations has
the honour to -ackdowledge the reception of the note
which his Excellency John Slidell, appointed Envoy
Extraordinary, &c., of the United States, has been
pleased to address him, under date of the 17th of the
present month, from the city of Jalapa.
As in this communication Mr. Sidell has only re-
peated the arguments, reasons and motives, presented
formerly by other diplomatic agents of the United States,
in this country, arguments and reasons which have been
notoriously refuted by the Mexican Government, it
would be a fruitless task on the part of the undersigned
to enter anew into the examination.
And above all, since Mr. Slidell, in conformity with
instructions from his Government, returns to the United
States and solicits the delivery of his passports, the un-
IdeenTresi)ie, in
undersign
arfissl
imgt henei:
dt,hoanfnv
aotiuhl rse
hiro
md
essreelnegdoi7t hut
he them
by
ottpohpeohpri
tsrueEnsiixtdyceentl
pro te:gm: of the Republic.
o
renew the expression of his high consideration for his
Excellency, John Slidell.

J. :vl. DE CASTILLO r LANZAS.

CORK AND tV ATERTEORD RAILWAY.—A meeting of
the shareholders in this project resident in Exeter was held
in that city a few days ago, when it was unanimously re.
solved, on the motion of the Rev. C. R. Roper, seconded by
Mr. Tombs, to request the directors to proceed with that Bill.
[ADVERTISEMENT.]-110I.LoWAY's PILLS AND OlNT-
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the arrival of yours, bat. all of which did him no good; but yours
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and vigour. (Signed) "JOHN MARTIN, Chronicle Office, Tobago.
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almost an•repptetable renders of medicines throughou
world.
•