Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-12-31
Envoy Extraordinary, &c.

No.4.-Mr Shannon to Mr.. ReJon.
LEGATION OF THE U. STATES or AMERICA,
Mexico, November 8, 1874.
The note of his excellency M. G. Rejon Min
lister of Foreign Relations ofthe Republic Of Mex
ico the 9th instant, is Of such character as
to leave the undersigned no alternative but to an
nounce 10 the Supreme Government OF Mexico
that it, together with the note OF his Excellency Of
the 3lst ultimo, will be Immediately referred to
that unless they withdrawn, all further official
intercourse between the undersigned and the Go
vernment OF Mexico will be suspended until those
instructions are received.
The undersigned has too much sef-respect and
knows TOO we'll what is due TO his Government TO
make any reply to the charges made in his Ex-
cellencys note ofthe 3lst utimo, and reiterated in
a manner so offensive in his note of the 9th in
slant, for the purpose ofvindicatng the honor or
character Of the people OF Government OF The
United States. During the six,y-nine years that
that Government has been in successful operation,
it has discharged its International duties and per-
formed its obligations, both 10 its own citizens and
10 other nations, with fidelity, honor, and inte-
gritty that command the respect OF all The Govern
menls OF the civilized world. Its measures and
policy in its intercourse with all nations has been
open, frank and uudisguised demanding nothing
but what is right, and submitting TO nothing that
is wrong" II stands selfyindicated in the purity,
integrity, and fidelity which have characterized its
brilliant national career, and command the conf
dence and respect OF the civilized world. II The
Government OF Mexico constitutes an exception
TO this truth, the Government ofihe United States,
to whom the undersigned will refer the notes of
his excellency Mr. Rejon, knowing what is due
TO its character can and will correct the erroneous
opinion, which is the misfortune of Mexico, by
aff,rt
by the undersigned OF the calumnies made and
reiterated in the notes OF Mr. Rejon would be.
But inasmuch as the undersigned is forced TO
believe that the misrepresentation of his note OF
the 14th ultimo and the reiteration of the un-
founded charges and unjust imputations against
the Government and Southern people OF the
United States, contained in the notes Of his EX-
cellency, are intended to mislead the public OPT
MON Of the people of Mexico, and to excite an
unjust prejudice in their minds against the Go
vernment and people of the United States; and
inasmuch as his Exceency, in his note of the
7th instant, endeavors to make the people OF
Mexico believe that the reason why the under
signed did not reply to these nnfounded charges
and impulations is not the reason alleged BY the
undersigned in his note Of the 9TH instant but be-
cause they are true and cannot be denied, the I'M
dersigned therefore avails himself otthis occasion
TO correct his Excelency's Misrepresentation OF
his note Of the 14lh ul,mo and also TO repel The
charges and impuiations contained in the notes OF
the 3lst ultimo, and the 9Th instant; not for the
purpose Of vindicating the honor OF character OF
his own Government, but that the people oil
Mexico may be disabused, and the consequences
OF the discourteous and unjust conduct Of his
Excellency, Mr.. Rejon, in the premises, may rest
with the Government and people Of Mexico, who
are responsible therefor, and that they may be
without apology if they adopt and justify the
same.
The undersigned is further induced to do this,
because the publication of his Excelency's notes
Of the 3lst nltimo, and the 9Th instant and tho
comments Of the official newspaper thereon leave
no room odoubt as to the purpose for which they
were written and published.
The undersigned, in his note OF the l4th uliimo,
said that the acquisition of Texas had been po-
licy long cherished, and deemed indispensable 10
the safety and welfare OF the United States, and
had accordingly been an object steadily pursued
BY all parties and "made the subject of the nego-
tation by almost every Administration for the
last twenty years" His exceency, Mr.. Rejon,
seized upon this declaration, and says that il has
siust revealed the falsehood with which Mexico
has been so long treated" and this charge, which
the records of his own Government fully disprove,
is repeated in all the phases which the most I'M
fair and uncandid sophistry can give TO IT, Did
not his excellency know, that almost every admi-
nis,raion Of the American Government for the
last twenty years. had endeavored TO acquire the
claim Of Mexico to the territory of Texasl Does
he not know that Messrs. Adams and Clay, OF
whom his exceency Mi. Rejon now makes such
favorable mention, made two attempts TO negoti-
ate with Mexico for the acquisition of Texas
one in 1925 and the other in 1927 And does he
not know also, that the negotiation was afterwards
renewed by Gen. Jackson and MIR. Van Buren,
and that President Tyler, after Mexico had lost
her right Of sovereignty, and Texas had become,
de jure as well as dc eto, an independent and So
vereign power, sought by negotiation to acquire
the same territory?
The undersigned repeats: Does not his excel
ency Mr. Rejon know all these facts? and asks,
how can he, knowing them, say that the reference
BY the undersigned 10 fact thus known TO all the
world, and especially to the Mexican Govern
ment, and 10 Mr.. Relon himself has "just rercoLed
the foLsehood ariM phich iMc1ico has been SO long
trcated?"
There has been no time, during the whole pc
riod mentioned, that the Government of Mexico
did not know, nor has the Government Of the U.
States at any time during that period attempted
to conceal, its desire to acquire Texas. This his
excellency Mr.. Rejon knows 10 be true; and yet
he makes the charge that The note of the under
signed Of the 18th instant has "jua rcrcnicd" it,
and would persuade the Mexican people that The
Government and people of the United States have
for twenty years entertained a secret purpose and
resorted TO improper means for the acquisition Of
Texas. and that to him belongs the honor and the
credit of having discovered the proof and vindi-
Gated the rights Of Mexico; and when told thai
such a charge is uDjustly made and an unfounded
Misrepresentation Of what the undersigned had
said, the same charge is again repeated in the
note of the 9th instant in terms even more often
hnli a
Excellency does not know, that the fact that the
ACQUISITION Of Texas "has been made the subject
of negotiation by almost every Administration
for the last twenty years. is no argument TO prove
that the Government Of the United States has
treated Mexico with "falsehood," or attempted TO
acquire Texas by artihce or improper means; and
he is therefore compelled 10 believe, that the use
which has been made Of that fact, as stated in his
note of the 18th, is misrepresentation, intended
to create false impression on the minds OF the
people of Mexico, and to create prejudice
against the Government and Southern people OF
the United States; and he regrets to believe that
his Excellency finds in the present condition of
the Government or people Of Mexico any thing
to justify proceeding SO fragrant and unjust.
The belief that the Misrepresentation Of the
note of the undersigned was Intentional, and that
the charges and imputations founded thereupon
prejudice in the minds of the people of Mexico
against The Government and people OF the United
States, is further confirmed by the manner in
which his Exceency has referred to President
Jackson, and the fact that his Excellency has
made false quotation, or, what is equivalent
thereto, palpable Misrepresentation OF his Off,
cial communication to the Congress Of the United
States.
His Excellency asks, if President Jackson, sin
message which he addressed to the Chamber of
Representatives in December, 1886, and this when
twas proposed to recognise the independence OF
Texas did not confess that such an act would
'be regarded as grievous injustice to Mexico
and that The United States would be subject to the
blacklist censure for it, inasmuch as the Texans
had emigrated from thence, and sought this recog-
milton with the manifest intention Of obtaining
their incorporation with the United States2"
J.