The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-12-09
CORRESPONDENTS WITH MEXICO AND
TEXAS ON THE SUBJECT OF ANNEhA-
(CosriHuID.)
M. Calhoun 10 Nh. Shannon.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

(CoTiHuID.)
Mr.. Calhoun 10 Nh. Shannon
DEPARTMENT or STATE,
Washington, September 10, 1874
Sir There can be no longer any doubt that Mex
leo intends TO the against Texas on ai 30
scale and to carry II on with more than savage ioro
city The loan she has authorized, and the eAPon
siye preparations she making by land and sea- are
sufficient proofs OF the former; and The orders OF VI.
commander Of the army of the north, ("enerai
Wolf issued the both day June last and the decree
of Santa Anna general OF division and provisional
President of Mexico, on the 18th day oil June, 1919,
OF the latter. The decree makes the generai--ehei
Of divisions Of the army, and the commandant gene.
raj of the coast and frontier responsible Tor ~ eAae,
fulflment II under that responsibility II wouiu
seem, that General VOL. TO whom the Texan IRON
tier was assigned, issued his order OF the 2oth June
After promising that the war was renewed asoihA'
Texas that all communications WIN IL must CEASE ;
and that every individual, Of whatever cohdion'
may have communication with H. shaii NC robaiuee
as traitor and such be punished accoruins W '
articles of war, the order announces IN us thIu
Gle that "eyery Individual who may be iouha al INC
distance of league from the lett BANK oil INC h'o
Bravo will be regarded as fayorer ana acco'nPhoo
Of the usurpers of that part OF the national ter'oy'
and traitor to his country" and, alter ,u,hh
~ military trial, f" shall be punished accordingly
And in It's fourth article IT also states that every in
dyidual who may be embraced within the Pro'is,oh'
OF the preceding article, and may De rash enou6" "
fly at the sight Of any force belonging 10 inc
government, shall be pursued until taken OF pun "
death"
I'm what spirit the decree Of the 18th OF June
which the order is intended exactly to iuh Is 70 DC
executed, the fate of the party under Generai sem
manat, at Tabasco affords an illustratioh' ihoJ
were arrested under it, and executed, WITHOUT heai
ing trial. against the indignant remonstrahces o
the French and Spanish ministers near the govern,
ment Of Mexico, who in vaini invoked the voice VI
humanity the sacred obligations OF the constitution
and the sancty of treaties, 10 behalf OF their couh-
trymen who were executed under this illeSai anu
bloody decree.
If the decree itself was thus enforced, in time OF
| peace on the subjects of friendly powers, ana
against the remonsrances of their ministers, some
FAINT conception may be formed Of the ierocious aho
devastating spirit IN which the order oil uehera
VOL is intended to be executed against the inhaoi,
| tants of Texas, and all who may in any way aio
| their cause or even have communication WIN them
| 1t was under decree similar TO that OF the lith oi
| June, lS43, and issued by the same authority Oh
| the Both Of October, 1885, but which was not Sc
comprehensive in its provisions, or so bloody aho
ferocious in its character, that the cold-Dloodeo
bu cherry of Fannn and his party, and other lexian
prisoners was ordered by Santa Anna Ill his INVASION
| of 1886
| That decree was limited TO foreigners who should
land at any port Of Mexico, arrive by land beng
armed AMI having hostile intentions, or VINO shouio
any place in rebellion placed IN the hands oil It's
enemies. As savage and outrageous as It's provisions
were the order of General Vol, intended 10 carry
out that of June, 1913, goes far beyond IL embraces
every individual who may be found east cI line
drawn three miles east of the Rio del orte without
distinction of age SEX foreigner or cilIzeD, condi
tion vocation all of every description, whether
they resist surrender to be treated as traitors
| and all who flee TO be shot down. The war Is
intended in short, to be one of utter extirpaton--
| All that breathe are to be destroyed or driven out
and Texas left q desolate waste and so proclaimed
to the world by Mexico in advance of her projected
| invasion.
The first question which presents itsef Tor con-
sderation this statement Of facts, Is, Shall we
stand by and witness in silence the renewal OF The
| war by Mexico, and its prosecution IN tins blood
thirsty and desoatng spirit; In order to answer II
fully and satisfactorily, il will be necessary TO IN
quire first into her object for renewing the war al
\ this time.
There can be but one-and that is, TO defeat the
annexation of Texas to our Union. SIZE knows
full well that the rejection OF the treaty has ou'
| postponed the question of annexation. She knows
that Congress adjourned without finally disposing OF
il; that is pending before both houses, and &C
| lively canyassed before the people throughout the
wide extent of our Union and that IT will IN all pro
liability be decided in its favor unless IT should DC
| defeated by some movement exterior 10 the country
We would be blind not 10 that she proposes to
effect by the projected INVASION either by conquer
ing and subJectng Texas TO her power or by forcing
her TO withdraw the proposition for annexation and
| TO form commercial and political connections WIN
some other power less congenla to her feelings and
favorable to her independence, and more Threatening
to her and our permanent welfare and safety. Oh
| the two the latter is much the more probable She
once attempted conquest but signally failed although
| the attempt was made under the lead OF her most
skul and renowned general, at the head Of we'll
appointed army, consisting Of her best disciplined
nd hra nd Iax Of in Ia,
| infancy, without government almost without
means, and with an inconslderable population. w th
this example before her, she can scarcely hope TO
succeed now, under leader less skill and renown,
and when Texas has settled down under well-es-
/ tablished government and has greatly increased
| IN means and population. ii is possible she may be
j oyeuun but TO expect 10 hold her IN subsection,
with her present Population and means, at the dis
lance Of more than twelve hundred miles from the
city OF Mexico, with a difficult intermediate country,
destitute 10 a great degree Of resources, would be
extreme folly. The very attempt would exhaust her
means and leave her Frustrated. No the slterns-
tive IS to drive out the inhabitants and desolate the
country or force her into some foreign and unnatu-
raj alliance and this the ferocious and savage or
der OF General Vol shows Is well understood by
Mexico and is, m reality, the object Of her policy.
Shall we stand by, and permit 1t to be oonsum-
mated, aud thereby defeat measure hong cherished,
and indispensable alike TO the safety and welfare
Of the United States and Texssi No measure of
! pc icy has been more steadily or longer pursued,
| and that by both Of the great parties into which
the Union Is divided Many believed that Texas
was embraced IN the cesson Of louisiana, and
was improperly, II not unconsttutionally surren.
dered by the treaty OF Florida IN 1919. Under that
impression, and the general conviction OF its i'm
| portance to the safety and welfare Of the Uuion
ITS annexation has been object Of constant pur.
suit ever since. IL was twice attempted TO acquire
1t during the administration Of Mr.. Adams-one in
1926, shortly after he came into power, and again
IN lo2i. II was thrice attempted under the admin
l'rallon oil his successor, General Jackson first
In 1929 Immediately after be came into power; again.
~ 1888, and fnaly, 10 1885, just before Texas de-
clared her Independence. Texas herself made pro-
position for annexation in 1887 at the CONNIE nee
ment of Mr.. Van Buren's administration, which he