The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-12-12
CORRESPONDENCE wirH MEXICO AND
TEXAS ON THE SUBJECT OF ANNLAA-
(cOSolvpID.)
Mr.. Shannon 10 Mr.. Calhoun.
Extract.

s,s Your despatch of the 10th September last
reached me the 18th instant and IN CON pianoo
with your instuetions. lost no time IN addressing
10 the Minister Of Foreign Relations oil ms gov,
ernment a communication expressive oil INC views VI
he President OF the United States IN reiauon 10
., aewal of the war ON the part oil Mexico seans,
Texas az 10 the manner IN when IL Is pfoposeu
10 be conducted Accompanying this despatch, you
will find a copy Of this communication, NAKED NO
l. have received no reply, as yet TO this noe, anu
cannot say when one may be expected Tfes'oep,
Santa Anna Is at his hacienda, near JalsPs anu
until he be heard from, no reply VIII De gwen
The uncertainty of the time when reply VIII be
received has determined me to delay TINS despatch no
longer.
Mr.. Shannon TO Mr. Rejon.
[No.l LOCATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Mexico October Ia, 1874.
The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and min
ster plenpotentiary of the United States oil Amer
lea has the honor to inform his excellency Nj. q
Reion, minister of foreign relations and government
of the republic of Mexico, that the President OF The
United States has learned with deep regret that The
Mexican government has announced It's determine
ton TO renew the against the republic OF texas,
and is now engaged in extensive preparations win
view to an early invasion Of its territory, and IN
structs the undersigned TO protest. in the most sol
emn form, both against the invasion at this time,
and the manner in which 1t IS proposed 10 be con
Quoted
The orders of the commander Of the army Of the
north, General Woll,) issued on the 2Oih oil June
last, and the decree of the provisional President OF
Mexico, Of the l7th of June, lS43, leave no doubt
as 10 the manner in which the is TO be conduct
ed. The decree makes the genera-in-chief Of di
vision Of the army, and the commandants-general
of the coast and frontier, responsible Tor its exact
tulhment. II was under this responsibility, II
would seem, that General VOL, to whom the Tex
ian frontier assigned, Issued his order OF The
10Th of June.
After announcing that the war was renewed
against Texas; that all communication with 1t must
cease and that every individual of whatsoever con
dton, who may have communication with IT, shall
be regarded traitor, and, such, punished &C
cordDg 10 the articles of war,-it states that every
individual who may be found at the distance OF one
league from the left bank of the Rio Bravo will be
regarded as favorer and an accomplish of the usur
pers Of that part Of the national territory, and as
traitor to Mexico, and, after summary military
trial, shall be punished accordingly. 1t also states
that every Individual who may be embraced IN the
foregoing, and who may be rash enough to fly at the
SIGHT Of any force be longing to the supreme govern
ment, shall be pursued until taken or put TO death
In what spirit the decree Of the 18th June, which
the order is intended TO fulfil is to be executed, the
fate of the party under General Sentmanat, at Ia
basco, affords an illustration. Under it, they were
arrested and executed, without hearing or tral
aga inst the express provision Of the constitution and
the saDctty of treaties, which were IN vain invoked
for their protection.
peace, against the subjects Of foreign powers, some
faint conception, may be formed Of the barbarous
and lnhuman spirit in which the order of General
VOL may be expected to be executed ag inst he
Inhabitants OF Texas, and all who may in any way
aid their cause, or even have communication with
them
Ii was under decree of a similar character, is
sued on the 30th October, 1885 but not compre-
heDsve or barbarous IN It's provisions, that the eIecu
ton OF Fannin and his party was ordered, in for
mer INVASION This decree was limited to foreigners.
who should land al any port of Mexico, arrive by
land, and having hostile Intentions who should iD-
troduce munitions OF war TO be used al any
place In rebellion placed in the hands Of his enc
mics. Highly Objectionable were its provisions,
the order Of General Wo intended TO carry out that
OF June, lS43, goes far beyond II. 1t embraces eve.
ny individual who may be found east of line drawn
three miles east of the RIO Bravo, without distnc-
ton OF age or sex, foreigners or citizens condition
or vocation. All, Of every description, are TO be
treated as traitors. IL procaims, in short, of
determination all to be destroyed driven out
and Texas left desolae waste.
Such is the barbarous mode in which the Govern
ment OF Mexico has proclaimed TO the world ii her
intention to conduct the war. And here the inquiry
naturally arises-what is her object IN renewing at
Tins time war, TO be thus conducted which has been
virtually suspended for eight years, and when her
her without the means Of fulfilling her engagements,
But one object can be assgned-and that to defeat
The annexation of Texas TO the United States. She
knows ful well that the measure is still pendn
and that the rejection of the treaty has but postponed
IL. she knows that when Congress adjourned, II
was pending in both Houses ready TO be taken up
and acted upon at its next meeting, and that IT at
present actively canyassed by the people throughout
Tie Union. She IS not ignorant that the decision
VIII 10 all probability be In It's avor, unless II should
be defeated by some movement exterior TO the Uni
ted States The projected invasion of Texas by
Mexico, at tins time, IS that movement and IT is in
tended to effect 1t, either by conquerng or subjugl.
log Texas to her power, or by forcing her TO with
draw her project for annexation, and TO form other
connections less acceptable to her
The United States cannot, while the measure OF
annexation is pending, stand quietly by, and permit
either OF these results. IL has been a measure Of
policy long cherished, and deemed indispensable 10
their safety and welfare and has accordingly been an
object steadily pursued by all paries and the acqu
stion OF the territory made the subject Of negotiation
by almost every administration for the last twenty
years. This policy may be traced to the belief gen.
orally entertained, that Texas embraced IN the
cesslon OF Louisiana by France to the United States
IN leO3, and was improperly surrendered by the
treaty OF Florida in 1915 connected with the fact
that large portion of territory lies in the valley of
the Mississippi and is indispensable to the defence of
a distant and important frontier. The hazard of |
conflict OF policy upon important points between the
United States and one ofthe leading European powers
since the recognition Of Texas has rendered the &C.
QUESTION still more essential to their safety and wei
fare, and accordingly has increased in proportion
the necessity OF acquiring it, Aching under the con-
cton of this necessity, and the impression that the
measure would be permanently defeated by a longer
postponement the President OF the United States in
Vted Texas TO renew the proposition for xaton.
II was accepted by her, and, has been stated is |
still pending. And here the question again recurs
Shall the United States quietly stand by on the eve
OF It's contamination, and permit the measure to be
defeated by an invasion by Mexicol And shall they |
suffer Texas, for having accepted an invitation TO
JON them, and consummate measure alike essen
tIa to her and their permanent peace. welfare and