Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-06-13
NUMBER ID.

the present Secretary OF State to Mr.. Ben
liamin Green, our charge At Mexico, un.
der date of the l9lk Of April past. The
letter has been already referred TO, and
will be only read now in the sentence
which declares that the treaty has been
MAIDS in the full view OF war ! for at
alone can be the meaninr ofthis sentence:
at has taken the step flo wit, the step
of making the treaty IA full view OF all
| possible consequences, but not without
desire and hope that full and fair dis
closure Of the causes which induced il to
do so would prevent the disturbance OF
the harmony subssiing between the Two
countries, which the United States is anx-
| lous TO preserve"
This is part ofthe despatch which com.
muncsies to Mexico the fact Of the con-
clusion OF the treaty OF annexation
treaty, the conclusion of which the for
NAL and reiterated declarations Of the
Mexican government informed our admin
lslration during It's negotiation, would be
war. | will quote one of:hese declars.
lions, the last one made by General Al.
monte, the Mexican minister, and in re-.
ply to the letter of our Secretary who con-
81 Tered the previous declarations as threats.
Genera Almonte disclaims the idea of
threat-repeats his ssseverstion that Il il
a notice only, and that in case in which
1t was the right and the duty of Mexico
10 give the notice which would spprise us
Of the consequences Of carrying the trea.
ty of annexation to conclusion. The
letter says:
ain conclusion, the undersigned con.
siders it his duty to repeat to the Secreta.
ry Of State, in order that he may be pleas.
ed to communicate it to his excellcncy
the President, that neither he nor his
government have intended, and that il
should not have been supposed that they
would have intended, to cast imputation
upon the legislative body, and much less
10 admonish tho executive os to its dusies.
His desires have tended solely to tae
maintenance Of the peace and harmony
which ought TO subsis, between two neigh.
boring and friendly nations, and though
the undersigned has declared, by express
order Of his government, that war will DO
the inevitable consequence OF the annexa-
ton of Texas to the United States, no
certainly has not done so with the object
OF intimidating the government, of the
honorable Secretary Of State, but with
the view Of showing how far Mexico
would carry her resistance to an annexa-
ton Of that nature. And, in truth, the
honorable Secretary Of State should not
regard this as any other than natural
feeling; as it is most clear that if Mexico
or any other power should attempt to APP
propriate to herself portion of the terri.
tory of the United States, the latter would
not consent to it without first appealing to
arms. whatsoever might be the result to
which the fortune o! war might subject
them"
The consequence OF the annexation
here announced by General Almonte, 10
the one Of which Mr.. Calhoun had full
view when he wrote the letter OF the 10Th,
and that consequence was war
After receiving this notification from
sent Secretary, Of the 10Th inst, just quot
cd, directing our charge to inform tho
Mexican government of the conclusion Of
the treaty of annexation, must be consid.
cred as an official notification to Mexico
tina, the war has begun and so indeed
It has and as much TO our astonish.
ment as to that of the Mexicans Who
among US can ever forget the sensations
produced in this chamber, on Wednesday
last, when the marching and the sailing
orders we're read and still more, when
the message was read which had set the
army aud navy in notion
These orders and the message, after
having been read in this chamber, were
sent to the printer, and have not yet re-
turned | can only refer to them as head
them read, and rom brlei extract which
took Of the message, and must refer to
| Others TO do them justice. From oil that
| could hear, the war is begun and be-
gun by orders lisued by the President be-
fore the treaty was communicated TO the
Senate! We are informed Of a squadron.
and an army Of "o5SerUation" sent TO the
Mexican ports, and Mexican frontier, with
orders to watch, demonstrate, and report,
and to communicate with President l1ous-
ton Now, what is an army Of 'obser-
ration, but an army IN the held tor war!
/ Il IS an army whose name is known, and
whose character is defined and which is
/ incident to war alone. |, is to watch the
/ ENEMY! and can never be made TO
watch a FRiEND1 Friends cannot be-
watched by armed men, either indvidu-
ally or nationally, without open enmity.
| Let an armed man take position before
your door, show himself TO your family,
watch your movements, and demonstrate
with you, and report upon you. if he judg.
ed your announcements equivoca: lei him
do this, and what is il but an act of hossil-
i,y and Of outrage, which every feeling OF
the heart, aud every law Of God and man,
require you to recent and repulsel This
would be the case with mere individual;
still more with nations, and when squad.
rons and armies are the watchers and re-
monslIants. Let Great Britain send an
army and navy 10 lie in rat upon our
frontiers and before our cities, and then
see what cry Of war would be raised in
our country. The same Of Mexico; She
must feel herself outraged and attacked;
she must feel our treaties broken; oil our
citizens within her dominions alien enc.