Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-12-20
DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE.

with our government since the last session OF
Congress in relation to the annexation of Tex
as, compels us to exclude il from our columns.
The following brief and clear synopsis thereof
we take from the Boston Advertiser.
This correspondence shows that during the
recess, notwithstanding the decided rejection OF
tie treaty Of annexation in this matter, the
Government has not been inactive in forward
ing il. Ii consists of eight letters.-lst. A let
Ter inclosing to Mr. Shannon his letter of Gre
dence as Minister TO Mexico, and giving him
instructions as such. IL directs him TO assume
the ground-the treaty having at that time
Dune 2Oth) been ~reiected-that Texas is 'in-
dependent de jure as well as de facto,' and 'to
pass over unn0ticcd the menaces and offensive
language which the government of Mexico has
thought proper to use.' This letter will be
found upon our fret page.
ID. There is next a letter from Gen How
ard, our minister to Texas, communicating TO
Mr. Calhoun sundry letters furnished him by
the Texan Government, showing the threats
of Mexico to invade Texas, with others from
the Texan Government asking aid from the
United States, aud a favorable reply from Gen
Howard, referring the matter, however, for ul-
innate decision TO our government.
8. Next we have a second letter from Mr..
Calhoun to Mr. Shannon, which will be found
on our first page. II i~nstructs our minister to
lONNh ~ ullol III ~ aofk W - -
as by Mexico. "The President" il states "has
fully and deliberately examined the subject, and
''has come TO the conclusion that honor and
"humanity as well as the welfare and safety OF
"boih countries forbid IL" and that Sin accor-
"dance with this conclusion the President
"would be compelled to regard the invasion of
"Texas by Mexico, while the question OF an
"nexation is pending" (the treaty had then
been rejected BY the Senaie) "as highly often
sire 10 the United States" These views Mr.
Shannon was instructed 10 address to the Mex
lean Government-the manner in which they
were received-not communicated Nth this
correspondence, although there is reason TO be-
lieve that the reply Of The Mexican Minister
had been received by our government before
the delivery OF the message,-will be found in
the Mexican news in another column.
4 The document is the Mexican War or
ders referred TO in the above.
5. The next is the first letter OF instructions
from Mr. Calhoun TO Mr. Donelson, the success
sor as Minister to Texas of Gen Howard, de-
ceased, authOrising him to call upon our troops
on the Texan frontier, on The ground that
Mexican emissaries were exciting the Indians
10 invasion, 20 oppose such invasion upon Ell
Their the United States or Texas.
6. The next letter which with The above we
have copied to day, is a letter ffom Mr. Calhoun
TO Mr. Howard, written befire the news of his
death, but forwarded to Mr. Donelson, enclos-
ing a copy Of a despatch Of Mr. Calhoun TO our
Minister in France on the Texas question, 10
be sho,cn 10 President Houston and his Secre-
tary of State, and adding that "the indications
"of public sentiment are highly favorable TO the
'cause of annexation, and that we may now
''look forward with much confidence 10 the
contamination oil that great measure at no dis
slant period"
7. The next document is Mr. Calhoun's lei.
for in NJ " ,nn onr Af;n,,tar in Eranra IL ;c
perhaps the most curious letter of the whole,
hut as not leading TO direct action, we have de-
ferred its publication in order to give the cores
pondence with Mexico and Texas. II acknowl-
edges the receipt of Mr. Kings first despatch,
and expresses pleasure at a declaration Of the
King of the French to Mr. King, "thai in no
event would any steps be taken by his govern
ment in the slightest degree hostile, or which
would give TO the United States just cause of
complaint - because our government had be-
fore been informed that France would Join with
England in a protest against the annexation
project. IL then goes on TO argue that France
is by no means so much interested TO oppose
annexation as is England. IL characteristics the
plea of philanthropy for Great Britain's exer-
tons in the cause Of negro emancipation, as
"stale and unfounded," and urges at much
length that il is the interest of France as well
as this country to preserve existing institutions
by the annexation of Texas 10 this country.
The document is long and very dull, but we
have called il curious from the singular disre-
grad of the moral aspect of the slavery question
which Mr. Calhoun shows in what he calls the
enlarged views of policy which an enlightened
European statesman ought TO take"
8. We next have a part of a letter from Mr.
Shannon TO Mr. Calhoun, enclosing his protest
TO the Mexican Government, according 10 the
instructions mentioned above, despatched be-
fDre any answer had been received. A il is in
accordance with those Instructions, il was of
course very little in accordance with the opin-
ions or temper of the Mexican Government. 1t
is dated on the 2Sth of October, and is nearly
in the same language with Mr. Calhoun's in
structi0Ds, which will be found entire in this
paper. We have now news from Mexico to
The l2ih of November, and the reply OF Senior
kelou, the Mexican minister to that protest,
with the subsequent correspondence has been
published in the Mexican official journal. Mr.
Shannon has found himself unable to "disre-
gard the mcnaces and offensive language which
the Mexican Government has thought proper
10 use" in reply TO this communication, and
the result OF the correspondence has brought
Inc Two Governments to a position of actual
contest, from which it will be difficult for Ell
ther OF their representatives TO withdraw. We
invite the attention of the reader TO the extract
in another column containing a sketch of this
correspondence.
There seems TO be no foundation for a rumor
at first current in New Orleans on the receipt
of this news that Mr. Shannon had demanded
his passports; the New Orleans Bee says that
he has temporarily suspended his official rela-
lions, and there was undoubtedly great excite
ment from the nature OF the communications
between him and the government-Senor Ri
lou IN his reply TO the protest of Mr. Shannon,
alier complaining Of "the falsehood with which