Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1846-07-10
From the Cincinnati Chronicle.
A QUESTION OF VERACITY.

any assistance in carrying for
ward the Mexican war to speedy termnauon'
In this there is really but one voice IN the coun-
try. The Wings in Congress and out Of Con-
grcss. have been foremost TO aid the Government /
in a War, which their political opponents brought /
on. So much has this been the case, that some
persons have called the Wings the War Party.
In one sense they may be, as they have had,
especially the "Aristocracy' OF the Army, Their
full share of fighting to do.
Aside from all this, however, the Intelligent
people of the country will hold MIR. Folks Ad-
ininisration responsible for the manner in which
il has got the country into war, and Tor the
Taxes and Debt which must ultimately come.
Against this the glory acquired by General lay
Ior and the "Arstocracy" of the Army will be
no set off. The Wing zeal in voting men and
money, to get out of the difficulty, will be no
set off, There will be but one inquiry, "What
have the party in power done to bring on this war!
What preparation did they make! What Orders
did they givel What are their Financial Meas
urosl What policy do they advocate, as the end
of their measured"
One of the first inquiries in this business is,
did Polk order the Army to the Rio Grande, over
looking and threading Mexico, as a consequence
of the Mexican rejection of our oilers OF ncgo-
tialion, or did Mr.. Polk order the Army to the
Rio Grande for no cause, except as a braVado!
| This is in every way material INQUIRY TO de-
termine the causes of this war. We acquit the
| President of any anticipation that this brayado
would produce War; because on no other sup
position can the total want of preparation be ac-
counted for.
But we do supposet that he deemed it impossl-
BILE to drive Mexico, weak and divided as she IS,
into War, and therefore thought it no risk to
order the Army to the Rio Grande, overlooking
the City of Matamoras.
While looking round for some documents, we
find in the St. Louis Republican a statements by
an intelligent writer, of the dates of Mr.. Polk
communications and orders. And here, @dates
are of great importance. Let tus look at them.
ain President Polk message to Congress, May
! If, 1916, we find this passage: This force, Gen'
! Taylor's army, was concentratcdat Corpus ChflS-
ii and remained there until after had received
such information from Mexico, as rendered it
probable if not certain, that the Mexican Gov
crnmcnt would refuse our envoy
! Now, this assertion of the President was I'M
true; and what is yet more strange, the War De-
partmcnt has been nobliged TO furnish the evidence
| that it was untrue!
| The writer to whom we refer thus anaIyzes the
orders of the President and his Socrctorios
! "Thrs, under date of June 10Th, l8l5. Mr..
Bancroft writes to Gen. Taylor, as acting Sec
Irsmry of War, as follows; "Iho point of your
ultimate destination is the ccStcra frontier OF Tex
as. where YOU will Sciect and 0ccHpyo on or near
ihc Rio Granite del Noric, such II site as will
compon with the health Of the roops," &c.
Only July 8h, Mr.. Marcy writes thus "ltis cX-
pnctcd, that in selecting the establishment Tor your
troops, YOU will approach as near the boundary
| |lne-hc Rio Grandc-as prudence will dictate.
August 23d, Mr.. M. tells the General TO regard
the accumulation Of Mexican troops on this side
of the Rio Grandc as an invasion OF the United
States, and the commencement OF hosulilles
Asif this was not enough, on Oct. 10th, l845,
Mr.. NJ. again writes "louwiIl approach as near
the western boundary of TcXas-tho Rio Grando
-as circumstances will permit" The ''pm-
dencc may dictate" of the order of July 80, Is
now altered into Gas circumstances will permit
circumstances, we suppose, being the Socreta-
RVS name for Mcxcans, whom this admnlStra-
lion seems but to regard as Insignificant obstacles
to our aggrandiscmont.
But. lctus have done with subatcrns. and come
to the President himself
WAR DEPARTMENT, Jan. l3, 1916.
Sir: am directed by the President to instruct
YOU to advance and occupy, with the troops under
your command, the position on or near the East
bank of the Rio Grandc rs soon as it can be con
vcniontly done, with reference TO the season, and
the routes by which your movements must be
made. M. Il. MAkCl''
Brig. Gen. 4. TAYLOR.
Let us look at the orders in tabular form.
LIST, Mr.. Bancroft to Gcn, Taylor, June Is, l8l5
end, Marcy July 8,
3rd, %,
lth, 80,
9th, " " Oct. Is, a."
9th, Jan. l2, 1916.
Here, then, we have no less than fire instruc-
tions to Gen. Taylor, given before the 17th of
October, l8l5, to march upon the Rio Grande;
and the positive orders of the President of Jan.
Is, 1886, long anterior to the Presidents posses
sing any knowledge of the determination of the
Mexican Government regarding Mr.. SIldell-I
nay, fire of the instructions were issued before
Mr. Slidc's appointment by Mr.. Polk. MIR. ).
was commissioned Nov. Is, l845; yet, five of
these instructions were given to Gen. Taylor,
prior to Oct. II, 1916. They were given at the
very time that Mr. Polk was onquiring through
the merchant, Mr.. Black, whether Mexico would
be willing to open negouation!'
On the lllh of May, 1876, President Polk tells
Congress that Gen. Taylor was at Corpus Chris
ii, and remained there ill after he (the Presiden0
received information that it was possible, if not
certain, that Mexico would refuse to receire our
Eapoyl We leave the reader to make what
comments he pleosos on these facts They fall
sify the declarations of Mr.. Polk, by the evil
donce of his own ordersl A part of the same
sort of deception appeared in the Oregon busi-
ness. MIR. Polk branches out into bola braya-
do for all of Oregon, while he was secretly de.
torrn;nnd To nnnntntn ON lhe line of 40 degreesl