Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-05-20

WHICH lfsLne lG0utH Westef0' pounodIy
Of the Stats Of Texas--is an exposed
frontier. From this quarter invasion
was threatened; upon II and its inme-
date vicinity. in the judgment OF high
military experience, are The proper sta
tons for the projecting forces OF the
Government oG8 ta@ neg Rs5 As'7 DaV
In addition to this important consid-
Grafton, sever al others occurred to in>
duce this movement. Among these are
the facilities afforded at The ports at
Brazes Santiago and the mouth otthc
Del Norte for the, reception of supplies
byssea. theSstronger and more healthful
military positions, the convenience of
obtaining q ready and more abundant
supply Of provisions, water, fuel, and
forage, and the advantages which are
afforded by the Del Norte in forward
ing supplies TO such. posts as may be
eslaphshed in the interior and, upon the
indian frontier. { - = '..,.,,9 = :
~ The, movement of tie troops troops L, the
. Del lNerses was made by the command
ing general, under positive instructions
to abstain from alb aggressive acts to.
wards Mexico, or Mexican citizens, and
TO regard The relation between the Re.
public and the United States as peacc>
ful, unless She should declare war or
cemmit acts of'hos,ility Indicative Of a
state of war. He was specially direct
B cd 10, protect private property and re-
spect personal rights. SO .s..'nla'la., ..1.,
n The army moved from Corpus Chris
Il on the llth Of March, and on the 2S,h
ofthat month arrived on the left bank
OF the Del Nortc, opposite to Matamo.
ras, witch has since been strengthened
blythe erection of field works. A depot
has also heen established at Point Isabel,
near the Brazos Santiago, thirty miles
in rear of,hc encampment. The sclcc-
tion of his position was necessarily
con6ded to the judgment ofthe Gene
raj in command. ,as'1& aaa aa'iag 9
The Mexican forces at Matamoros
assumed a bclligcrcnt attitude, and on
tho l2th Of April, General Ampudia.
then in command, notified General
TAYLOR to break up his camp within
twenty. -four hours, and 10 retire beyond
tho Neuccs river, and in the event Of
his failure TO. comply with these de.
niands. announced that arms, and arms
alone, must decide the question. But no
open act Of hostility was committed
un,il the a1,h Of April. On that day,
!, General Arista, ~ no had succeeded IL
the command ofathc Mexican forces,
communicated 10 General Taylor that
! .he considered hostiliiics commenced
and should pro ecate h;m..
A party Of dragoons Of sixty three mer
aad officers were on The same. day des.
patched from the American camp UP
Rio del Norrc, on its left bank, TO ascer,
tain whether the Mexican troops had
crossed. or were preparing to cross The
river. sbecamel engaged with a large
body Of these troops, and after a short
affray, in which some sixteen were kill
cd and wounded, appear TO- have, been
surrounded and compelled to surren'
der" .'."'Sy 'I""s
The gr:evous wrongs psrpetrn,cd by
Mexico upon our citizens throughout .
long period ofyears, remain onredress
cd; and solemn treaties, pledging hel
public faith, for this redress, have beer
disregarded. A government either un
able or unwilling to enforce the execu
ation Of such treaties, fails to perform
ono Of its plaincst duties. a@ s,4 !. ,,.- Fl
Our commerce with Mexico has beer
almost annihilated. It was formerly
highly beneficial to both nations; bu
our merchants have been deferred from
prosecuting il by the system Of outrage
and oxtortionywhich tho Mexican au
thoritics., have pursued against them
whilst their appeals through their owr
Government have been made in vain
Our forbearance has. gone to such al
extreme as 70 be mistaken inIits charac
ter. Had We acted with vigor in repell
Ing the insults and redressing the inju
fies inflicted by Mexico at the com
fnonoement, We should doubtless have
escaped all the difficulties in which W.
arc now involved !, oggS Y, = o%tiJa@. "oi E A.
. Instead Of Ills, however, We have
been exer,iing our best efforts to propi
tiate her good will. y Upon the Pretex
that Texas. a nation as Independent a
herself thought proper 10 unite he1
dsssinias with our own, she has affectet
to believe that we have severed he
rightful territory, and, in official proc
lamations and manjfestps,, has repeat
edly threatened To- make war upon u
for the purpose Of reconquering Texas
In the mean lime, wehave, tried every
effort al recoaciliation. The cup offof
bcarance had been exeausted, even be
fore the recent, information from gth'
frontierguflthe Del Norte. But now al
ter reiterated menaces, Mexico, ;ha
passed tlie boundary Of the Unite'