Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1846-12-16
es of complaint and to swell the amount of our

QeI1dnOS.
While the citizens of the U. s. were conduc-
ting lawful commerce with Mexico, under a
guarantee OF treaty of amity, commerce and
navigation many of them suffered all the injuries
which would have resulted from open war. This
treaty instead of affording protection to our cit
liens has been the means of inviting them into
the ports of Mexico, that they might be, as
they bave been in numerous instances, plum
dered of their property If they dared to isist on
their rights. Had the unlawful seizure OF A
merican property and the violation of the per-
sonaklberty of our citizens to say nothing of
the insults to our flag which have occurred in
the ports of Mexico, taken place on the high
seas they weuld of themselves long since have
constituted state Of actual war between the
two countries.
In so long suffering Mexico to violate her
tteaty obligations, to plumber Our citizens oftheir
property, to imprison their persons without aft
fording them redress, we have failed to perform
one of the first and highest duties which every
government owes to its citizens and the conse-
quenses has been that many of them have been
reduced from state of afflueece to bankrupt
cy. The proud name of American citizens, which
ought to protect all who bear it from result and
injury, throughout the world, has afforded no
such protection to our citizens in Mexico
We had ample cause of war with Mexico before
the breaking out of hostiliies, but even then
we forbore to take redress into oar own hands,
until Mexico herself became the aggressor, by
invading our soil in hostile array, and she'd
ding the blood of our citizens.
These are the great causes of complaint on
the part of the U. S. against Righteousness
which existed long before the annexation of
Texas to the American Union. And yet, ami
mated by the love of peace, and magnanim-
Gus moderation,we would not adopt those meas
ures of redress, which unker such circemstan-
ces are the justified resort of injured nations.
The annexation of Texas to theUnitedStates
constituted no just cause of offence to Mexico.
The pretence that it did so, is wholly inconsis
tent and irrconcillable with we'll authenticated
facts, connected with tie Revolution by which
Texas became Independent of Mexico. That
this may be the more manifest it may be prop
er to advert to the canses and to the history OF
the principal event of that Revolution.
Texas constituted a portion of the ancient
province of Louisiana, ceded to the U. States
by France in the year 1901. In the year 1919
the United Statesb by the Florida treaty, ceded
to Spain all that part of Louisiana within the
present limits of Texas, and Mexico by the rev.
olution which separated her fromSpain and rem
dered her an independent nation, conceded to
the rights of the mother country over the ter
ritory. In the year 1924, Mexico established
Federal Constitution, under which the Repub-
lie YVES composed of sovereign States, confede-
rated together in federal union similar to oul
own. Each of those States its own Executive,
Legislative, a Judiciary, and for all except fed.
eral purposes, was independent of the general
government, and that of the other states, as are
Pennsylvania and Virginia, under our Consti-
i init nd h,,v1o npifod and form
ed one of those Mexican States. The state
Constitution which was opposed by the Mexi
can confederacy, asserted that they were free
and Independent of the Mexican United States,
and of every other power and dominion what
ever; and proclaimed the great principles of
human liberty, that the sovereignty of the state
resides originally and essentially in the general
mass of individuals who compose it.
| To the government under this constitution,
as well as that under the Federal Constitution,
the people of Texas owned allegiance. Emf
grants from foreign countries, including the U.
States were invited by the colonization laws OF
the state and the federal government, to settle
in Texas. Advantageous terms were offered
| to induce them to leave there own country and
become Mexican citizens. This invitation was
acceptable by many of our citizens, in the full
faith that they would be governed by the laws
enacted by representatives elected by them
selves, and that their lives, liberty and property
would be protected by Constitutional guaran-
tees, similar to those existing In the republic
they had left. Under government thus organ
| ized, they continued until the year 1885, when
a revolution broke out in the city of Mexico
which entirely subserved the federal and state
constitutions, and placed military dictator at
the head of tho government. BY sweeping
4 &c ff4 of
the dictator,the several state constitutions were
abolished, and the states themselves into mere
departments of the central government. The
people ofTexas were unwilling to submit to this
usurpation. Resistance to such tyranny be-
came high duty. Texas was absolved from
all allegiance to the central government of Mex
leo, from the moment the government had abol-
ished her state constitution, and in its place es-
tablished an arbitrary and despotitic central gov
eminent.
Such were the principal causes of the Texas
revolution. The people of Texas at once de-
termined upon resistance and flew to arms. In
the midst of these important and exciting eXents,
however, they did not omit to place their liber-
ties upon secure and permanent foundation.
They elected members to convention, who,
in the month of March 1886, issued formal
declaration, that their political connection with
the Mexican nation had forever ended, and that
the people of Texas do now constitute Free
sovereign end Independent republic, and are full
ly invested with all the rights and attributes
which properly belong to Independent nations.
''They also adopted for their government, lib
eral republican constitution. About the same
time Santa Anna, then Dictator of Mexico in
vaded Texas with numerous army, for the pur-
pose of subduing her people, and enforcing ODE
dience to his arbitrary and despotic government
On the 2lst of April 1924, he was met by the
Texan citizen, soldiers, and on that day, was
achieved by them the memorable victory of st.
Jacinto, by which they conquered their indepen-
dence. Considering the numbers engaged on
the respective sides, history does not record a
more brilliant achievement. Santa Anna him
self was among the captives. In the month of
May 1886, Santa Anna acknowledged, by a
treaty the Texan authorities, in the most solemn
form, the full, entire, and perfect independce of
tho r apuhlic of TEXAS Tt is true, he was then