The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1846-12-10

threatened Mexican invasion.
But Mexico herself has never placed the war which
she has waged upon the gtound that army occupied
the Intermediate territory between the NueceS and the
RIO Grande. Her avowed purpose in commencing
war with the U. 5 TO recohquer 1exas and restore
Mexican authority the whole errlory-nol to the
NueeeS only, hnt 10 the Sabine.
Our army had occupied position al Corpus Christi
wes of the NueceS, early August 1916, without
complaint from any quarter Had the Nueces been re-
garded as the true western boundary OF Texas, that
boundary had been passed by army many months
before advanced to the eastern bank OF the Rio Gande.
In my annual message OF Dec last, informed Congress
that the moment the terms of annexation offered by the
U. 5. wre accepted by Texas, Tie latter became fer
a part OF our own country make duty TO afford
her protection and de ence and that fol- thai purpose
squadron had been ordered the Gulf and our ar
my TO "take position between The NueceS and the Del
Norte" or Rio Gr7nde, and ''to repc any invasion OF
the Texan territory which might be attempted by the
Mexican forces"
In April 1915. the Government of Mexico made Seri
Gus threats of invading the Texan territory
These threats became more imposing it became
APPARENT IN the progress Of the question: that the
people Texas would decade in favor of accepting the
terms Of annexation; and. finally, they had assumed
such formidable character induced both the Con
gress and Convention OF Texas 10 request that militia
~ force should he sent by the u s into her territory
the purpose of protecting and defending again 81 the
threatened invasion. II would have been a violation of
good faith toward the people Of fexa, have refused
TO afford the aid which they desired against threatened
iihooNHs
deteminat on to themselves our Union in com.
plance with the overture made 10 heM by the JOINT res
oluton o! our Congress.
Accordingly d portion of the army was ordered to
advance into Texas Corpus Christi was the position
selec ed by Gen. Taylor lie cncanped at that place
In Augut 1345, aud The army remained in that position
unu llth March, 1876, when il moved westward and on
the 18th of that month reached tie east bank of the Rio
Grande opposite 10 Maamoras. This movement was
made IN pursuance OF orders from the ar Depar men
issued Jan So 1876 Before these orders were issued
the dispatch of our Minister Mexico transmitting the
decision OF the Council OF Government of Mexico ad
vising that he shonId be received and also the dis
patch Of Onr consul residing in ae city of MeXlco-Ee
former hearing date on the l7h, and the latter ON III
18th Dec 1915, copies OF roth of which accompanied
my message to Congress Of the lth Of May as-were
received at the Department Of state. These commune
cations rendered ii highly probable, if n absolutely
certain, that our Minister would be received By the
Government of Gen. Herrera. Ii was also well known
that but hide hope could be entertained OF different re-
suit from Gen. Paroles, the revolutionary move.
which he prosecuting should prove successful
oghly probable The parzans OF Paredes as
Minister in the dispatch ref rred 10 states breahed
the iertcst hostility against The United States denuunc
ed the proposed negotiation treason and openly call
ed upon tho troops and the people put down the gov
OF Herrera by force The re.conquest of lex
as, and war with The United aes openly threat.
ened These were the circumstances existing when il
deemed proper 10 order the army under the COM
mdnd OF Gen. Taylor to advance the western frontier
of Texas, and occupy position the RIO
Grande.
The apprehensons of contemplated Mexican inva.
sion have been since July justified By the event The
determination OF Mexico TO rush into hosiies with the
United States was aleTward manifested from the whole
OF the oil tie Mexican Minis Of Foreign AT
fairs TO Minister, bearing date the l2th Of March
1916. Paroles had then Ievolutionzed the Govern
men and his Munster ailer referring 10 the resolution
for the annexation OF Texas, Which had been adoDed
by our Congress in March, l845 proceeds 10 declare
that fact such as this, speak with greater exs
o gro ,tpda
perous necessity that Mexico Tor her own honor should
repel with proper irmness and dignity. The Supreme
Government had beforehand declared That it would look
upon such an act as cdSuS beli and, euueuce
of this declaration negotellon was by It's very nature
al an end, and war was The only Of the Mex
lean Government"
1t appears, also, that the 4th of April fol-
lowing, Gen. Paredes, through his Minister of
War, issued orders to the Mexican General IN
command on the frontier to attack our army "by
every means which war permits To this Gen.
Pdredes had been pledged to the army and peo-
pie OF Mexico during the military revolution
which had brought him into power. On the 18th
OF April, Gen. Paroles addressed letter TO the
Commander that frontier, in which he stated
to him, g at the present date | suppose YOU at
the head OF that valiant army either fighting al
ready, or preparing Tor the operations of a cam
paign :" and supposing you already on the the
atre OF operations, and with all the forces assem-
bled, it is indispensable that hoslities be com
menced, yourself taking the initiative against the
enemy"
The movement OF our army to the Rio Rran&e
made by the Commanding General under
positive orders to abstain from all aggressive acts
toward Mexico, or Mexican citizens and to re-
gard the relations between the two countries as
peaceful, unless Mexico should declare war, or
commit acts Of hostility indicative of state of
war and these orders he faithfully executed
While occupying his position on the east bank Of
the Rio Grande, within the limits OF Texas, then
recently admitted OF the States of our
Union, the Commanding General of the Mexican
forces, who, in pursuance OF the orders OF his
Government, had collected large army on the
opposite shore OF the Rio Grande, crossed the
river, invaded our territory, and commenced hos
tilities by attacking our forces.
Thus, alter all the ejuries which we had re-
ceived and borne from Mexico, and after she had
insutingly rejected minister sent to her OH
mission OF peace, and whom she had solemny
agreed to receive, she consummated her long
course OF outrage against our country by COM
mencing offensive war and shedding the blood
OF our citizens on our own SOIL
The u. s. never attempted to acquire Texas by con-
quest. On The contrary, al early period after the
people OF Texas had achieved their Independence they
sought 10 be annexed TO the u. =. Al a general cleo.
lion III Sept 1886 they decided with great unanimity
favor of annexation aud IN Nov. following the Con.