Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-08-05
A PROCLAMATION.
By the General Commanding The Army o.
the United States Of America to the Eco
1le of lHericO.

| ~ ~ HAS~tS~s
After many years patient endurance
the United States are at length constrane,
to acknowledge that war exists between
our Government and the Government o
Mexico. For many years our citizens
have been subjected TO repeated insult ant
injuries, our vessels and cargoes have beer
seized ana confscated, our merchant,
have been plundered, manned, imprisoned
without cause and without PREPARATION. A
length your Government acknowledged
the Justice Of our claims, and agreed by
treaty 10 make satisfaction, by payment o
several millions OF dollars; but this treaty
has been violated by your rulers, and the
stipulated payments have been withheld
Our late effort to terminate all difficulties
by peaceful negotiation, has been reject.
ed by the dictator Parades, and our Minis
ter OF Peace whom your rulers had agreed
to receive, has been refused hearing
He has been treated with indignity and in
suit, and Paroles has announced that war
exists between us. This war, thus first
proclaimed by him, has been acknowl.
edged as an existing fact by our President
and Congress, with perfect unanimity, and
will be prosecuted with vigor and energy,
against your army and rulers; but those
of The Mexican people who remain neu-
trail will not be moIested.
Your Government is in the hands Of ty-
rants and usurpers. They have abolish.
ed your State Government, they have
overthrown your Federal Constitution,
they have deprived you of the right of
suffrage, destroyed the liberty of the press,
despoied you of arms and reduced you 10
a state of absolute dependence upon the
power of military dictator. Your army
and rulers extort from the people by gre.
vious taxation, by forced loans and militia
ry seizures, the very money which sustains
the usurpers in power. Being disarmed,
you we're left delenceess, an easy prey to
the savage Cnmanches, who not only de-
stroy your lives and property, but drive in.
to captivity more horrible than death itself
your wives and children. Its your military
rulers who have reduced you to this deplo-
rable condition. 1t is these tyrants, and
their corrupt and cruel satellites, gorged
with the peoples treasure by whom you are
thus oppressed and impoverished; some
Of whom have boldly advocated a monar-
chical Government, and would place Eu.
ropean prince on the throne Of Mexico. We
come TO obtain PREPARATION for repeated
wrongs and injuries; we come to OBJ
tain indemnify for the past, and Sc
curity for the future; we come to over.
throw the tyran,s who have DESTROY.
ed your liberties; but we come to make
no war upon the people of Mexico, nor
upon any form Of free government they
may choose 10 select for themselves. It's
our wish to see you liberated from des
pots, TO drive back the savage Camanches,
to prevent the renewal of their assaults,
and to compel them to restore 10 you from
captivity your lost wives and Children
Your religion, your affairs and churches,
the property of your churches and citi.
zens, the embIems Of your faith and its
ministers shall be protected and remain
invioate. Hundreds Of our army, and
hundreds of thousands of our people, are
members OF the Catholic church. In eve.
ry State, and in nearly every city and vii.
lage of our Union, Catholic churches exist
and the priests perform their holy func.
tons in peace and security, under the sa.
cred guarantee of our Constitution. We
come among the people of Mexico as
friends and republican brethren, and all
who receive us as such shall be protected,
whilst all who are seduced into the army
of yorir dictator, shall be treated as enc.
mics. We shall want from you nothing
but food for our army, and for this you
shall always be paid in cash The full value.
1t is the settled policy of your tyrants to
deceive you in regard to the policy and
character of our government and people.
These lyrants fear the example of our
free Institutions, and constantly endea-
yor TO misrepresent our purposes, and in
spire you with hatred for our republican
brethren of the American Union. Give
us but the opportunity 10 undeceive you,
and you will soon learn that all the repre-.
sensations OF Paroles we're false and were
only made to induce you 10 consent 10
the establishment of despotic Govern.
ment.
In your struggle for liberty with the
the Spanish monarchy, thousands of ouI
countrymen risked their lives and shed
their blood in your defence. Our own
commodore, The gallant Porter, maintained
in triumph your flag upon the ocean, anc
our Government was the first to acknowI.
edge your independence. With pride and
pleasure we enrolled your name on the
list of independent republics and sincere
Iy desired that you might in peace enjoy
all the blessing ola free government. Sue
cess on the part Of your tyrants agains
the army of the Union is impossible, bu
if they could succeed it would only be tc
~ al.