Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-12-12


tual war between the two countries
In % long suaesing Mexico to violats her nost
solemE treaty ebjjoatioas, to plu6der cur citi.
xens Of tbsir propefty. and imprisoa their Der.
sons without affofdluy thsm any rsdress, we have
failed 70 perform one Of the FIRST and highest du.
ties which every government owes to its citizens:
and the consequences has been that many Of them
have been reduced ffom q state Of sfisenes to
bankruptcy. The proud name Of American citi.
zen, which ought TO protect all who bear II from
insult and injury Throughout, the world, has affor.
csd no such protection to our citiaens in Mexico
We had ample cause of war against Mexico long
before the breaking out Of hostilites. But even
then we forbofe 10 take redress into our own
hands. vntil Mexico herself became the sggres.
by invading our soil In hostile array end she'd
ding the blood Of our citizens. 4soe
Such are the grave causes Of complaint ah the
part Of the United States against Mexco---causes
which existed long before the annexation Of Te.
xas 10 the American Union and yet, animated
by the love Of peace. and magnsnimous modera.
tion, we did not adopt those measures Of redress
which. under the eircums,ances, are the justified
resort Of the injured nations. ea' sltFc9 1
The annexation Of Texas 10 the United States
constituted no just cause Of offence TO Mexico.
The pretext that il did 50 Is wholly inconsistent
and irreccnciiable with well sutbe enticsted facts
connected with the revolution by which Texas
became independent Of Mexico.
That this may be the more manifest. 1t may se
proper TO advert to the causes and TO the history
Of The principle events Of that revolution.
Texas constituted . portion OF the ancient pro.
vince Of Louisiana, ccded TO the United States by
France in the year 1903 In the year 1872 the
United States, by the Florida treaty. ceded TO
Spain all that rari Of Louisiana within her pre-.
sent limits of Texas: and Mexico. BY the revolu.
ton which separated her from Spain, ard render
I'd her an independent nation. succeeded To the
tights Of the mother country over this territory
In the year 1924, Mexico established a federal
constitution under which the Mexiran republic
! was composed of number Of sovereign States,
| ccnfederated together IN federal Uaion similar
10 our own. Each Of these States bad its own
Executive legislature, ard judiciary. ard for all
except federsl purposes. was cs independent, Of
the general government and that of the other
States, a. is Pennsylvania and Virginia under our
constitution. Taxas and Coahuis united, and
! formed one of'kese Mexicau States
! The State constitution which 'ltry adopted,
| snd which was approved by the Mexican con
/ 'efetscy, asserted that they were "free end in.
! dependen, oi ,he olh' I Mexican United States,
and of every other power ord dominion wha,so.
ever = s,d proclsiin,d tie eree, principle of
! hrmsp liberty. shst "ihe sovereignty II tie
Stale resdrs oripinally snd essentially in the
general mnss of the individuals who compose
it" To ,l,e government under this cons,,u
'u'' on. the pstplr or Texas owed allegiance.
Emiprsn'. from !oreil chun'ries, including
the United States. were invmcd by the coloni.
zs,ion laws of the State and Of the federal go
vetnmon' to settle in Texns. Advsn,sgeeu
terms were offered In induce ih"m 10 leave
their own country ard bcome Mexican cti
2ens. This invitation wss accepted by msny
Of uur ci''2 ns. in ihe full faith thst in their
new ttmc they wonld he governed bv laws e \.
acted BY representatives. el, ctrd by Themselves
ard thai tI.eir l;vef. liberty and properly would
! he protected BY constitutional guarantees s'ri-
inrto these which exi,ied in The republic they
had lctt. Under a government thus organized
they coninurd until the year 1885. when mi.
Iinry revolution broke on' in the city Of Mexico
which entirely subver'ed The federal and Stat,
constitutions. and placed military dictator Al
the head oiih~ government. won
By sweeping decree ef n Congress snhs"rvi
IN, 10 The will ri the dictator. 'hr several State
constitutions were sbo,ishcd. and tho States
thrms"' yes converted into more dcpartme o
the Central Government. The people Of Tex
ns were unwilling 10 submit To this usurpatiun
Rc. isiance 10 such tyranny becamra high dnty
Texas WIS fully nbso.vrd from oil sllesian
To the Contra Government Of Mexico from III,
moment that government had sbolshed he,
State constitution. and in its p'ac,. subs,i,utct
an arbitrary and despotic Central Government
Sach wsie :he principal causes OF the Texau
rryolut'on. ! he people oi Texas At once de
!, te'mined upon resistance. aud flew to arms. Il
she midst Of these important ard exciting vents
lo~ever. they did not omit to place their liber
tee upon secure mud p rmancnt foundation
. They elected mt n bcrs TO . Convention, who
IN the month ii March. 1896, issued forum
, dec laraIion that their political connection W.T.
Z the Mexican nation wns forever ended. and ,hs
, tie p"plr VI Texas do how constitute a Free
S vertien. and Independent Republic, and u,
fully Invested with NIL the rehts and attribute
, wh ch properly belonY Ia independent nsli'us
They slso adopt tor 'heir government q ibs
rsin.publicsn constitution. .. ii s.ce.r
} Ab,m is'e acme tuEe Santa Anna. then Ia,
dictator OF Mcx,co. invaded Trxas with M
nn re,is army tor the pnrpose of subduing he
peopls. anu enforcing obcd,ancc To hs sr rb,irar,
ard despuc government On the 2lsi of April
1886, b" vas mi BY the Texan ci,zen soldiers
and on that day was achieved BY them the inc
, morable victory OF San Jscinto, by which the,
conquerd their indie pcntlencc. Cousidsrln,
the nnabTs engaged on ihs respective sides
history d,es not recufd p more brilliant achieve
m'n'. Santa Anua biu,s-lt was among th
, csp,ives
10 The month of May. 1896, Santa Anna &C
kn"wledged, by y ,tfss,y with the T-xap sa
, tho,i'ies, M the most solemn icrm ":he full, en-
Y tne. and perfect Independence al the republic
OF TtARs" II ia true he MAS then prisoner q
~ai. bul il is equsly true ,ha, he had failed :
J. reconquer Texas, and had ire, with signal Dc
i'at; that his authority had not been revoked
and that BY virtue Of this treaty he obtained b,
: personal release. Dy il hos,ilities were s,spsn
! d'd, and the army which had invaded Texa