Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-12-12

4
revenue should be appointed for that port by the President
by and with the advice and consent OF the Senate
i yeyor accordingly nominated and confirmed by the Sen
ate and has been since the performance of his duties
All these acts of the Republic Of Texas and of Congress-
preceded the orders for the advance of army the
bank Of the Rio Grande Subsequently Congress passed act
Establishing certain post routes extending Nueces
The country west of that river constitutes part OF Of
the Congressional districts oil Texas and represented In the
House Of Representatives. The Senators from that State
chosen by Legislature in which tue country west Of
i that river represented In view OF all these facts is
difficult to conceive upon what ground II be maintained
that in occupying the country of the Nueces with
army with view solely TO its security and Defence invaded
the territory Of Mexico. Bot it would have been still
difficult to justify the Executive, whose duty is to that
the laws be faithfully executed it, in the face Of all these
ceedngs both Of the Congress of Texas and Of the United
States he had assumed the responsibility Of yielding up the
territory west Of the Nueces Mexico, Of refusing pro-
ect and defend this territory and its inhabitants, including
Corpus Christi well the remainder Of Texas, against the
threatened Mexican invasion.
But Mexico herself has placed the which she has
waged upon the ground that army occupied the nteme
diae territory between the Nueces and the Rio rande Her
refued pretension that Texas IN fact independent
State, but rebelous province, obnaey perscvered
in and her avowed purpose in commencing with the
United States econquer Texas and to restore Next
can authority the whole erritory-not the Nueces
only but to the Sabine In view of the proclaimed
Of Mexico to this effect deemed it my duty,
of precauon and Defence to order army occupy POI
sition frontier military post, from which troops
could best resist and any attempted invasion which Mex
| leo might make. s.
Our army had occupied position at Corpus Christi west Of
the Nleces early August lS45 without complaint from
any quarter Had the Nueces been the
boundary of Texas that boundary had been passed by
many months before advanced to the eastern bank Of
the Rio Grande In my annual message Of December last
informed Congress that upon the invitation OF both the Con-
gess and the Convention of Texas had deemed properto
order strong squadron the of Mexico and to
cenrate efficient military force the western frontier of
Texas protect and defend the inhabitants against the
aced of In tIutm |
that the the terms Of annexation offered by the
United States accepted by Texas the latter became
tar part OF our own country to make 1T our duty to afford
such protection and defence and that for that purpose
squadron had been ordered to the Gulf and army to
take position between the Nueces and the Del Nore,
Rio Grande, and Ito repel any invasion of the Texan terri
j tory which might be attempted by the Mexican forces"
twas deemed proper to issue this order because, after
the President of Texas, in April ls45, had issued his proca-
nation convenng the Congress of that Republic for the pur-
pose of submitting that body the of annexation pro-
posed by the United States, the Government of Mexico made
serious threats Of invading the Texan territory These threats
became imposing became apparent in the pro-
gress Of the question that the people of Texas would decide
in favor of accepting the terms of annexation and finally
they had assumed such formidable character induced both
the Congress and Convention of Texas request that mill
lary force should be by the United States her
for the purpose of protecting and defending her against the
threatened INVASION II would have been violation Of good
faith towards the people of Texas have refused TO afford the
aid which they desired against threatened INVASION which
they had been exposed by their free determination
TO them by the joint resolution Of our Congress.
Accordingly portion Of the army ordered to advance
into Texas Corpus Christi the position selected by
General Taylor. He encamped place in August ls45
and the army remained in that position until the eleventh
March, 1916, when moved west ward and the twenty
eighth of that month"; reached the east bank the Rio Gande
opposite to Maamoas This movement made in pursu
ance OF orders from the War Department issued the th
eenth of January, 1916 Before these orders issued
the despatch Of Minister in Mexico transmitting the de-
cson Of the Council Of Government Of Mexico advising that
lko.l -
residing in the city of Mexicohe former bearing date the
seventeenth and the latter the eighteenth of December
lSf5 copies Of both Of which accompanied my message
Congress of the eleventh Of May received
Department of State. These communications rendered IL
highly probable, if absolutely certain that Minister
would not be received by the Government oGenera Herrera
Ii also well known that but little hope could be entertain
ed of different result from General Paredes the
outonary which he was prosecuting should prove
successful highly probable The paisans of Paredes
Minister in the despatch referred states beathed the
6erces hostility against the United States, denounced the
proposed negotiation treason, and openly called upon tile
troops and the people put down the Government Of Herrera
by force The reconques of Texas and with the United
States openly threatened These the circumstances
existing when deemed proper order the army under
the command of General Taylor advance the
frontier Of Texas, and occupy position or the Rio
| Grande.
| The apprehensons Of contemplated Mexican invasion
have been fully justified by the event The determine
ton of Mexico TO rush into hostes with the United States
afterwards manifested from the whole of the
Of the Mexican Minister Of Foreign Affairs MnisteS
bearing date the twelfth Of March, 1876 Paroles had
then reyoluonized the Government and his Minister after
referring to the resolution for the annexation OF Texas which
had been adopted by Congress March, s45 proceeds
declare that fact such this speak with greater
exactness, notable act of usupaon created impe
necessity that Mexico her own honor should repel
with proper rmness and dignity. The supreme Government
had beforehand declared that would look upon such
be and consequence Of this declaration,
goaon by It's very naure al end and the
only recourse of the Mexican Government"
appears, also, that the fourth of April following,
General Parcdes through his Minister OF War; issued orders
the Mexican General in command the Texan frontier
g attack our army ''by every which permits
To this General Paroles bad been pledged 10 the army and
people of Mexico during the military revolution which had
brought him into power On the eighteenth of April 1916,
General Paroles addressed letter the commander tina,
frontier which he stated TO him " At the present date
suppose you the head Of that valiant army either fighting
already preparing for the operations Of campaigns and
supposng you already the theatre of operations and with
all the forces assembled it is indispensable that hoses be
commenced, yourself taking the initiative against the enemy
The movement of army 10 the Rio Grande made
10y the commanding general under positive orders abstain
from all aggressive towards Mexico, Mexican citizens
and regard the relations between the countries peace
full unless Mexico should declare war; Of hos
hly indicative Of state OF and these orders he faith
fully executed Whilst occupying his position the east
bank Of the Rio Grande within the limits Of Texas then
Gently admitted of the States Of Union, the
the orders Of his Government had collected large army
the opposite shore Of the Rio ranjc crossed the ver
ded territory and commenced hoses by attacking
forces
Thus after all the injuries which had received and borne
from Mexico, and after she had nsungly rejected Minister