The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-07-09
THE MEXlCANs' STATEMENT

HE MEAtCANO 81 Al EmENI.
| Psredes, in his address tn the Extraordinary
Congress which was convened in Mexico on the
9th Of June, Extraordinary in various phases and
aspects inasmuch as it is an elected body under
! the dicta,ion of Paroles himself in which every
vote inimical to him was excluded from the Pol. \
| after endeavoring TO exculpa,e himself for his
usurpation of the supreme authority, comes to his
version of the refusal Of our Minister in the nor
Of Mr. Slidell, and his reference to the results
growing out of that refusal and the two battles
of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. which. as a
matter of curiosity, we exiIac, for the perus,I If
our readers:-
" have inseDsibly come 10 where I am o.,
speak of the gravest circumstance in our presep,
position. When this Administration cam. ;nIo
power il found itself face To face with an ENGAGE
mrnt entered into by the preceding one tn receive
a Minister from the United States Ia ,rea, nm tho
Texas question. The Government, firm in lis
just cause and resolved never 10 weld To Tho
spol'alion ut that part ct its territory was prepar
nr Tor war. yet anxious to spare. if il mipbt Inc
elfuslon ct b"od. determined To hear what This
Plenipotentary had to propose But. as WAS IN
he feared from the 'allacous policy of the United
States. their i'll faith became apparent as soon no
their Commissioner presented himself; they had
sent Mr.. John Slidell, not as Minister nd boc IN
treat of special matter but as Residen, Minis.
ter. such as could only be admitted between the
nations whose intercourse has mpediments
The Government, therefore gave him clearly To
understand that it could only receive him in
special character; upon which he asked and forth
with received his passports. This has been sez
Ell ny his Government as preteHce for charging
rs with the first hostiliies and provokinu a CON
test as II the refusing to meet fraudulent nego-
ta'i"n were an act OF hostility, and when that
( alra
The defence of Texas. but for tho usurpa,on of a
fresh part of our territory
The American Minister was not received
because national dignity forbade it, when an
American army was already marching on the Rio
Bravo, nur ports On both seas were threatened nv
sqnadrons, and troops of the United States trod
our s"ll IN California. was, therefore. obliged
on The 2lst of March, soemnly 10 declare that
peace and national honor being Incompatible with
such aggressinns, our soil should be defended from
their encroachments, until this Congress- with
whom II lay To declare war, should assemble
lheir army, Tor some time stationed at Corpus
Christi, advanced To Point Isabel, and thence 70
position in front Of Matamoras After assem-
ming above i've Thousand men in that quarter, |
directed the general Idvisiun there Ia act aoainst
the enemy and he deciding on crossing the river
nnk up position between the coast and the
k'r'hed point of Paso Real On the 9Th Nav
sharp engagement was brought on, in which our
troops gave proofs of their valor and thonob with
some loss, held the field and maintained the
honor of our arms On the next day our general.
In chief fell back To new position, where the
cnmbat was renewed, but with an unfortunate
Issue on our part The division crossed the river:
and the commander, WIN still preserved accord
ing to his returns, four Thousand troops of the line
besides auxlliaries, suddenly evacuated the CITY
ot MaIamoras, against the express orders of his
Government, which looked 10 the Importance of
uainI tanning that place for further operations and
as the point TO which supplies and reinforcements
were on their way. Such expected conduct on
the part of the generalin chief has obliged me to
| recall him and 10 summon him TO account for his
disohedience before military court of inquiry
The Government meantime is actively at work
To repair these reverses, and looks to the nation
for co operation.
"The squadron of the United States has hegun
to blockade the ports of Vera Cruz, of Tampico,
and of Tamaulipas. and ts guns will probably
| soon carry havoc into those fair cities. The dav
has come, then, when the country calls to its de-
| fence all its chldren--the day when this Con-
gress must proclaim war against that nation
which fatters itself so falsely that single mis-
fortune can overthrow the courage and the con-
slancy, of which our fellow citizens have given so
many signal proofs As citizen and soldier, I
am ready for any sacrifice; and the brave men of
our army. aided by this magnanmous people,
will defend with me to the last the sacred rights
OF our country"