The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-12-14


Mexico, or of refusing to protect and defend
this territory and its inhabitants, including
Corpus Christi, as well as the remainder of
Texas, against the threatened Mexican in
vasion.
But Mexico herself has never placed the
war which she has waged upon the ground
that our army occupied the intermediate ter
ritory between the Nueces and the Rio
Grande. Her refuted pretension that Tex
as was not in fact an Independent State, but
a rebellious province, was obstinately per-
severed in and her avowed purpose in COM
mencng a war with the United States was
to reconquer Texas and to restore Mexican
authority over the whole territory, not to
the Nueces only, but to the Sabine. In view
of the proclaimed monaces of Mexico TO this
effect, deemed it my duty, as a measure
of preservation and defence to order our
army TO occupy position on our frontier as
military post, from which our troops could
best resist and repeI any attempted invasion
which Mexico might make.
Our army had occupied a position at Cor
pus Christi, west of the Nueces, as early as
August, 1915. without complaint from any
quarter. Had the Nueces been regarded as
the true western boundary of Texas, that
boundary had been passed by our army
many months before it advanced TO the east
ern bank Of the Rio Grande.
In my annual message of December last,
L Informed congress that upon invitation of
both the congress and convention of Texas,
| had deemed it proper to order a strong
squadron to the cost Of Mexico to concen-
ira off Ilifar farca tho
tern frontier of Texas, TO protect and defend
the inhabitants against the menaces and in-
vasion of Mexico. In that message | ill.,
formed congress that the moment the terms
of annexation offered by the U. S. were ac-
cepted by Texas, the latter became so far a
1 part of our own country as to make it cur
duty to afford such protection and defence;
and that for that purpose our squadron had
been ordered TO the Gulf, and our army 'to
take n position between the Nueces and the
Del Norte,' or Rio Grande, and 'to repel any
invasion of the Texan territory which
might be attempted by the Mexican forces
i 1t was deemed proper TO issue this order,
be cause, soon after, the President of Texas,
i'll April, lS45. had issued his proclamation
converting the Congress of that republic, for
tuO pun POSO VI submitting ~ kIliI UOuy Tue
terms of annexation proposed by The U. s.,
the Mexican government made serious
|, threats of invading the Texan territory
These threats became more imposing as it
became more apparent, in the progress 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, as induced
both the Congress and Convention of Tex
as to request that a military force should be
sent by the U. s. into her territory for tho
purpose Of protecting and defending her
against the threatened invasion. 1t would
havo been violation of good faith towards
the people of Texas to have refused to afford
the aid which they desired against threat
, ened invasion, to which they had been ex-
posed by their free determination to annex
, themselves TO our Union, in compliance with
the overature made to them by the Joint
resolution of congress.
Accordingly, portion of the army was
ordered to advance into Texas. Corpus
Christi was the position selected by Gen.
Taylor He eucamped at that place in Au-
gust. 1915 and the army remained in that
position until the llth March 1916, when
1t removed westward, and on the 2Sth of
that month reached the cast bank of the Rio
Grande opposite to Matamoras. This
movement was made in pursuance of orders
from the War Department issued on the
18Th of January, 1S46, Before these Or
ders wero issued, tee despatch of our min
lister in Mexico, transmitting the decision
of the Council of Government of Mexico.
| J1yis hot bo l. i
! also the despatch of our consul residing in
, the city of Mexco-the former bearing
date the 18th, and the latter on the 18th Of
Fl December; l545, copies of both of which &C.
: conIpanied my message TO Congress of the
l1th of May last-were received at the De
, partment of State. These communication
3 rendered it highly probable, if not absolute
ly certain, that our minister would not be
G received by the government of General Her
/. rera. 1t was also well known that but Int
tie hope could be entertained ola different
4 result from General Paroles in case the re
n volutionary movement which he was prose
: cutting should prove successful, as was high
# ly probable. The partizans of Paroles a,
e our minister, in the despatch referred TO
J. states, breathed the fiercest hostility agains
If the OuitSu CtuLGS, u0HOuuCSu lIlG pIOpcSGt
, negotiation as treason, and openly called
10 upon the troops and the people TO put dowr
h the government of Herrera by force. The
If conquest of Texas; and war with the United
+. States were openly threatened. Thest
ia were the circumstances existing, when i
,e was deemed proper to order the army undo
+ the command of General Taylor to advance
: to the western frontier of Texas, and oc