The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-08


whole tenitoyno TO the Nueces only, but TO the Sa
bne In view OF the proclaimed menaces oil Mexico to
this effect deemed il my duty, as measure OF Preeau-
ton and defence, to order army 10 occupy poslon
on frontier military post from which our troops
could best resist and repe any attempted INVASION which
Mexico might make 49,.
west of the Nueces early August, 1919 without
complaint from any quarter Had the Nueces been re-
garded as the true western boundary OF Texas, thai
boundary had been passed by army many months De-
fore ii advanced TO the eastern bank OF the Rio Gande
In my annual message OF December last informed Con;
gress that upon the invitation OF both the congress ana
Convention OF Texas had deemed il proper to order
strong squadron TO the coasts OF Mexico, and TO con-
centrate efficient military force the western IRON
tier OF Texas to protect and defend the hhaoa,is
sage informed Congress that the moment the terms OF
offered by the United States accepted by
Texas, the latter became far part OF our own coun,
try as TO make it our duty to afford such protection and
deeAee and that for that purpose our squadron had been
ordered to the Gulf, and army TO take position be-
tween the Nueces and the Del Norte," or Rio Grande,
and repe any invasion OF the Texan territory which
might be attempted by the Mexican forces"
II was deemed proper 20 issue this order, because
after the President OF Texas IN April, 1913, had Is
sued his proclamation converting the Congress OF that
republic for the purpose OF submitting to that body the
terms OF annexation proposed by the United States the
government OF Mexico made serious threats oil invading
the Texan territory. These threats became more mn
posing as became more apparent in the progress Of the
question that the people Of Texas would decide in favor
accepting the terms OF annexation and finally, they had
assumed such formidable character, AS induced both
the Congress and convention OF Texas TO request that
military force should be sent by the United States into
her territory for the purpose of protecting and defending
her against the threatened invasion twould have been
violation of good faith towards the people OF Texas to
have refused TO afford the aid which they desired against
threatened invasion, to which they had been exposed
by their free determination TO annex themselves to our
Unon in compliance with the overture made to them by
the joint resolution OF our Congress.
Accordingly, a portion of the army ordered TO
advance into Texas. Corpus Christi the posi-
ton selected by Gen Taylor He encamped at that place
RaaffIn
until the eleventh OF March, 1885, when II moved west
ward, and the wenty-eighh OF that month reached
the bank of the Rio Grande opposite to Matamoos
This movement made in pursuance OF orders from
the War Department, issued the thirteenth Of Janua
~ 1916 Before these orders issued the despatch
OF minister in Mexico, transmitting the decision OF
the Council of Government OF Mexico, advising that he
should not be received and also the despatch OF our con-
sui residing in the city of Mexico-the former bearing
date on the seventeenth and the latter the eighteenth
OF December, lsi5, copies OF both OF which accomPa-
MED my message to Congress OF the eleventh OF May
iast-were received a the Department of State. These
communications rendered il highly probable, if not alb
soutey CERTAIN that our minister would not be received
by the government of General Herrera 1t also well
known that but little hope could be entertained OF diff
feren result from General Paroles, in the reyou
tionary movement which he was prosecuting should
prove successful as was highly probable The parsans
OF Paredes minister in the despatch referred to-
states, breathed the ercest hostility against the United
States, denounced the proposed negotiation treason
and openly called upon the troops and the people TO put
down the government OF Herrera by force The recon-
openly threatened These the circumstances
istng, when II deemed proper to order the army
der the command Of General Taylor to advance to the
western frontier OF Texas and occupy position on or
near the Rio Grande.
The apprehensons of a contemplated Mexican inva-
sion have been since fully justified by the event The
determination of Mexico TO rush into hosties with the
United States afterwards manifested from the whole
tenor Of the note Of the Mexican Minister OF Foreign
Affairs to our minister bearing date the twelfth of
March, 1916 Paroles had then revoutonzed the gov
ernment and his minister, after referring to the resou
ton for the annexation OF Texas, which had been adopt
ed by our Congress in March, 1S5, proceeds to declare
that "a fact such this, to speak with greater exact
ness notable act of usurpaton, created inpe-
rous necessity that Mexico for her honor should
repe with proper frmness and dignity The Supreme
Government beforehand declared that it would look upon
such act a belIi; and, a consequence of
this declaration negotiation was, by Its very nature, at
an end, and war the only of the Mexican
government" ......ruEEa.
Ii appears, Also that on the fourth of April following
General Paredes, through his minister OF war, issued
orders TO the Mexican general in command on the Texan
frontier TO attack our army "by every which
permits" To this General Paroles had been pledged
to the army and people of Mexico during the military
revolution which had brought him into power On the
eighteenth of April 1885, General Paroles addressed
letter to the commander that frontier, in which he
stated TO hun "at the present date suppose you at the
head OF that valiant army, either fighting already pre-
pairing for the operations of campaign and 'supposing
you already on the theatre OF operations and with all the
forces assembled is indispensable that hostiltes be
commenced yourself taking the initiative against the
enemy"
Inc movement OF our army TO the R1O GTande
made by the commanding general under positive orders
to abstain from all aggressive acts towards Mexico
Mexican citizens and to regard the relations between the
two countries as peaceful unless Mexico should declare
war; commit acts of hostility Indicative of state of
war; and these orders he faithfully executed Whilst
occupying his position the east bank of the Rio
Grande, within the limits of Texas, then recently admit
ted of the States of Union the commanding
general OF the Mexican forces who, pursuance of the
orders OF his government, had collected large army on
the opposite shore of the Rio Grande crossed the river
invaded and hostllities by
| lacking our forces sn .'Hs =sG
Thus, after all the injuries which we had received and
borne from Mexico, and after she had insutngly rejected
minister sent to her on mission OF peace and whom
she had solemny agreed to receive, she consummated
her long course oil outrage against country by
mencng offensive and shedding the blood of our
citizens own soil .s....
The United States never attempted to acquire Texas BY
conquest On the contrary at early period after the
people OF Texas had achieved their independence they
sought to be annexed to the United States AT general
election In September 1885, they decided with great una
nmlty IN favor OF "anneXaton' and in November fol-
lowing, the Congress of the republic authorized the APP
polnment OF minister to bear their request this gov
| eminent This government, however, having remained
neutral between Texas and Mexico during the war be-
tween them and considering it due to the honor of our
country, and our fair fame among the nations Of the
EARTH that we should not this early period consent to
annexation, until it should be manifest to the whole
world that the reconquest oil Texas by Mexico was i'm
possible refused to accede to the overtres made by Tex
as. On the twelfth of April, ISL, and after more than
seven years had elapsed since Texas had established her
independence treaty concluded for the annexation
of that republic to the United States which was rejected
by the Senate. Finally on the first of March, 1915 Con-
gress passed joint resolution for annexng her to the
United States, preliminary conditions IN