The daily union., 1846-06-29
CON REssIoNAL
WAR WITH MEXICO.

.3fairs, made the tOiiOVing report
The act of Congress approved May 10, le46, for
the prosecution Of the existing between the Uni
ted States and Mexico, having become law, on an
sxigency which scarcely allowed delay, or required
delIberation, the ordinary method of referring the
Presidents special message 10 the COMMITTEES OH
Foreign Affairs was pretermitted Still, IL 10 proper
that reasons for 50 important an act should be man
Tested To the world and that committee therefore,
submit the following report:
Essentially and happily pacific as are the nstitu-
TONS the interests the local situation, and the de-
sres Of this republican Union, It's development and
prosperity viii never be arrested or disturbed by
vars Of passion, conquest, or offence. Only once,
IN the seventy years of its national existence, has
war been declared by ACT of Congress, while Eu-
rope, Asia, Africa, South America, ana Mexico
have been convulsed by foreign and intestine hos
tlihes. Resort TO armies and nayies for forelble
Wndleation Of our rights, redress OF wrongs has
but once been solemnly enacted. Hostlhtes by
sea- against the revolutionary depredatlons Of the
French republic, against the piratieal powers Of At
nca, and with various Indian tribes within own
territories, have taken place by authority Of the
American government But the war declared against
Great Britain, thirty four years ago, is the single
instance, since the ackno owledgmcnt Of American
independence, when Congress, pursuant TO execu-
tive recommendation, ordered an appeal to arms, in
the most solemn nethod Of a declaration Of war by
actOf Congress, till now.
Numerous petitions and memorials have been,
during this session Of Congress, referred TO this
committee, deprecalory OF all war, and urging
Congress OF nations 10 prevent II. To all such
benevolent appeals it may be we'll answered, that
the government Of the United States by the novelty
and strength OF its pacific organization is the best
guarantee Of peace ever yet presented to the world
and that its transactions attest that consong fact
With great regret, and not till long after further
forbearanee was impractieable, the constituted
nT 10 ted STATE 6nH FnFca mi
means Of self defence from long.continued, unpro-
yoked aggravated, and insufferabe injuries injected
bya sister republic and neighbor nation, with whom
our preference close alliance, and against whom
the sword is drawn with infinite reluctance. But
the case in the war at last after many years
OF endurance, extored from this government by
Great Britain in 1912, there was no alternative but
war to repel and punish the provoking host,lltles
perpeirated upon w by Mexico, without Except
in the affair Of Texas which shall be explalned) the
slightest pretext for them. American property,
persons, commerce, treaties, public ministers, con-
suls, and messengers, crews OF national vessels-at
length, our soil and sodiery-subjected to outrage
Gus wrongs seizure, incarceration, insult homicide
and even inhuman violation of the dead at last com
PEELED the American government to yindication Of
their people, with no alternative but war or extreme
degradation.
History affords too many lamentabe proofs that
nations the nearest in position, institutions, and
mutual dependence, which should perpetuate Their
peace, only apt than others to quarrel and
combat While the North American conterminous
republics Of the United States and Mexico add an.
other instance Of this fatality, with earnest assur-
ings, since il fostcred Mexico into independent
eregnty, for proof that the United States have con-
santly and anxiously by every effort of concilia-
ton, concession, and even humiliating sefdenial,
sIven to avert the calamity Of conflict in arms.
During many centuries Of Spanish colonial de-
nznIa ~ =. r L-.t go
possessions, contributed three -and-twenty millions
Of dollars in silver every year, besides other i'm
mense riches in the productions of her soil, to the
support of her mother country In Europe. in 1908
Napoleons usurpation of the crown of Span his
imprisonment of the Spanish royal family, placing
his brother Joseph upon the throne, and ipyadmg
the kingdom with large armies, in the order of over
ruling Providence, gave occasion for the revolt and
emancipation Of Mexico, with the other Spanish
colonies of South and North America. The long
oppressed Indian population Of Mexico, in 1910,
rose upon their Spanish masters, and massacred
them wherever found. Twenty thousand marched
under their leader, Hidalgo, upon the city Of
Guanaxuato, with death to the robbers (by which
name they sgmatizeu the Spaniards) as their watch
word, at once possessing themselves of the treas
ures the arms, and the ascendant, necessary for the
complete overthrow ofSpanish dominion in Mexico.
After many years of commotion, showing that the
Mexican population were unprepared for free gov
emment on the 24rh of February, 1921, the plan of
lguala (so called) was established, by which a
monarch was raised from the native Mexicans IN
the person of ltnrbide; which short-lived kingdom
soon fell, with the monarch executed as traitor;
and in October, 1924, federal republic was pro-
claimed
From first to last the dealings of the United
States with Mexico have been acts Of kindness and
amity: even while Spanish colony, treated
with signal hberality by our government, which
dscountenanced and punished the hostile expe-
ditions Of Miranda and Of Burr against Mexico,
and when it apprehended that French emissa-
ries of Joseph Bonaparte visited Texas with mimi
cal designs, again despatched officers, and took ef-
tectual measures to Illustrate the enterprise. The
whole world witnessed the deep interest taken by
the American people and government in the eman-
cipaton of Mexico from European dominion, and in
her national Independence. When the great CONT
mental powers of Europe combined to prevent that
event. and one Of them, sustained by Others invaded
Spain with large armies to subdue in the mother
country the rsing spirit of freedom, the minister o
the United States at London, Mr.. Rush, offered the
British prime minister, Mr. Canning, to unite with
Great Britain in declaring all the Spanish American
colonies independent; and when the British govern
ment declined that proposal, President Monr1o pro
claimed "ihat the American continents, by the free
and independent condition which they have assumed
and maintain were thenceforth not to be considered
as subjects for future colonization by any European
power, and that we owe il to candor and to the ami
cable relations exrting between the United States
and other powers, to declare that should consld
er any attempt, their part, to extend their (the
European) system to any portion of this henis
phere, as dangerous TO our peace and safety. Witt
the governments who have declared their indepen
dence, and maintained it, and whose independence
we have on great consideration and on just princi
pies acknowledged, we should not view any inter
position, for the purpose Of expressing them, o
controlling in any manner their destiny, by any Eu
ropean power in any other light than as the mani
fesation Of an unfriendly disposition towards the
United States"
On the 9th of January, 1923, the United State
led the way (Which most Of he great maritime pow
ers Of Europe afterwards followed) Of acknowIedg
ing Mexican independence, and appointed one o
their most illusvrious citizens, General Andrew Jack
son, to bear the homage Of this acknowledgment q
envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiar,
from the republic Of the United States to The ropub
Tic of Mexico. Six years AFTER in the beginning O
President Jacksons chief msgistracy, his Secretar
Of State, Mr.. Van Buren,, on the 10Th of October
1929, wrote TO Mr.. Butler, the American minister il
Mexico: " The United States, drawn by commu
nifty of views and feelings towards young natio
engaged, they once had been, in struggle for iii
death far f,denendeace and freedonn contipu No