Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-12-11
VOLUME XLlII.-NUMBER 65.


strong squadron 10 the coasts Of MEXICO, ana 10
concentrate an efficient military iorce, ON Inc
western frontier oil Texas, 10 protect and delehd
he Inhabitants against The meDacea invasion oi
Mexico. In that message | informed Congress
hat The moment The terms OF annexation onered
by The United States were accepted by Texas, The
latter became so lar a part OF our own country
as to make il our duty 10 afford such protection
aud defence; and that Tor that purpose our squad
ron had been ordered 10 the Gull, and our army
to lake position betwee en- The Nueces and The
Del Norte,'' or Rio Grance, and 10 "iepe any
invasion OF the Texan territory which might be
attempted by The Mexican forces"
II was deemed proper 10 issue this order, be-
cause soon alter The President of Texas IN ApTil,
l845 had issued his proclamation convening tne
Congress IL that Republic, for the purpose "l SUB
milling TO that body The terms oil annexation pro-
posed by The United States, the Government Of
Mexico made serious threats oil invading The
Texan territory. These threats became more
imposing as II 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 as
sumed such formidable character, as induced
both The Congress and Convention OIL Texas 10
request that military force should be sent by
The Uniled States into her Territory Tor the purpose
OF projecting and defending hersgainsl The threat
ened invasion. II would have been violation OF
good faith towards the people OF Texas 10 nave
refused 10 afford the aid which they desired against
threatened invasion, 10 which they had oeeh
exposed by their Tree determination 10 annex
themselves 10 our Union in compliance with the
overture made 10 them by The joint resolution Of
our Congress-
Accordingly, portion OF The army was order
ed to advance into Texas. Corpus Christi was
H. hu
camped al that place in August, iS45, and The
army remained in that position until the eleventh
of March, 1886 when it moved Westward, and
on the twenty eighth day OF that month reach d
The East bank oi the Rio Gfande. opposite 10
Ma,amoras. This movement was made in pur.
suance Of orders ilon The War Department, IS
sued ON The thirteenth OF January, 1876. Before
these orders were issued, The despatch oil orr MI
mister in Mexico, transmitting the decision OF me
Council Of Government OF Mexico, advising
that he should mol be received, and also The de-
spach Of our consul residing in The city OF Mexi-
60 : The former bearing date on The seventeenth,
and The latter on The eighteenth al December,
lSi5 copies vi both Of which accompanied my
message 10 CnngIcss Of The eleventh ol May last
were received al The Department OF State
These communications rendered il highly proba-
bic, if not absolutely certain, that our minister
would mol be received b. the government ol ue-
neral Herrera. II was also well known, that nut
little hope could be entertained OF different Tesul,
from General Paroles, in case The revolutionary
movement which lie was prosecuting should
prove successful as was highly probable The
pariisans ol Paroles, as our minister, IN The des-
patch referred to, states, bfeahed The fefces' hos
lilly against The United States, denounced The
proposed negotiation as treason, anu openly cali
ed upon The troops and the people TO pnI down
The government Of Herrera by force. The recon-
quest OF Texas, and war with The United States,
were openly threatened. These were The ciicum'
stances existing, when il was deemed proper 10
order the army under The command vi Gen. lay
lor 10 advance 10 the Western frontier OF Texas,
and occupy position on or near The Rio Grande
The apprchen,ons OF contemplated Mexican
invasion have been since fully JUSTIFIED by the
event. The determination OF Mexico to rush
iclo hoslilities with the United States was alter
wards manifested from the whole tenor Of The
note Of The Mexican Minister Of Foreign Affairs
IN our minister, bearing date on The twelfth "l
March 1916. Paroles had then revolulionized
the government, and his minister, tier referring
10 The resolution ior the annexation oil Texas,
which had been adopted By our Congress in
March. lS45, proceeds to d,carc that "a tact
such as This, or 10 speak with greater eSactness,
50 notable an act OF usurpa,ion, created an imPe-
Iiuus necessity that Mexico, lcr hcr own honor,
shouil repel it with proper frmness and dignity.
The Supreme Government beforehand declared
that il would look upon such an act as cdsaS
bgiH; and as a consequence OF This declaration,
negotiation was, BY lis very nature, al An enc,
and war was the only recourse cfth Mexican
Government"
Il appears, also, that on the fourth Of April FOL-
lowing, General Pare es, through his Minister Of
War, issued orders 10 the Mexican General in
command on The Texan frontier, 10 "a.tack" our
army 'hy every means which war permits" To
this General Paroles had 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 Pale
des addressed letter 10 the mander on that
frontier, in which he stated TO him sat the present
date, suppose you at the head Of that valiant
Amy, either fighting already, or preparing for
the operations Of campaign" and "snpposing
yon already on The theatre Of operations, and
with all The forces assembled, il is indispensable
that hostiiirs be commenced yourself taking the
initiative against The enemy"
The movement Of our army 10 The Rio Grande
was made by the Commanding General, under
positive orders 10 abstain from all aggressive
acts towards Mexico, or Mexican citizens, andto
resard the relations between The two countries as
peaceful, unless Mexico should declare war, or
commit acts Of hostility indicative 0! state Of
war; and these orders he faithfully executed.
Whilst occupying his position on The Eas, hank
Of The Rio Granne, within the Limits OF Texas,
then recently admitted as one Of The States OF our
Union. the Commanding General ofthe Mexican
forces, who, in pursuance Of the order. Of his
Government had collected large army on the
opposite shore Of the Rio Grande, crossed the
river, invaded our territory, and commenced hes.
tili,ies by attacking our forces.
Thus after all the injuries which We had re.
crived and borne from Mexico, and after she had
insu,ingly rejected Minister sent 10 her on
mission Of peace, and whom she had soiemn!y
agreed to receive, sne con>ummated her long
course of OUTRAGE agains: our country By com
mencing an offensive war, and shedding The
blood oil our citizens on our own soil.
The United States never attempted 10 acquire
Texas by conquest. On the contrary, al an ear
IL peiod after he people of Texas had achieved
The United States. AT general election in Sep
lember 1886, they decided with great unanimi,y
in favor OF annexation" and in November fol.
lowing, Inc Congress OF he Republic authorized
the appointment of minister 10 bear their re-
quest 10 this Government. This Government,
however, having remained neutral between Tex
as aud Mexico during the war between Them, and
considering it due to The honor OF our country
and our fair iame among The nations OF the earth
that We should not at this early period consentto
annexation, nor until il should be manifest 10 The
whole world hat The reconquestot Texas by Mex
leo was impossible, refused 10 accede 10 The over
lures made by Texas. On The l2h OF April, ls41,
and after more than seven years had elapsed since
Texas had established her independence, a treaty
was concluded for The annexation If that repub-
lie 10 The United States, which was rejected by
The Senate. Finally, on The Isl OF March, ls45.
Congress passed joint resolution Tor annexing
her 10 he United STATES, upon certain preimina-
nv conditions 10 which her assent was required
Tie sulemnilies which characterized The dclibe.
rations and coniuct OF the Government and PEG
Die OF Texas on The deeply interesting questions
presented by these resolutions, are known TO the
world. The Congress, the Executive and The
people OF Texas, in a convention elected for that
purpose, accepted with great unanimiiy the pro-
posed terms vi annexation, and thus consumma-
led on her part The great act oi restoring TO Cur
Federal Union vast territory which had teen
ceded TO Spain by The Florida treaty more than a
quarter ola century before.
Alter The joint resolution for the annexation OF
Texas 10 the United States had been passed by
our Congress, The Mexican minister al Wash