The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1846-12-30
t7PRESiDENris MESSAGE.
'FcONCEDDED.


lt,il ,-PREsiDENWs MESSAGE. q I
TcoNcEDDEp.1fI H'%! tF'GssEs5 's;.
Bill Mexxicai' HcSrrseit has never plhccdsihe
war Which she haswaged upon The, ground
that Our army occupied The inlermediate
territory between the, Nueces and the Rio
'Grande. Her rcfuted prelensidn that Tex
as was not mi INDEPENDENT state, but rebel
'ious province; wds obstitiately petseyered
in; and her nvowed purpose otnmcpcing
d war with Tie United States was to recon
quer Texas, and restore Mexican 'authori-
ty over the whole terrilory-not to the
..Ndeces only, But 10 the Sabine In view
6f'the prociGiHed menaces or Mexico 10 this
effect, I deemed. 1t my duty. as q measure
oi pretaution and defence, 10 order our ar-
my to occupy position on our fr4nlier
as a military posi-, from which our troops
could best resist and repel any attempted
invasion Which Mexico might make.
Our army had occupied position at
Corpus Christi, west Of the Nucces, as ears
lyas August lS45, withnu. complaint from
any quarter. Had The Nueces been regarl
ded as the true western boundary Of lex
as, that Boundary had been passed by our
army many months before il advanced 10
the eastern bank Of the Rio Grandc, In
my annual message of December last, l
Informed Congress that, upon the invitation
of both The Congress and Convention Of
Texas. had deemed It proper to- order a
strong squadron 10 the coasts OF Mexico,
and to concentrate efficient military force
on The western frontier Of Texas, 10 pros
tect und defend the inhabitants against
the mcnaccd invasion Of Mexico. In that
message informed Congress that The mo.
ment the terms OF annexation offered by
the United States were accepted by Texas,
the latter; became so Gar u part Of our own
country as 10 make it our duty TO afford
.smch protection and defence; and that for
that purpose our squadron had been orders
ed 70 the GULF, aud our army to stake a
Position between the Nueces and the Del
Norte," or Rio Grande, and 10 repel any
Invasion Of The Texan territory might
be attempted by The Mexican forces"
1t was deemed, ,prorer to issue this order,
because, soon aflsr the presiden. Of Texas,
in April, 1916, had issued his proclamation
convening 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 Of invading the Tex.
an territory,
These threats became more imposing
as il became more apparent, in the pro-
gress Of tile queslinn, 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 Convcn.
tion Of Texas 70 request lha. a military
forcesshould be sent by the United Suites
into her territory for the purpose Of pro-
tecling and defending her against the
threatened invasion. It would have been
q yiolntiontof good faith towards the pco.
pie ofTeXastp have refused 10 afford the
aid which they desired against threatened
inyasiop,to Q which they had been exposed
by their determination TO annex themselves
10 our. Union, in compliance with the over.
ture made to',hem BY The join, resolution
of6ur Congress.
Kccdttingly, a portion OF our army was
ordered to advance into Texas. Corpus
Christi was the position selected by Gene
rnl Taylor. Hc encamped at that place in
August, lS45, and The army remained in
chat position until The lth OF March, 1916,
when il moved westward, and on the TWEEN
ty-eigh,h Of That month reached the east
bank Of the Rio Grande opposite to Mata-
mOras. This movement was made in pur
suance Of orders from the War Depart
ment issued on The thirteenth Of January
1S4G. Before these orders wero issued,
the despatch Of our minister in Mexico,
transmitting the decision OF the Council OF
Government Of Mexico. advising that lie
should not be received, and also the de.
sPatch Of our consul residing in Mexico
the former bearing date on the seventeelh
and!the latter on the 18th Of December
lo46Tcopiesfofbol 10Th ofwlich accompanied
my message Of te#1lthtof May last--wcre
rec cived at The Department of State
In ese COMMUNICATIONS rendered i, highly