Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1846-12-16

grati1ylng results which have been accomp
ished.
The various columns of the army have per
for med their duty under great disadvantages
with the most distinguished skill and courage
The victories of Palo Alto and Resaca de |,
Palma, and of Monterey, won against great,
superior numbers and against most decided ad
Ivantages liz other respects, on the part of tn
enemy, were brilliant in their exec ution an,
entitle our brave officers and soldi ers to tn
grateful thanks oftheir country. The nation de
plores the loss of the brave officers and mel
who have gallantly fallen in battle while Wind
eating and defending their country's rights an,
honor.
1t is subject of pride and satisfaction tina
our volunteer citizen soldiers, who so prompt,
responded to their countrys call, with an expe
rience of the discipline of camp of only few
works, have borne their part Of the hard Tough
battle of Monterey with constancy and courag,
equal TO that of veteran troops, and worthy O
the highest admiration. The privations of long
marches through an enemy's county and thr oil
wilderness have been borne without a MUIR
muir. By rapid movements, the province o.
New Mexico, with Santa Fe, its capital has
been captured without blooished.
The navy has co-operated with the army ant
rendered important services If not so brilliant
it is because the enemy had no force to NEE
them ON their own element, and because of the
defences which nature has interposed, in the
difficulties of the navigation on the Mexican
coast. Our squadron in the Pacific, with the
cooperation of a gallant officer the army,and
small force hastily collected in that distant
country. have acquired bloodless possession Of
the CALIFORNIA;, and the American flag has been
raised at every important point in this prov
ince.
l congratulate you on the success which has
thus attended our military and naval opera
tons, in less than seven months after Mexico
commenced hostilitles, at time selected BY
herself, we have taken possession of many oil
her principal ports driven back and pursued hel
invading army, and acquired military posses
sion of the Mexican provinces of New Leon
Coahuila, Tamaulipas, and the CALIFORNIA;, a
territory larger in extent than that embraced in
the iginal thirteen states of the Uuion, inhab-
tied by considerable population, and much Of
it more than thousand miles from the points
from which we had to collect our forces, and
commence our movements. By the blockade,
the import and export trade of the enemy has
been cut off.
Well may the American people be proud OF
the energy and galiantry of our regular and
volunteer officers and soldiers. The event Of
these few months afford gratifying proof thai
our country can, under any emergency, conf
IDENTIFY rely for the maintenance of her honor
and the defece of her rights,on an effective force
ready at all times voluntarily to relinquish the
comforts of home for the perils and priyations
of the camp.
And though such force may be for the time
expensive, it is in the end economical as the
ability to com a1and it removes the necessity of
employing large standing army in the time OF
and, prove that our people love their insti-
tutions are ready to protect them.
Whilst the war was in course of vigorous
and successful prosecution, being still anxious
to arrest its evils, and considering that after
the brilliant victories of our arms on the eighth
and ninth OF May last, the national honor could
not be compromised by it. another overture was
made to Mexico, by my direction, on the TWEEN
ty-seventh of July last, to terminate hostilities
by peace just and honorable to both countries.
On the the thrty-irst of August following, the
Mexican government declined to accept this
friendly overture, but referred it to the decis-
ion of the Mexican Congress, to be assembled
in the early part of the present month. | COM
municate to- you herewith copy of the letter
of the Secretary of State proposing to reopen
negotiations, of the answer of the Mexican gov
eminent, and the reply thereto of the Secretary
of State.
The war will continue to be prosecuted with
vigor as the best means of securing peace. 1t
is hoped that the decision of the Mexican Con-
gress, to which our last overture has been re-
ferred, NAV result in a speedy and honorable
peace. With our experience, however, of the
unreasonable course of the Mexican authorizes
it is the part of wisdom not to relax in the en-
ergy of aur military operations until the result
is made known. In this view. it is deemed i'm
portant to hold military possession of all the
provinces which have been taken, until def
mite treaty of peace shall have been concluded
and ratified by the two countries.
The war has not been waged with view to
conquest; but having been commenced by MeA-
leo, it has been carried into the enemy's coun-
try, and will be vigorously prosecuted there,
with a view to obtain an honorable peace, and
thereby secure ample idemnity for the expenses
of the war, as well as to our much injured citi-
zens, who hold large pecuniary demands "a
gainst Mexico.
By the laws of nations conquered territory
is subject to be governed by the conquerer du-
ring his military possession, and until there is
either treaty ofpeace, or he shall voluntarily
withdraw from it. The old civil government
DClUg utCCSsdliiy cuPClSCuCu, IL 10 Vic uhO
duty of the conquerer to secure his conquest,
and to provide for the maintainace of civil order
and the rights the inhabitants. This right has
been exercised, and duly performed, by our
military and naval commanders by the establish
ment of temporary governments in some of the
conquered provinces in Mexico, assimilating
them as far as practicable to the free institutions
of our own country. In the province of New
Mexico and of the CALIFORNIA; little il any
further resistance is apprehended from the in
habitapts, to the temporary governments which
have thus, from the necessity of the case, and
to the laws of war, been established.
1t may be necessary to provide for the security
of these important conquest in making an ade
quate appropriation for the purpose of erecting
Notifications and defraying the expenses neces-
sariy incident to the maintainence OF our pos
session and authority over them.
Near the close of your last session, for rea-
SONS communicated to Congress, deemed it i'm