Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-12-10

force should be seni by the United States into
her territory for the purpose Of protecting and
defending her against the threatened invasion
Ii would have been a violation OF good faith
towards the people Of Texas to have refused
to afford the aid which they desired against q
threatened invasion. to which they had been
exposed BY their free determination to annex
themselves TO our Union, in compliance with
the overture made to them by the joint resolu-
ton of our Congress.
Accordingly, a portion Of the army was OF.
dered 10 advance into Texas. Corpus Christi
was the position selected by Gen. TAYLOR
He encanped at that place in August, Is45,
and the army remained in that position until
the eleventh Of March, 1876, when it moved
westward, and on the twenty-righth of tina,
month reached the east bank OF the Rio
Grande opposite to Matamoras. This move
ment was made in pursuance Of orders from
the War Department, issued on the thirteenth
d January, 1876. Before these orders were is
sued, the despatch Of our minister in Mexico,
transmitting the decision ofthe Council Of Go
vernment OF Mexico, adv. sing that he should
not be received, and also the despatch of our
Consul residing in the city Of Mexico-the for
mer bearing date on the seventeenth, and the
latter on the eighteenth Of December, ls45,
copies of both Of which accompanied my mes
sage to Congress on the eleventh of May last
WERE received at the Department Of State
These communications rendered it highly
probable, if not absolutely certain, that our
minister would not be received by the Govern
ment of Gen. HERRERA. 1t was also well
known that but little hope could be entertained
Of a different result from Gen. PAREDEs, in
case the revolutionary movement which he
was prosecuting should prove successful, as
was high y probable. The partisans OF Pa
REpEs, as our minister, in the despatch, refer
red to, states. breathed the ~iercest hostility
against the United States, denounced the pro-
posed negotiation as treason, and openly called
upon the troops and the people 10 put down
the Government of HERRERA by force. The
%reconquest Of Texas, and war with the United
States, were openly threatened. These were
the circumstance existing, when it was deem
ed proper TO order the army under the com
mand of Gen. TAYLOR to advance 10 the Yves
tern frontier oil Texas, and occupy a position ON
or near the Rio Grande.
The apprehens:ons OF a contemplated Mex
lean invasion have been since fully justified by
the event. The determination of Mexico to
rush into hostilities with the United States was
afterwards manifested from the whole tenor oil
the note of the Mexican Minister Of Foreign
Affairs TO our Minister, bearing date on the
twelfth Of March, 1876. Paroles had then
reyolutionized the government, and his minis
ter, after referring 10 the resolution for the an
nexation Of Texas, which had been adopted
BY our Congress in March, l645. proceeds to
declare that "a fact such a. this, or to speak
with greater exactness, SO notable an act Of
usurpation, created an imperious necessity
that Mexico. for her own honor, should repel
it with proper 6rmness and dignity. The
Supreme Government beforehand declared
that il would look upon such an act as a casus
beli and, as consequence Of his declara-
ton, negotiation was, by its very nature, al
an end, and war was the only recourse of the
Mexican Government"
1t appears, also, that on the fourth Of April
following, General PAREDEs, through his min
lister of war, issued orders TO the Mexican
general in command on the Texan frontier to
..a,,ack" our army ''by every means which
war permits" 10 this General PAREDEs had
been pledged to the army and people Of Mex
leo during the military revolution which had
brought him into power. On the eighteenth
of April, 1886, General PAREDrs addressed a
letter TO the commander on that frontier, in
which he stated to him sat the preseat date |
suppose you at the head OF that valiant army,
either fighting already. or preparing for the
operations OF a campaign !" and 'supposing
YOU already on the theatre Of operations, and
with ali the forces az, embed, it is indispensa-
bic that hostilities be commenced, yourself ia
king the initiative against the enemy"
The movement OF our army 10 the Rio
Grande was made by the commanding gener-
IL ,,,I.r noeitIun Crdars IN 1hAtafn frain all un-
~sressive acts towards Mexico, or Mexican
c~itizens, and TO regard the relations between
the two countries as peaceful, unless Mexico
should declare war, or commit acts OF hostility
indicative Of a state OF war and these orders
he faithfully executed. Whilst occupying his
position on the east bank Of the Rio Grande,
within the limits Of Texas, then recently ad-
mitted as one OF the States Of our Union, the
commanding general Of the Mexican forces,
who. in pursuance of the orders Of his Coy
eminent, had collected a large army on the
opposite shore of the Rio Grande, crossed the
rlver. invaded our territory, and commenced
hostllites by attacking our forces.
Thus, after all the injuries which We had
received and borne from Mexico. and after
she had insultingly rejected q minister sent TO
her on a mission OF peace, and whom she had
solemnly agreed TO receive, she consummated
her long course Of outrage against our coun-
try by commencing an offensive war and
shedding the blood Of our citizens on our own
soil.
The United States never attempted to &C
quire Texas by conquest. On the contrary,
al an early period after the people Of Texas
had achieved their independence, they sought
10 be annexed to the United States. Al a gen
eral election in September, 1886, they decided
nh great unanmity in favor of ''anneXa-
ton ~ and in November following, the Con
gress OF the republic authorized the appoint
ment OF a minister to bear their request 10 this
Government This Government, however,
having remained neutral between Texas and
Mexico during the wal between them, and
considering ii due 10 the honor OF our country,
and our fair fame among the nations OF the
earth, that we should not at this early period
consent to annexation, nor until it should be
NANTES, 10 the whole world that the recon-
quest OF Texas by Mexico was impossible.
refused TO accede TO the overtures made by
Texas. On the Twelfth OF April, 1874, aud
after more than seven years had elapsed since
Texas had established her independence, a
treaty was concluded for the annexation OF
that republic to the United States, which was
rejected by the Senate. Finally, on the first
OF March, 1916, Congress passed a joint reso-
luton for annexlng her to the United States,
upon certain preliminary conditions 10 which
NJ agaHa