The daily union., 1846-06-30

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heers OF The Mexican troops were ordered 10 their
army on the Bravo for the invasion Of Texas and
Il was said the Mexican war establishment was 10
be increased TO SIXTY thousand men. General Aris-
Ia suspected OF good WIN 70 Ihls country was ss-
perseded IN command by General Ampuda ON the
Texas frontier, who arrived at Matamoras on the
llth Of April, 1886, with 300 cavalry, followed by
2,OO0 men OF his reinforcement not far behind, on
the way TO join the 1000 soldiers already at Mata-
moras As soon as he arrived there, he ordered
the 18th Of April, General Taylor TO eyacuate the
posts he held, and all Americans with their consul,
70 qah Malamoras. About the same time General
Bravo repaired with reinfofcemehts TO Vera Cruz;
the fort OF st. Juan d'Ulios was strengthened; the
Mexican vessels were taken up the river Alyarado
out OF reach, ana have since escaped 10 Havana the
public imPost was diverted from prior appropria-
tions and applied TO exgencies; and war for the
recovery Of Texas was so notorious both by acts
and threats, that Commodore Conner became ac-
qualnIed with II at sea- and transferred his squadron
from of Vera Cruz TO Brazos Santiago, where he
did not arrive, however, I'LL several blows Of bostil-
ty had been struck by the Mexican at the American
army on the east Of the Bravo.
In fact military revolution, with revolutionary
energy straining the snews Of war, called forth the
armed force and the pecunaTy means Of distract
ed and impoverished nation with feverish yigoT,
Generals Paredes and Almonte had declared, for the
recovery Of Texas; and war was, 10 all intentE and
purposes, waged as well declared.
General Taylor, NStl his army, left Corpus
Christi for the Rio Grande, between thy6th and
llth OF March, and arrived at his eneampment op-
posite Matamoras March 2Slh. On hia march he
was met al two or three points, particularly on the
banks Of the Sal Colorado, or Colorado creek, by
Mexican troops, but offered them no molestation.
When, however, they threatened to dispute his
passage by iorce OF arms, he warned them that II
would be at their peril. Not Mexican was killed
by our troops, or any of them, until Captain Thorn
IONS command OF 50 or 60 men Goth of April was
cut 10 pieces, twenty miles north of General Tay-
lor's camp, having been decoyed into a chapparal
where were posted body Of Mexicans, estimated
al . 500. Even on this occasion we have seen no
evidence that single shot was fired by the Ameri-
cans, or angle Mexican cut down, although from
the acknowledged bravery Of Thornton and his men
their lives would have been dearly sold had they
considered the Two countries in Estate Of war"
Previously to this dae, Colonel Cross who rode
out alone mile or two from the Amencan CAMP,
Tor the sake of exercise, was brutaly murdered;
and Lieutenant Porter, who went out in search OF
him, was hred upon, and himself and one Of his
men KILLED. So far as we have any evidence, not
a Mexican was killed by the Americans, or any of
them, until the 18th Of April, when Captain Walk
er and "a men Of the Texan rangers being on their
way from Point Isabel TO General Taylor's camp
opposite Matamoras, fell in with a large body Of
Mexleans, estimated at 500. No statement au-
horzes Us 10 say positively which party fred frst
though u would be very strange If 25 men should
seek combat with 500. The result, however,
was, that number Of the Mexieans were killed
and six of Walkers men.
These facts, viewed in connexion with Ampudla's
letter to General Taylor of April 18th, in which he
requires him sin the peremptory term of tweniy-
iour hours 10 break up his camp and retire TO tho
other bank Of the Nueces"--n failure of which,
arms, and arms alone, must decide the question:
prove beyond doubt upon which party rests the
responsibility OF commencing actual warfare. Afer
this formal declaration Of the Mexican commander,
u not before, II was obviously the duty of General
Taylor TO exercise unceasing vigilance in order to
guard against surprise, and also that he might seek
relnforcements II necessary, before his communica-
ton with Point Isabel should be cut of. Thorn
tons party was sent out IN consequence Of rumOr
mat large body OF MexIcans had crossed the Rio
Grande twenty miles or SO above Matamoras. His
object was solely 10 reconnoitre; and IN following
Mexican horsemen into the Chapparal, without fir
ing upon them, or in any way attempting to injure
them, he commlied no act which at ali justified the
bloody tragedy which the Mexicans enacted. Up
10 this time, not only had no Mexicans been killed
by the Americans, but none had been taken prison.
ers, although opportunities 70 do SO were frequent
occurrence. And even this act of positive war
might have been overlooked, had il been disa-
vowed by the Mexican commander, been
shown TO be the result OF accident or miseE.
prehension; but none Of these things were pre-
Tended. Subsequent events have proved that it
was the first act ofa which had been projected by
the Mexican government, and that the OIL iect of the
Mexican forces in crossing the river was to capture
d
uncuy avowed by President Paredes in his mani
festo of April 23d to the Mexican nation, in which
he says: 81 hare sent orders to the gensraiin,chief on
The northern frontier 10 dei in hostility against the au
'oh'ch IS IN hostility against u.s. 10 oppose oar 10 e
tne,ny lphich toGS upon Our
general acting according to established usages, and
The decided instructions given by my government
the genera-in-chief Of the American
forces to retire beyond the river Nueces the ancient
boundary ofTexas, and the summons has been dis
regarded"
From the first seizures by the Mexican govern
ment OF American persons and property, several
years before the United States led the way for other
nations to acknowledge their independence, till the
battles of the 9th and 9th of May, lS46, Mexico
was in every instance the aggressive wrongdoer.
Yet so inveterae is the peace policy, mvincible
the pacific checks of our government-such the
obstacles to war by the United States-that, with
thrice the population, and n hundred times the re-
sources OF Mexico, with nearly the whole regular
force of this country collected in Texas for its pro-
lection, Mexico invaded that State of this Union
with twice our number of troops, waylaid and ar
rested them by battles at Palo Alto and Resaca de
ia Palma-heraded by confident predictions that the
American army would be the easy conquest of their
Mexican assailants. The courage and discipline of
troops never emboldened by public patronage to
perform military exploits but the contrary, dis
couraged by government always strongly averse
to war and its instruments, nevertheless achieved
the morasses and wilds of that distant frontier VIC
tories won by deeds Of fheroism, which presages
of short and humane hostites and generous pacif-
cation with Mexico. ,.a
The United States have long borne much, en-
treated much, and threatened too much, without en-
forcement. Mexico had learned to appreciate that
the American Executive cannot make war; however
it may be menaced Whether, when President
Jackson called on Congress for authority of repri-
sails, it would have been best to grant the
power, is now mere speculation. 1t is certain that
Mexico. by making war, has relieved the American
government from perplexing hesitation and enabled
1t to overcome national institutions and aversion.
The constituted authorities of the United States
now forced to pause and parey no longer, but, by
solemn declaration Of war, to put all the energies of
armed people into action for repslling hostltes
and furnishing invaders.
Tho Presidents message of the l2th, and act of
Congress Of the 18th Of May, lS46, afford proof that
republican government, Of peaceabe institutions
and predictions, representing strenuous people,
is capable of rapid action, when necessary to vlnd
cate their rights and confront invaders The small
military force, allowed to exist as standng army,