Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-12-11

ance OF the orders of his government, had coI.
lected large army on the opposite shore n
the Rio Grande, crossed the river, invaded orr
territory. and commenced hostllities by attack.
ing our forces.
Thus, after all the injuries which ,.
had received and borne from Mexico. and ~
ter she had insrilting1y rejected minister sa,.
to her on mission of peace, and whom shs
had solemnly agreed to receive, she consunm.
ted her long course of outrage against nm,
country by commencing an offensive war ana
shedding the blood of our citizens on our own
SOIL
The United States never attempted to a.,
qulre Texas by conquest On the contrar,,
at sn early period after the people of Texas
had achieved theft Independence, they soupb,
to be annexed to the United States. AZ.
general election in September, 1896, they do,
cided with great unanimity in favor of San.
nexation y and in November following. tho
Congress of the republic authorized the an.
pointment of q minister, to bear their reoues.
to this government, this government, howeye,
having remained neutral between Texas & Me,,,
leo during the war between them, & considerinr
it due TO the honor of our country & our fair fama
among the nations of the earth that we shepb
not at this early period consent to annexation,
nor until it should be NANTES to the whole
world that the reconquest of Texas by Mexico
was impossible, refused TO aeeede to the over.
ures made by Texas
On the twelfth of April, 1874, and after
more than seven years had elapsed since Tex.
as had established her independence, treaty
was concluded for the annexation of that re-.
public to, the United States, which was reject
ed by the Senate. Finally, on the first Of
March, 1915, Congress passed joint reso
luton for annexing her to the United States
upon certain preliminary conditions to which
her assent was required The solemnties
which characterized the deliberations and con-
duct of the government and people 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 orthat pur.
pose, accepted with great unanimity the pro-
posed terms of annexation; and thus consuma.-
ed on her part the great act of restoring to our
federal Union vast territory which had been
coded to Spain by the Florida treaty more than
quarter of a century before.
After Joint resolution for the annexation
of Texas to the Z. S. had been passed by our
Congress, the Mexican minister at Washing
ton addressed & note to the Secretary
of state, bearing date on the 9th of March,
1845, protesting against it as &C an act of ag-
erosion, the most unjust which can be found
recorded in the annals of of modern history;
namely, that of despoiling a friendly nation,
like Mexico, of a considerable portion of her
territory;" and protesting against the resolution
of annexation, as being an act WHEREBY the
province of Texas, an integral portion of the
Mexican territory, is agreed and admitted into
the American Union y and he announced that,
as consequence, his mission to the U. S. had
terminated, and demanded his passports, which
were granted. 1t was upon the absurd pre-
text, made by Mexico, (herself indebted for her
independence to successful revolution,) that
the republic of Texas still continued to be,
notwithstanding all that had passed, a province
of Mexico, that this step was taken by the
Mexican minister.
Every honorable effert has been used by me to
avoid the war which followed, bui all have prov
ed vain. ALI our attempts ia preserve peace have
been met by insult and resistance on the part Of
Mexico. My efforts to this end commenced in
the note of the secretary of state OF the 10th Of
March, 1845, in answer to that of the Mexican
minister. Whilst declining to reopen discussion
which had already been exhausted, and proving a.
| gain what was known TO The whole world, that
Texas had long since achieved her Independence,
the secretary OF state expressed the regret OF tins
| government that Mexico should have taken Oh
fence at the resolution of annexation passed Ivy
Congress, and gave assurance that our " most
strenuous efforts shall be devoted to the amicabe
adjustment Of every cause Of complaint between
the two governments and to the cultivation of the
klndest and most friendly relations between the
sister republics.
That have acted in the spirit of this assn"
rance, will appear from the events which have
since occurred. Notwithstanding Mexico
had abruptly terminated all diplomatic inter-
course with the United States. and ought
therefore. to have been the first to ask for its
resumption, yet. waving all ceremony, en-
braced the earliest favorable opportunity ito
ascertain from the Mexican government wheth-
er they would receive an envoy from the Unit
ed States intrusted with full power to .adjus!
all the questions in dispute between the two
governments" In September, l645, belIev'
| ed the proplllons moment for sdch an overture
had arrived. Texas, by the enthusiastic and
almost unanimous will of her people. had pro-
nounced in favor of annexation. Mexico her.
self had agreed TO acknowledge the indepen,
dence of Texas, subject to condition, 1t IS
true, which she had no right to impose and no
power to enforce. The last lingering hope oil
| NleAICus SuC Sttll COdIo Hdfo fCIdltCu o"Jf
that Texas would ever again become one OF
her provinces. must have been abandoned.
The consul of the United states at the city Of
Mexico was, therefore, instructed by the secretary
of state on the fifteenth of September, lS45, to
make the inquiry of the Mexican government
The inquiry was made, and on the 18th of Octo'
Der, ls45, the Minste, of Foreign Affairs of the
Mexican government, in note addressed to our
consul, gave favorable response, requesting Of
the same time. that our naval force might be With
drawn from Vera Cruz while negotiations should
be pending. Upon the receipt of this note, eur
naval forces was promptly Withdrawn from Vera
Cruz.
A minister was Immediately appointed, and
departed to Mexico. Every thing bore prom
Using aspect for speedy and peaceful adjust
ment of all our difficulties. AT the date OF my
annual message to Congress, in December last
no doubt was entertained but that he would
be received by the Mexican government, and
the hope was cherished that all cause of mis-
understanding between the two countries would
be speedily removed. In the confident hope
that such would be the result of his mission
I informed Congress that forbore at that time
to recommend such Interior measures OF re-
dress for the wrongs and injuries we had 50
long borne, as it would have been proper 70
make had no such negotiation been instituted.
To my surprise and regret, the Mexican gov
eminent, though solemnly pledged to DO so GP'