The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-20
IConiinusd from first page. |

of the good faith and forbearance towards mexico
which has ever characterized the CONQUER OF the
United States, He advised that no change should
be made i'm The attitude Of the United States. "lf
not nodl Mexico herself or one Of the great for
ei0n noyyers should recognise the independence of
ths neV, government at least until the lapse of time
mr. course Of events should have proved, beyond
cavil or dispute the ability Of the people Of Texas
10 maintain their sovereignty, or to uphold the
government constituted by them" These over
lures on the part Of Texas were pending for several
years but were not entertained by the government
of the United States until the period had arrived
when in the language Of President Jackson, above
quoted, the lapse Of time and course Of events had
proved beyond cayil or dispute, the ability Of her
people 10 maintain her separate sovereignty. Her
INDEPENDENCE must be considered as a settled fact,
which cannot be called in question. Nearly
four usds since M Webster, then Secretary Of
Stais IN d despatch 10 The minister Of the United
States al MsrioO, said; From the time Of the BAT
tie of San aeiniO, in .ipr, 1885, 10 the present
m,nt Tsras has srhiblsd The same external Signs Of
national independence as hsrieO herself and ,oih quite
as much stability Of government. Practically free and
independently aeknaoledged political sovereignty BY
The principal p0losrs Of The i0orid hostile foot finding
rest isiain her territory for sir years; and .Hsr
leo Misunderstanding or all that period from any fur
htr attempt 10 establish her authority The
tsrrtOryn three additional years ofinaetion on the
part OF Mexico elapsed, before the final action of
the United States upon the question Of annexation,
with the assent Of the same Senate whose prudence,
crenmspeeton, and wisdom, your excellency so
Justly eulogzes And IL any additional sanction
could have been required to measure 80 evidently
Just and proper, Il has been afforded by Mexico
herself who, through her minister of foreign affairs
Mr.. Cueyas, authorized by the national Congress,
on the 18th Of May last, declared: "The supreme
government receives the four articles above men
toned as the prellminares OF formal and de6nI-
tive treaty; and, further, that 1t is disposed to COM
mence the negotiation as Texas may desire, and u
receive the commissioners which she may name for
the purpose" The first condition was, "Mexico
consents to acknowledge the independence Of Tex
as" True il is, that, by the secoEd condition. Tex
as engaged that she would spulate in the treaty not
10 annex herself or become subject 10 any country
whatever. When il is recollected that this prelIm.
nary arrangement made through the Interyen-
ton Of the ministers Of Great Britain and France,
consequent upon the passage Of the act Of annexa-
ton il cannot be denied that IL was intended to APP
ply solely to the United States; and that while Mex
leo acknowledged her inability 10 contest the indie
pendencs Of Texas, and was prepared to abandon
all her pretensions to that territory, she was in
duced to make this ardy and reluctant recognition
not by any abatement Of her hostile sentiments to-
wards her $50 cslled) rebeLious subjects, but in tn
hope Of gratifying her unfriendly feelings against
the United States
The undersigned cannot but express his unfeign-
ed surprise that in the face of this incontrovertib
evidence that Mexico had abandoned all intention
or even hope Of ever re-establIshng her authority
over any portion Of Texas, your excellency should
have asserted that Texas had been an integral
part Of Mexico, not only during the long period OF
Spanish dominion but since its emancipation, Iciih-
out anu interruption phasrsr, during 30 long space
Of time" and, again, that "the United States had
despoiled Mexico Of valuable portion Of her terri
tory, regardless of the incontroverble rights Of the
most unquestionable property and Of the most con-
Inay ha fha
which only be sustained by assertions so incon-
slsent with facts that notorious to all the world
and how unfounded are all these vehement declama-
tons against the usurpaons and thirst for terrific
rial ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the United States. The in
dependence Of Texas then, being fact conceded by
Mexico herself, she had right to prescribe re
strictions to the form Of government Texas nigh,
choose to assume, nor can she justly complain thai
Texas, with a wise appreciation Of her true inter,
ests, has thought proper to merge her sovereignty
IN that Of the United States.
The Mexican government cannot shift the respon-
abilty Of upon the United States, by assuming
hat they the aggressors. A plain, unanswered
die fact responds to all the subtleties and sophise
by which il is attempted to obscure the real ques
ton; that fact Is, the presence in Mexico of minis
ter of the United States, clothed with full power to
settle all the questions in dispute between the two ma
lions, and among them that of Texas. Their COM
plants are mutual the consideration Of them
settled by the same negotiation, or by the
arbitrament which Mexico herself has elect
ed. With what reason does Mexico attribute
10 the United States the desire of finding a pretext
to commence hostilitieS2 The appearance of few
ships of war on the Mexican coasts, and the ad-
vance of small military force to the frontier OF
Texas, cited as evidence that the declarations OF
a desire to preserve peace insncere. Surely II
cannot be necessary to remind your excellency that
the menaces Of war have all proceeded from Mexi-
co.. and it would seem that the elevation to power OF
It's actual government was too recent to have af.
forded your excelency time forget the ostensibe
reasons for which that which preceded it was over
thrown. The crime imputed to the then President
"a crime so odlous as to Justify his forcble expul.
sion from the presidency to which he had been bur
fey months previous elected with unparalleled
unanmy, and in accordance with all the forms of
the constution-was that of not having prosecuted
the war against Texas, or, in other words, agans
the United States-a crime, of which the enormity
was aggravated in ten-fold degree by his having
accepted the proposal of the United States to nego
tate. To suppose that the present government has
not always intended, and does not still intend vigor-
ously to prosecute an offensive war against the Uni
ted States, would be to insinuate the degrading
charge OF making declarations which 1t did not de-
sign to fulfil, with the unworthy motive of supplant-
ing rival.
With these avowed intentions on the part oil
Mexico, and so far as words can constitute war |
uat otatc aCtusiy eAStlnS win Wnat harness can
she complain of precautions having been taken by
the United States to guard against the attacks witt
which they have been menaced, so far at least, as
their very moderate peace establishment would per. |
NIT them to do so' Are they patiently and meekIy
to abide the time when Mexico shall be prepared to
strike, with due effect, the threatened blown
Your excelency has alluded to the internal dis.
senslons of Mexico, and accused the United Ststec
"of taking advantage of them beguiling it's yig.
lance by proesallons of friendship, bringing into
play every kind of device and artice, and appealing
alternately to intrigue and violence" Were the dis
position of the United States such as your excel
lency is pleased to attribute to them, they would
have eagerly awaited themselves Of the opportunity
afforded by the first refusal to receive the under
signed; and certainly moment more proptous
than the present to carry their ambitious schemes
INTO effect could have been selected. Instead of
avaiIing themselves of it, they have, with degree
of forbearance that by many, perhaps by most i'm
partial observers, will be considered hnmliating re
peated the overtures for negotiation which had been
rejected under circumstance the best calculated TO
offend national pride and this most conciatory adj
vance, made by the aggueved party, is said by your
excellency to be an attempt which he cannot per,ni,