Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-08-05
A Proclamation.
By The General Commanding tie Army of
The United States Of .amsrtca: TO Ms
PeonIe of .Mericn

ny He OeHefdt commanding the .Hrmy of
The United States Of .america: TO he
People Of Merico.
Alter many years of patient endurance,
the United States are at length constrained
to acknowledge, that war now exists be-
tween our Government and the Government
of Mexico. For many years our citizens
have been subjected to repeated insults and
injuries, our vessels and cargoes have been
seized and confscated, our merchants have
been plundered, MANNED, imprisoned, with
out cause and without reparation. Atlength
your Government acknowledged the justice
of our claims, and agreed by treaty to make
satisfaction, by payment Of several million
| of dollars but this treaty has been violated
by your rulers, and the stipulated payements
have been withheld. Our late effort to
terminate all difficulties by peaceful nego-
tiation, has been rejected by the Dictator
Paredes, and our Minister Of peace, whom
your rulers had agreed to receive, has been
refused hearing. He has been treated
with indignity and insult, and Paredes has
announced that wal, exists between US. This
war, thus first proclaimed by him, has been
acknowledged as an existing fact by our
President and Congress, with perfect unan-
unity, and will be prosecuted with vigor and
energy, against your army and rulers but
those ofthe. Mexican people who remain
neutral will not be molested.
Your Government is in the hands of ty-
rants and usurpers. They have abolished
your State Governments, they have over
thrown your federal constitution, they have
deprived you ofthe right of suffrage, destroy
ed the liberty of the Press, despoiled you of
your arms, and reduced you to state of
absolute dependence upon the power of d
military dictator. Your army and rulers
extort from the people by grevious taxation,
by forced loans and military seizures, the
very money which sustains the usurpers
in power. Being disarmed, you were left
defenceless, an easy prey to the savage
Comanches, who not only destroyed your
lives and property, but drive ihtoa captivity
more horrible than death itself, your wives
and children. Itisyour military rulers who
have reduced you to this deplorable condi.
ton. 1t is these tyrants and their corrupt
and cruel satellites gorged with the people 8
treasure, by whom you are thus oppressed
and impoverished, some Of whom have
boldly advocated monarchical Govern
ment, and would place European Prince
upon the throne of Mexico.
We come to obtain a reparation for re-
peated wrongs and injuries--we come to
obtain indemnity for the past, and security
| for the future-we come to overthrow the
ltyrants who have destroyed your liberties
but we come to make no war upon the peo-
pie of Mexico, nor upon any form of free
government they may choose to select for
themselves. 1t is our wish to see you
liberated from despots, to drive back the
savage Comanches, to prevent the renewal
/ of their assaults, and to compel them to
restore to you from captivity your long lost
wives and children. Your religion, your al
tars and churches, the property of your
churches and citizens, the emblems of your
faith and its ministers shall be protected, and
remain inviolate.
Hundreds of our army, and hundreds of
thousands ofour people, are members ofthe
Catholic Church. In every State, and in
nearly every city and village of our Union.
Catholic Churches exist, and the priests
perform their holy functions, in peace and
security, under the sacred guarantee Of our
constitution. We come among the people
of Mexico as friends and republican breth.
rem, and all who receive us as such, shall
Ebe protected, whilst oil who are seduced in
to the army of your dictator, shall be treat
ed as enemies.
We shall want fiom you nothing but food
for our army, and for thisyou shall always
be paid in cash the full valae. 1t is the
settled policy Of your tyrants to deceive you
in regard to the policy and character of our
Government and people. These tyrants
fear the examples of our free institutions,
and constantly endeavor to misrepresent our
purposes, and inspire you with hatred for
our republican brethren Of the American
Union. Give us but the opportunity to
undeceive you, and you will soon learn that
all the representations of Paroles were false
and were only made to induce you to con
sent to the establishment Of despotic
Government,
In your struggles for liberty with the
Spanish monarchy, thousands of our coun.
1trymen risked their lives and shed their
blood in your defence. Our own commo.
dore, the gallant Porter, maintained in
triumph your flag upon the ocean, and our
Government was the fitstto acknowledge
your independence. With'pride and plea.
sure we enrolled your name on the list oil
Independent republics, and sincerely desired
that you might inpeace and prosperity enjoy
oil the blessings Of free government.
Success on the part Of your tyrants a.
gainst the army Of the Union is impossible
.|but if they could succeed it would beto en-.
able them to fill your towns with theil
soldiers, eating out your subsistance,lant
harrassing you with still more grevious
taxation. Already they have abolished the
liberty of the press, as the first stsptowards
the introduction Of that Monarchy which i
is their real purpose to proclaim and estab