The daily union., 1846-06-30

sion Of il. OF their movements you are doubtless
advised, and we trust have taken, or early will take,
prompt and efficient steps to meet and Tepel any
such hostile incursion. Should Mexico assemble a
large body Of troops on the Rio Grande, and cross
Il with a considerable force, such a movement must
be regarded as invasion Of the United States and
the commencement Of hostlities You will Of
course use all the authority which has BEEN or may
De gwen TO you, TO meet such state Of things
Texas must be protected from hostile invasion and
Tor that purpose you will Of course employ, TO the
utmost extent, all the means you possess or can
command"
On the 4th Of October, lS45, General Taylor
writes 10 the War Department follows;
lt will be recollscted that the instructions Of June
Is, issued by Mr.. Bancroft, then acting Secretary Of
War, directed me to select and occupy, on or near
tho Rio Grande, such site as will consist with the
health Of the troops, and viii be best adapted 10
pei invasion &c. Rrazos Santiago is the nearest
entronoe TO the mouth Of the Rio Grande and Point
Isabel, within that entrance, and twenty-one miles
from Matamoras, would have fulfilled moro COM
petcly than any other position the conditions mpo-
sed by the secretary. But we had no artillery, no
engineer force or appliances, and but moderate
amount Of infantry; and the occupation of Point lsa-
bel, under these circumsances and with al least the
possibility Of resistance from the Mexicans, might
have compromised the safety If the command, !
therefore determined 10 take up the next accessible
position IN the rear, which Is the mouth Of the
Nueces river.
sour position thus far has, | think, been the best
possible; but now that the entire force will soon be
concentrated Il may well be question whe ther the
views of government will be best carried out by our
remaining at this point IL is with great Difference
that make any suggestions on topics which may
become matter Of delicate negotiation. But II our
government, in settling the question Of boundary,
makes the line Of the Rio Grande an ultiHatum, !
cannot doubt that the settlement will he greatly IA
cIItated and hastened by our taking possession at
once OF one or two suitable points quite near
that river, Our strength and state Of preparation
should be displayed in manner not to be mistaken.
However sautary may be the effect produced upon
the border people by our presence here, we too
far from the frontier TO impress the government OF
Mexico with our readiness TO vndlcae, by force Of
arms IL necessary our title to the country Car as
the kio Grande. The army Of occupation will, in
a few days, be concentrated at this point, in cond
ton for vigorous and efficient service. Mexico hav-
ing as yet made positive declaration of war, or
committed any overt act of hostilIties, do not feel
at liberty, under my instructions, particularly those
of July 3, to make a forward movement TO the Rio
Grande without authority from the War Depart
ment."
Under date Of Corpus Christi, November 9Th,
General Taylor wiles to the department that the in
telligence from Mexico tends to modify in some de-
gree the views expressed in the above extract. He
says: "The position now occupied by the troops
may perhaps be the best while negotiations are
pending, at any rate until disposition shall be
by Mexico to protract them unreasonn-
bly,. Under the supposton that such may be the
view Of the department, | shall make no movement
from this point, except for the purpose Of examin-
ing the country, until further Instructions are re-
ceived."
The news from Mexico to which General Tay.
lor aludes was to the effect that the Mexican gov
eminent had accepted the proposal made by the
government Of the United States to arrange the ex
lsting difficulties by negotiation; but 1t failed Of It's
object in consequence of revolution by General
Paredes, then at the head Of the army, who made
this very con.ente pretext for his movements The
manifesto adopted by the army of reserve, at 81.
Louis Potosi, on the l4th December last, when and
where the revolution first manifested itself in FORM
justified the movement on the ground that the then
existing administration (Herreras) chad repeatedly
lhwarted the purpose of the army TO move upon
Texas, and at the same time allowed the army TO
be vilifed for its inacton by official journals; that
had admitted a commissioner (meanng Mr.. Sill
lelD with whom it was endeavorng to arrange for
the loss of the integrity of the republic; that 1t had
reduced the country almost to a state Of anarchy, in
the midst Of which it existed without revenue,
without power, and almost without will; that these
evils demanded an immediate remedy, and that the
confessed its total lncompetency and
poweressness; that 1t had lost all respectahllty so
nece ssary to government, and had allowed plen
potentiary of the United States to set foot IN the
uuu III WIN q Wow w pui-
gain for the independence and nationality of tn:
country, for which have been made so many sacr
fces.n
All this occurred while our army remained at Cor
pus Christi and before the order given for its
march theiRio Grande. The date Of this order is
January 18th, ls46-thrty days after the revolution
broke out The complaint that President Herrera had
thwarted the purpose ofthe army to move
upon Texas" evidently did not refer merely to the
territory between the Nueces and the Rio Grande
but to Texas generally We see in all a rigid ad-
herence to the defensive. Although our claim o
territory extended to the Rio Grande, yet he had
been specially enjoined not to assail any military
stations Of the Mexcans which might exist on this
side the river, and not to enforce the right of the
common navigation of that river.
He strictly followed his instructions. Beyond the
mere fact of taking position Immediately on the
ernment, General Taylor did act and continued to
act, rigdy on the defensive, avoiding all unnecessa-
ry provocaton until he was attacked by the Mexi-
in his encampment opposite Matamoras,
and then on his march from Point Isabel to his en-
:,
The Mexican declaration of war at the national
palace of Mexico, on the Odd of April, 1886, prece
ded by twenty days the act of Congress providing
on the 18th Of May 1876, for the prosecution OF the
existing war between the United States and Mexi-
co. Al that time Congress and the President were
uninformed Of the Mexican manifesto, intelligence
May; but unprovoked and inhunan acts of hostll
ty on the east side of the Bravo were known
throughout the United States, justfying, as they
the message of the President Of the l2h
and the act of Congress of the 18th May
1t having thus been shown that the war was long
designed and prepared by Mexico, while the United
States were entreatng peace, and proffering almost
any terms for it, and then begun on .4merican soil,
all that remains to te shown is that the first blow
was also Mexican.
In President Paredess manifesto Of the 23d of
April, 1916, he avows that he had sent orders to
the general on the northern frontier to act in hos
ity to the army which is in hostility against us; to
oppose war to the enemy which wars upon us. Our
general says this declaration Of war, 'acting accor-
ding to established usages, and the decided lnstruc
tons given by my government, summoned the gen
eral of the American forces to retire beyond the
Nueces, and the summons has been disregarded." "
The God of battles is invoked; the world called
to witness the valor of Mexican armies; and
every sentiment of hostility is appealed to by ms
declaration of war. But, furthermore, 1t declared
that American troops occupied Mexican .eer,nory
at the very time when Mr.. SIidell appeared there,
which was in December, 1S45, and lhat ms plsslon
tr insult q Mexico. the rev.