Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-12-19


astate of afliuence to a state of bankrn5,
cy.
The proud name of American citizen.
which ought to protect all who bear if from
insult and injury throughout the world. has
afforded no such protection, to our citizens
in Mexico. We had ample cause of war
against Mexico long before the breaking out
OF hostiiitles. Bat even then we forebore to
take redress In our own hands, until Mex
leo seifbecame the aggressor,by invading
our soil in hostile array, and shedding the
blood of our citizens.
SHch are the grave causes of compla;nt
on the part of the Uuited States agaiost
Mexico-causes which existed lone before
the annexation of Texas to the Amar;can
Union; and yet, animated by the love If
peace, and magnanimous moderation. we
did not adopt these measures of redress
which, under such circumstances ara the
justified resort of injured nations.
The annexation of Texas to the limited
States constituted no just cause of offence to
Mexico. The pretext that it did so is Who'll.
ly inconsistent, and irreconcilable with the
well authenticated facts connected with the
revolution by which Texas became indie
pendent OF Mexico. That this NAV be the
more manifest, it may be proper to advert TO
the causes and to the history of the princi-
pal events of that revolution.
Texas constituted portion ofthe ancient
province of Louisiana, ceded to the United
States by France in the year 1903. In the
year lol9,the U. States, by the Florida trea
ty, coded TO Spain allthat part of Louisiana
within the present limits of Texas and
Mexico, by the revolution which separated
her from Spain, and rendered her an indie
pendent nation, succeeded to the rights of
the mother country over this territory. In
1924, Mexico established federal eonstitu
ton, under which the Mexican republic was
composed of number of sovereign States
confederated together in federal Union
similar to our own. Each of these States
had It's own Executive, Legislature, and In
dietary, and for all. except federal purposes
was as independent of the general govern,
ment, and that of the other States. as is
pennsylvania or Virginia under our consti-
tuition. Texas and Coahuila united and
formed one of these Mexican States. The
State constitution which they adopted, and
which was approved by the Mexican con-
federacy, asserted that they were {: free and
independent Of the other Mexican United
States, aud of every other power and do
mlnion whatsoever" and proclaimed the
great principle of human liberty, that "the
sovereignty of the State resides originally
and essentially in.the general mass of he
individuals who compose it." To the 90
eminent under this constitution, as well as
to that under the federal constitution. tha
people OF Texas owed allegiance.
Enilgrants rom foreign countries includ-
ing the United States, were invited by the
coiionzation laws of the State and the feder
al government to settle in Texas. Advan-
tageous terms were offered to induce them
10 leave their own country and become
Mexican citizens. This invitation was ac
cepted by many of our citizens, in the full
faith that in their new home thew wonld he
governed by laws enacted by representa-
tives elected by themselves, and that their
lives, liberty, and property would be protec-
ted by constitutional guarantees similar TO
those which existedin the republic thew had
LETT. Under a government thus organized
ttiey continued until the year 1885, when a
military revolution broke out in the CITY of
Mexico, which entirely subverted the fed
eral and State constitutions, and placed a
military dictator at the head of the govern
ment.
BY sweeping decree of Congress sub
servient to the will of the dictator, the
several State constitutions were abolished.
and the States themselves converted into
mere departments of the Central Govern
ment. The people of Texas were unwiu-
ing to submit to this usurpation. Resistance
to such tyranny became high duty. Tex
as was fully absolved from all allegiance to
the Central Government of Mexico from
the moment that Government had abolished
her State constitution, and in its place SUBJ
stltuted an arbitrary and despotic Central
Government.
Such were the principal causes of the
Texas revolution. Thepeople of Texas at
once determined upon resistance, and flew
to arms. In the midst of these important
and exciting events, however, they did not
omit to place their liberties upon secure
and permanent foundation. They elected
members to convention, who, in the month
Of March, 1886, issued formal declaration
that their ''political connection with the
Mexican nation has forever ended, and that
the people of Texas do now constitute 3
FREE, SOVEREIGN, and INDEPENDENT REP OBJ
Lie, and are fully invested with all rights
and attributes which properly belong to in
dependent nations" They also adopted for
their government liberal republican con-
stitution. About the same time Santa An
ia, 'hS" eiC oiCtdtoi VI MEXICO, invaded
Texas with numerous army, for the pur-
pose OF subduing her people, and enforcing
obedience to his arbitrary and despotic gov
eminent. On the 21st 'of April, 1886, he
was met by the Texan citizen-soldiers, and
on that day was achieved by them the mem
oraoie victory of San Jacinto, by which
they conquered their independence. Con-
sldenng tie numbers engaged in the respec-
tive SIDES, history does not record more
orn.lant achievement. Santa Anna was
himself among the captives.
In the month of May, 1886, Santa Anna
acknowledged, by treaty with Texan au-
thorities, in the most solemn form, s'the
full, entire, and perfect independence of the
republice of Texas 1t is true he was then
a prisoner of war, but it is equally true that
he failed to conquer Texas, and met with
signal defeat; that his authority had not been
revoked, and that by virtue of k&s treaty
he obtained his personal release. By it, hos
Utilities were suspended, and the army which
had invaded Texas under his command re-
turned, in pursuance of this arrangement,
unmolested, to Mexico.
From the day that the battle of San ia
cinto was fought, until the present hour
Mexico has never possessed the power to
recon9uer Texas. In the language of the
Secretary of State Of the United States, in
a despatch to our Minister in Mexico, under
date of the 9Th of Julv 1870 &c Aeyico NAV