Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-03-13
work, now occupied. 10 the army Of the United

work, now occupied. 10 The army Of the United
States.
~. To avoid collisions and for mutual con-
venience, that the troops OF the United States
shall not occupy the town until the Mexican
forces have been Withdrawn, except for hospital
purposes, storehouses, &c.
WI. The commanding general OF the United
STATES agrees not to advance beyond the lihe
specified The second section. before the expi
ration OF eight weeks, or until the respective
governments can be heard from"
The terms OF the demand were refused by the
Mexican commissioners, who drew up counter
proposition, Of which only recollect that it con.
tanned permission to the Mexican forces TO re
tire with their arms. This was urged as a matter
OF soldierly PRIDE and as an ordinary courtesy.
We had reached the limits OF our instructions, and
the commissioners rose to report the disagreement.
Upon returning TO the reception room, after the
fact had been announced that the commissioners
could not agree upon terms, General Ampuda
entered at length upon the question, treating the
point Of disagreement as one which involved The
honor Of his county, spoke Of his desire for a
settlement without further bloodshed, and said he
did not care about The pieces of artillery which
he had at the place. Gen. Taylor responded to
the wish to avoid unnecessary boodshed. 1t was
dSitCu lHC sUOuIu lG dsS6IlIblC,
we were instructed TO concede the small arms; and
| supposed there would be no question about the
artillery. The Mexican commissioners now
urged that, as all other arms had been recogni.
zed, it would be dscredtabe TO the artillery il
required to march out without any thing to repre-.
sent their arm, and stated in answer to an inqui.
ry, that they had battery Of light artillery. man
uuvred and equipped as such. The commission
again rose, and reported the disagreement on the
point Of the artillery.
Gen. Taylor hearing that more was demanded
than the middle ground, upon which, in spirit
OF generosity, he had agreed to place the capitula
ton, announced the conference at on end; and
rose in manner which showed his determination
20 talk no more. As he crossed the room 10 leave
| it, one Of the Mexican commissioners addressed
him, and some conversation which did not hear
ensued. Gen. Worth asked permission OF Gen.
| Taylor, and addressed some remarks to Gen. Am.
pudia the spirit OF which was that which he man
Tested throughout the negotiation, viz: generosity
and leniency, and desire TO spare the further
elTusion OF blood. The commission reassembled,
and the points Of capitulation were agreed upon.
After short recess we again repaired 10 the room
in which we had parted from the Mexican com.
missioners; they were tardy in joining us, and
slow in executing The instrument of captuaon.
The 7lh, 9Th and 9Th articles were added curing
this session. At late hour the English original
was handed to Gen. Taylor for his examination;
the Spanish original having been sent to Gen.
Ampudia. Gen. Taylor signed and delivered to
me the instrument as it was submitted to him,
and returned to receive the Spanish copy with
Tie signature of Gen. Ampudia, and send that
having Gen. Taylor's signature, that each Gen.
eral might countersign the original TO be retained
| hv the other AN,ppdia diH arm no
instrument as was expected, but came himself TO
meet The commissioners. He raised many points
which had been settled, and evinced disposition
10 make the Spanish differ in essential points
from the English instrument. Gen. Worth was
absent Finally he was required to sign the instru.
ment prepared for his own commissioners, and
the English original was left with him that he
might have it translated, (Which he promised to
do that mighty and he ready the next morning
with Spanish duplicate Of the English instru
meDt left with him. By this means the two
instruments would be made TO correspond and he
be compelled TO admit his knowledge Of the con-
tents Of the English original before he signed it,
The next morning the commission again met;
again the attempt was made, as had been often
done before by solicitation, 10 gain some grant in
addition to the compact. Thus we had, at their
request, adopted the word capitulation in lieu
OF surrender; they now wished to substitute slip.
ulation for capitulation. 1t finally became
necessary to make peremptory demand for the
immediate signing Of the English instrument by
Gen. Ampuda, and the literal translation (now
Perlected) by the commissioners and their Gener
al. The Spanish instrument first signed by Gen.
Ampuda was destroyed in presence Of his com
missioners; the translation Of our own instrument
was countersgned by Gen. Taylor, and delivered.
The agreement was complete, and it only re
manned 10 execute the terms.
Much has been said about the construction Of
article two Of the capuaon, copy OF which
| is hereto appended. Whatever ambiguity there
may be in the language used, there was a perfect
understanding by the commissioners upon both
sides, as to the extent Of the parties. The dis
tinction was made between light artillery equip
ped and manDuvercd as such, designed for and
used in the field and pieces being the armament
OF a fort, was clearly stated on one side and
that it was compreheadpd on theirs, appeared in
the fact that repel'edly they asserted their posses
sion OF light artillery, and said they had one
battery OF light pieces. Such conformity Of opin
ion existed among our commissioners upon every
measure which was finally adopted, that consid
er them, in their sphere, jointly and severally
responsible for each and every article of the
population. If, as originally viewed by Gen.
Worth, our conduct has been in accordance with
the peaceful policy Of our government, and shall
in any degree tend TO consummate that policy, we
may congratulate ourselves upon the part WE
have taken. If otherwise, il will remain TO me
as deliberaiive opinion. that the terms Of the
captulation gave all which could have followed.
oil desirable result, from a further assault. Il