Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-12-31

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is,iBg difficulties could lake place; as an insult
10 the Government and 10 the nation, which
must compel u TO asset its just rights and to a.
venge It's injured honor.
General Herrera was not mistaken in his an.
ucipalions. His Government was oyersci in the
latter end Of the month Of December, 1885, and
fell into the hands Of those who had denounced
him for having listened 10 oyerIures Of an mr..
rangemenI Of the difficulties between the Two
nations.
When Mexico felt its inability to contend
with the United States, and, instead Of consd-
ering the annexation Of Texas 10 be, as il real
y was, tantRmount to declaration of war, on.
y suspended the ordinary diplomatic relations
between the two countries, its Government, il
directed by wise counsels, d. notimpeded by pop.
ular irritation should at once, since il b,darer.
dy agreed 10 recognise the independence Of Tex.
as, have entered into a negotiation with the Uni.
ted States. At that time there would have been
no Intrinsic difficulty in making final arrange.
mont, founded on an unconditional recognition
of the independence of Texas, within its lepit.
innate boundaries. Popular feeling and the am.
bluon OF conIending military leaders, prevented
that pcaceable termination Of those unfortunate
disseniions.
Yet, when Mexico refused to receive Mr..
Slldell as an Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenlpotenllary, the United States should have
remembered that we had bern tho aggressors,
that we had committed an act acknowledged, as
well by the practical law Of nations as by com
mon sense and common justice, TO be tan,a-
mount TO declaration of war; aud they should
have waited with patience I'LL the feelings excl.
ted by our own conduct had subsidized.
Gen. Taylor had been instructed by the War
Department. as early as May 20, l845, to cause
The forces under his command 10 bo put in a po.
sllon where they might most promptly and ef.
iiclenIIy act in defence Of Texas, in The event
that II should become necessary or proper TO
employ them for that purpose. BY subsequent
instructions, and nllcr the people Of Texas had
accepted the proposition Of annexation, he was
directed 10 select and 10 occupy position adap.
ted to repol invasion, as nenr the boundary line,
the Rio Grande, as prudence would dictate; and
that, with this view, part of his forces at least
should be west Of the river Nueces. Ii was
certainly the duty of he President to protect
Texas against invasion from the moment il had
been annexed to the United States; and as that
Republic was in actual possession of Corpus
Christi, which was the position selected by Gen.
Taylor, there was nothing, in the position he
had taken, indicative Of any danger of actual
hosliiics.
But our Government seems to have consider
cd the refusal, on the part ofMexico, to receive
Mr.. Slldel as a resident Envoy of the United
States, as necessarily leading to war; The Sec.
retary, of State, in his letter TO Mr. Slidell of
January 20, 1916, says
"Should the Mexican Government finally re.
lpse 10 receive you, the cup Of iorboarance will
then have been exhausted. Nothing can ro.
mnl0 but to take the redress of the injuries to
our ciIlzens and the insults to our Government
into our own hands,"
And again.
"Should the Mexican Government finally re.
luse TO receive you, then demand passports from
the proper authority and return to the Il. States.
1t will then become the duty Of the President to
submit the whole case To Congress, and call up
on the nation to assert its just rights and ayenge
its injured HONOR
With the same object in view, the Secretary
| OF War, did by his letter dated January IS,
J044, instruct Gen. Taylor
40 advance and occupy, with she troops un.
der bis command, positions on or near the east
bank Of the Rio del Norte. =
Ills presumed Point Isabel will be considered by
you on eligible position. This point or some
one pear IT, and points opposite Malamoras and
Mler, aud IN the vicinity of Lorcdo, are sug.
gested for your consideration.
Should you attempt to exercise tho right which
The United States haYe, in common with Mexico,
TO the free navigation Of this river, il is possible
that Mexico would nterpose resistance. You
will not attempt TO enforce this,rght without fur.
Ihcr instructions. II is not dc.
signed, in our present relations with Mexico.
that you should treat her as an enemy; but,
shodld she assume that character by decIara.
non ol war, or any open act of hostility TO-
wards us, you will not act merely on the defen.
slve, II your relative means enable you to do
otherwise"
The Administration was therefore of opinion
that this military occupation of the territory in
question was not an act of hostility towards
Mexico or treating her as an enemy. Now,
| ] do aver, without fear of contradiction, TINT
whenever a territory claimed by two Pow.
ers is and has been for length OF time in the
possession of one Of them, it tho other should
invade aud take possession of it by military
force, such an act Is an open net of hostility ac.
cordlng 10 the acknowledged and practical law of
nations. In this case tho law Of nations only
recognises a clear and positive fact.
The sequel is we'll known. General TAYLOR,
with his troops, left Corpus Christi March 9th
TO llth, l846, and entered the desert which sen.
ara'cs that place from the vicinity. of tho Del
Nortc. On the 2lsI he was encampcd three
miles south Of the Arroyo, or LiuIo Colorado,
having by the route he took marched one hun.
dred and lhIrly'ive miles, and beingnearly north
OF Ma'amoros, about thirty miles distant. lie
hou on me l9'h met party of irregular Mexi-
can cavalry, who informed him ,ha, ,hev had
peremptory orders, il he passed the river, to fire
upon his troops, and that it would be considered
u declaration Of war. The river was, however,
crossed without single shot hovino hoo, 6.,l