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he had been hitherto directed TO communicate To
Gen. Taylor. Amongst those Instructions are
the following;
"The occupation Of the country between the
Nueces and The Rio Grnnde, you are aware is a
disputed question. Texas holds Corpus Christi,
Mexico holds the Brbsos de ST. Jago near the
mouth Of the Rio Grande." "You can safely
hold possession Of Corpus Christi and all other
points up the Nueees, aud, if Mexico attempts to
dislOdge you, drive her beyond the Rio Grande."
Notwithstanding this, that Mr.. Donelson was
directed 10 say TO Gen. Taylor in an early stage
Of this movement, that The boundary 10 the Rio
Grande was "s disputed question:" Mr.. Ban.
croft's instructions to the General, you perceive,
are 10 take possession TO The Rio Grande, as that,
"iH The ersHi Of annexation triH be our pesterH
border"
THIS is clearly q very summary pre-judgment
Of the "dispuied question:" Al this point the
violation Of the terms Of the annexation seems
TO have become the seuled purpose Of The Csbi-
net. We we're henceionh 10 assert our clam 10
the borders Of the Rio Gr1nde, and maintain il
by force.
The subsequent orders which Gen. Taylor re.
ceived establish that determination. Let US look
10 few Of them, aud the events with which they
were connected.
The Government was conscious that the only
ground upon which there could be made the slight.
est Justification Of this attempt TO seize the dlspu-
ted territory, as they chose to call il, although il
had not the benehl even Of plausible dispute,
was that the territory beyond the Nueces was in
the actual occupation Of The people Of Texas
So far as regarded few settlements on The west
bank Of The Nueces, this was true, and those set
tiers might be said to be under the protection Of
Texus. This was The case at Corpus Christi, i'm.
medalely al the mouth Of the Nueces and on its
western margin. But beyond The actual border
of the river, there were no settlers, whilst over
towards The Rio Grande and on lis banks there
dwelt considerable number Of Mexican cilzens,
who had long resided in this section Of Tamauli-
pas. The country between the TWO rivers, EN-
bracing width OF about one hundred and thirty
miles, was chiefly desert. Brasos Santiago and
Point Isabel were Mexican settlements, and no
Americans dwclt in that region.
With these facts before him, Mr.. Marcy writes
10 General Taylor, on the 30lh Of July: "You
are expected 10 occupy, protect. and defend the
territory Of Texas TO The extent that it has been
occupied by the people of Texas" which, in
point Of fact, us Mr.. Donelson had written 10 The
Department, was no where furlherwest than Cor.
pus Christi and the west bank Of the Nueces.-
But Mr.. Marcy's letter goes on to say:
"The Rio Grande is claimed TO be The bOunda-
ry between the Two countries, and up 10 this
boundary you are 10 extend your protection, on
excepting any posts on the eastern side there
OF, which are in The actual occupancy Of Mcxi.
can forces, or Mexican settlements over which
the Republic of Texas did not exercise jurisdic.
tion at the period Of annexation, or shortly be.
fore that event."
lrwould appear that General Taylor, acting in
pursuance Of this order, chose Corpus Christi
aud the immediate bank of The Nueces us The
only country coming within the description of
the Secretary's direction, because that was the
whole extent occupied by the people Of Texas,
and all the rest was in The actual occupancy, as
it always had been, Of the Mexcans. MIR. DON
elsOn had, in fact, written to the General, as we
have noticed before, on the 28lh Of June, telling
him that CORPUS Christi was the most western
point then occupied by Texas" And we may
presume the General knew this as we'll as Mr..
Donelson. The General reached Corpus Chris.
ii some lime in August, On the 30ih Of October
he writes: Before The Presidents instructions o
The 30ih Of July reached me, would have pre-.
lerred position on the left bank Of The river u
| Qhc Nueces.) Ile adds, however, that his posi-.
lion on The right bank Corpus Christi) had more
advantages than the other. His meaning evi.
IDENTIFY was, that, if he had not been directed tc
60 into "lhe disputed territory" he would have
Iaken his position on the left bank, as being with,
| in the actual and true boundary Of Texas. lie
I,h.
near the Rio Grande" should be taken posses.
sion of, if The line of the Rio Grande is determi-
ned on as "the ullirnatum" by our Government.
lie leaves that question for the President to set.
lie; and gives his advice as n military man us to
what should be done il the Presidents deter.
minaon should be TO occupy Tho country in dis
puie.
The letter of Mr.. Marcy, (30rh July, I845,)
above referred TO, is important in this narrative as
establishing one fact, namely. that the Govern
ment knew, at the time they were issuing these
orders, that the country on the Rio Grande, and
between that aud the Nueces, was. as far as was
capable Of occupation, in the actual occupancy
Of Mericdn forcrs and Mexican inhabitants or
settlers, and that it was not pretended that these
settlers were under the jurisdiction Of Texas, OF
ever had been under it. They were inhabitants
who belonged 10 The State of Tamaupns, and
exclusively under The Jurisdiction Of Mexico
This was known 10 our Government.
General Taylor remained at Corpus Christi all
through the autumn Of l845 and winter Of 1916.
There was no invasion attempted by Mexico,
and general belief prevailed that we should
soon have settlement Of all difficulties between
The Two countries. Our Government had made
application 10 Mexico TO know if she would open
negotiations for the settlement Of the disputed
questions. She answered favornbly 10 this pro.
position. MIR. Slidell was appointed Minister
Plenipoentiary go to Mexico. Mexico obec.
ted to receiving Minister, on the ground that
The question OF Texas and the boundary must be
settled before she could acknowledge the exis'
.ence of full relations of amiry with us. She
offered, therefore, 10 receive Commissioner, &c
i