The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-11-29

power in 1910, and of which Mr. Clay was the foremos
supporter and advocate No statesman in this country i
more fully committed to the position that Mexico had M
right to interfere in the question of nexaton or com
plain of the fact of annexation than Mr. Webster who
this moment shares with Mr. Clay the leadership of hs
wings In proof of this, il is unnecessary for us even 10
70 back to the despatch under date of the sh of July
1912, in which Mr. Webster, then Secretary of State m
der the wing administration OF that day. declared HI,
opinion of the question in the following terms:
From the time of the battle of San Jacnto in Apra
1885, the present moment, Texas has exhibited the same
External signs of national Independence Mexico herself
md with quite much stability OF government Prac.
cay free and independent, acknowledged political
sovereignty by the principal powers of the world hostile
foot finding rest within her territory for six Year,
and Mexico herself retaining for oil that period from any
further attempt stablish her authority tina,
territory il cannot but be surprising find Mr. de Bocane
sra Che Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexco) com.
planning that for that whole period citizens of the United
States its government, have been vorng the rebels
Texas, and supplying them with vessels, ammunition
and money the for the reduction of the province
of Texas had been constantly prosecuted by Mexico and
prevented by these influences from abroad"
In the same despatch Mr.. Webster added that 'he
constitution, public treaties, and the laws oblge the
President to regard Texas independent State and
lis territory part of the territory of Mexico" But
have the high wing authority given to the same
point at much recent day Here is the language
which Mr. Webster uttered not month ago. in his whg
manifesto at Springfield:
''I THINK HONESTY WE MUST ADMIT THAT
$780, n, AZ, and '4S TEXAS STATE
STATES OF DO NOT ADMIT
THEREFORE,, THAT IT WAS ANY JUST GROUND
OF COMPLAINT ON THE PART OF MEXICO THAT
THE UNITED STATES ANNEXED TEXAS TO THEM.
SELVES"
And, in the face of this language Mr. Clay now comes
forward to charge upon his country the guilt of this
war; and to deny that it exists by the act of Mexico and
his proof is that the necessarily resulted" from the
annexation of Texas!
But if this attempt of Mr.. Clay to fasten the guilt of
the war upon his country by referring to the annex
alton of Texas as the act which provoked and caused it,
be thus astonishing what shall be said of his second po
on, that the United States responsible for the war;
because they haze failed TO open negotiations nth Merico
in SPIRIT of amity and Cancellation? One of the very
first official acts of this Administrations after il came into
power, was to inform the Mexican minister at Washing.
ton, on the 10th of March, 1885, in reply to the note in
which he demanded his passports, that the President,
+" whilst entering upon the duties OF the presidential
Office, cheeruly declares, in advance, that his most
strenuous efforts shall be devoted to the amicabe adjust
enments and to the cultivation OF the kindest and most
friendly relations between the sister republics"
How sedulously and how faithfully this declaration
carried out to its very letter. has now become known
not TO our country only, but to the world. The appca.
ton of government to Mexico in September 1915 to
receive minister entrusted with full power to adjust
all the questions in dispute between the two govern.
promise of Mexico, made on the 18th OF o.
tober following TO receive minister SO commissioned
with full powers from his government to settle the pres.
emf dispute in peaceful, reasonable honorable man.
ner"--the arrival of Mr.. Slidell in the city of Mex
leo on the 9th of December following, in pursu.
ance OF the promise so given-his presentation of
his diplomatic credentials to the government of General
Herrera on the sth of that month-the dehnitive re.
tusal OF that administration to receive him. communicated
on the 2ls of that month, though resolved upon and
known to Mr. Sde five days earlier-the overthrow Of
Herreras administration and the usurpaon of Paroles
on the 3oth of the same month-the delay of Mr. Sden
eXco the fanthope that the administration of Paredes
though from the first breathing nothing but war against
this country might yet receive hmthe stern refusal OF
that administration to take any official notice whatever
OF Mr. Slidells presence in Mexico, during the first
two months of its existence, while all its energies
were devoted to preparations for war; and while or
lers were being issued to attack our troops then at
Corpus Christi-and, finally, the second defnve re.
fusa to open any negotiations whatever communicated
to MIR. Slidell by this administrations in its first
oticM note to him. under date of March 12th 1885, and
in reply to the note of March 1s 1916, in which Mr.
Slidell, by the instructions of his government urging
again his application to be received with his dplo
matte credentials. solemny declared that "the Pres
ldent wishes, by exhausting every honorable means
OF Cancellation, to demonstrate to the civilized world
that if its peace shall be disturbed, the response.
bility shall fall upon Mexico alone all these
well-known facts of public record in the archives
Of the two governments cry out together TO shame
down Mr. Clay's most monstrous accusation that the
American government has brought this guilt OF war
upon ITS head, by failing to exhibit spirit of cancellation
towards Mexico, and to carry out that spirit in the
earnest and anxious efforts to open friendly negotiations
But as if conscious of his weakness on this pont Mr.
Clay has seen fit TO specify the march of Gen. Taylor to
he Rio Grande as the proof that our government was
unwilling 10 seek peaceful adjustment of its disputes
with Mexico In reply to this is enough to say that
before even he could venture to refer to that
rs constituting such proof, he forced even at the
peril OF Immediate exposure wholly distor its charac-
ef and bearings by misplacig il in the series of
He dwels emphacay upon the assertion that the order
'etore Mr.. Sdel arrived in Mexico 1t was in TACT
sued more than month after his arrival-about month
ytcr "the final negative decision" of General Herrera's