Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-07-28
ID DOMINGO IBARRA.
TO has Ercelleney the Ministers Of Foreign
Relations of tie MEXICAN Republic.
DEPARTmENrsor STATE,

ge has Erceilency the Ministers of Foreign
Relations Of the Merican Republic. 6
DEPARTmENror STATE,
$ - Washington. April Is, lS47.
Sir: / have the honor'to acknowledge
the ,eceiptof your exceilency's note, Of
the 22d February last, in an answer TO
mine Of the 18Th January, proposing. on
I the part Of the President of the United
States. Immediately to "despatch either
: 10 the Havana or Jalapa, as the Mexican
government may prefer. one or more OF
our most distinguished citizens. as com.
missiouers, clothed with full powers to
conclude treaty Of peace with similar
commissioners on the part Of Mexico, as
soon az he shall be officially informed that
The Mexicau'governmeu, will appoin, such
commissioners"
The President deeply regrets the refusal
Of the Mexican government, 10 accede 10
J this friendly overture, ''unless the raising
of the blockade of our Qhe Mexican) ports
and the complete evacuation Of the terrific
ry of their republic by the invading forces,
shall be previously accepted as prelimi-
nary condition"
The President has instructed me to- m.
form yeu that this "preliminary condition"
is wholly iuadmissible. Such condition
Is neither required by the honor, nor sane
toned by the practice Of nations. If it
were, this would tend TO prolong wars,
especially between conterminous countries
until the one or the other power was en-
s,irely subdued. No nation which, at the
expenditure Of blood and treasure, has
: invaded its enemy's country. aud acquired
possession of any considerable portion Of
his territory, could ever consent to with
draw its forces, as preliminary condition
10 the opening Of negotiations for peace.
This would be at once TO abandon all the
@advantages.it had obtained In the Prosecu-
ii0n Of the war, without any certainty that
peace would result from the sacrifice.
NAY, more, the nation which had thus
imprudently Withdrawn its forces from the
enemy's soil, might mol be able to recover,
without cost of blood andlreasure equal
10 that, first expended, the advantageous
position which it had voluntarily aban-
doned.
Fortunately for the cause of peace and
humanity, the history of/nations at war
affords no sanction.to. such preliminary
condition. The United States are as
Jealous Of their great, nalioual honor as
any power on the face Of. the earth; and
vet it never entered fntolhe contemplation
OF the great statesmen who admintered
our government during the period:of our
last war with Great Britain, to insist that
the latter should relinquish that partof our
territory of whicn she was in actual'pos.
session, before they would consent TO open
negotiations for peace: On The contrary,
they took ,be Initiative. and appointed
commissioners To- treat for peace whilst
portions OF our country were held BY the
enemy; and is remarkable fact, that
The treaty Of Client was concluded by the
pleDipotenliaries oflhe two powers whilst
The war was raging on both sides; and the
most memorable ofrhe conflicts to which
zitgave rise took place upon our own soil
afer the negotiators had happily .ermna-