Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-04-24

must make the Rio Grande the boundary"
| Nothing is said here of Texan settlements or ju-
risdiction between the Nueces and the Rio Grande,
much less of citizens, thirty thousand strong
that is about the population-in the valley of the
river; but, on the contrary, Charge speaks only
of Mexican authority exercised there, and Of Next
can citizens occupying the country. II, therefore,
our army needed there at all, it could be for
other purpose than TO protect these citizens from
murder and their property from pillage for GER
ainly had neither people nor property III that region
:. al the mercy OF the Indians"
| Leaving these questions out of view for the pre-
sent, return TO the instructions of the War De-
partnent, which, if they present nothing else extra
ordinary, exhibit at least studied effort 70 induce
Gen. Taylor 10 plant our forces on the Rio Grande,
| in advance of positive directions from those who
had assumed TO govern his movements. On the
9Th of August, 1915, Adjutant General Jones, pur-
suant TO Mr.. Marcy's instructions, wrote to Gen.
| Taylor as follows:
although state Of with Mexico, invasion OF
Texas by her forces may not take place. is nevertheless
deemed proper and that force should be fully
equal 10 meet with certainty of any crisis which may
lie in Texas and which would require you by orce u
to carry out The instructions If tie Gover,unenL"
He is further advised how he is to assemble an
additional force should il become necessary, and on
tie lou VI TIE SdiH6 LlOUltl lIeStCTtldTy VI F"
honored him with another and similar despatch.
In that he is for the second time told the Admins
traton cannot give him more explicit instructions"
than those which had been previously forwarded.
Nevertheless he is instructed as to what should be
regarded an invasion of Texas. The instruction,
which follows, if notvery explicit, clearly indicated
that the Rio Grande was the real point the Admin
stration desired him to reach:
"Saoud Mexico assemble large body of troops the
Rio Gande, and it with considerable force such
movement must be regarded invasion of the United
States and the commencement of hostlities."
On the 30th of August the Secretary forwarded
still further supply of his not more explicit in
structions Gen. Taylor is then ordered, in case
Mexico should invade Texas, " to drive ALL Mex-
can troops beyond the Rio Grandfather I" mill
tary establishments" about which he was whilom
SO soilcitous were no longer to be respected-and
not TO cohtine his action within the territory Of
Texas, . IN case OF war, either declared or made
manifest by hostile acts.r
And fearing, we suppose, that the prospect Of
war might be too distanhy postponed, and the ute
rior purposes of the Administration thereby defeat
ed for the time, by the inability backwardness Of
Mexico TO make such an invasion of Texas as
would SUIT the contingency embraced III the order
OF the 23d, the Secretary became little more eX-
plict, and instructed Gen. Taylor that "aay at-
tempt to cross the Rio Grande' must be consider
ed and repealed an invasion; and, if emed
practicable and expedient," he was also to take
and hold possession of Matamoros and other places
IN the country" on either side of that river. The
Department had not as yet, however, given General
Taylor sufficient intmatlon to his . ultimate des
tlnatlon !; ii was therefore necessary to send him
another despatch on the / 9th of October, ls45. 1t
is therein admitted the Administration had rea-
son to apPrehend that any "serious attempts =
would be made "by Mexico TO invade Texas" yet
Gen. Taylor is for the fourth time instructed q to
| approach as near the western boundary of Texas
| the Rio Grande) circumstances will permit
II is true that he is told regulate his action by his
| own judgment, rather than by CORRECTIONS from
Washington :; still he is reminded that previous in
| strucuons have put him in possession of the views
| OF the Government, not only 10 the extent of
its territorial claims, but of its determination to as
sert them" And yet, with this correspondence
and these facts before him, the government organ
has made the startling discovery that Gen. Taylor
!" Is more deeply committed than any other man TO
the wisdom and policy of this very measure" A
more broad and papable Misrepresentation, or a
more pitiful attempt 10 shift responsibility we have
seldom Witnessed. And if il were true, il is some
what singular that il thought of before. 1t
4 is somewhat singular the President did not use il
4 in vndication of his conduct, for it certainly would
tirely dsarmed his adversaries. But it seems he
was content 10 rest his defence on the ground tina
the Rio Grande our western boundary, and
therefore that the right to occupy that river un
doubtedy ours. Hear him on this point. In his
annual message TO Congress of December s, 1916
he said:
Accordingly, portion Of the army ordered to nd
vance into Texas. Corpus Christi the position select
ed by General Taylor He encamped that place in Au
gust s45 and The army remained in that position until the
81 It'll of March, 1885, when moved westward, and the
2sh that month reached the bank Of the RIO Gande
Opposite 10 Matamoros. This maie IN pur
suqace If orders from the War Department, ISSUED III,
'l3h IF January 1916"
Again, in his special message of May Il, 1916
he said
." became, therefore. Of urgent necessity I'VE have not
been able to III provide for the defence Of that portion
Of country the country between the Nueces and the
Rio Granje where Mexico had military esabi hments &c.
Accordingly, tie 9th Of January last, instructions
issued 10 lie Generai in command o these troS to
'Py The len bank If The Del NOrte. This river, which II
the southwestern boundary Of the State of Texas,
posed frontier from this quarter invasion threatened
upon it, and in lis immediate vicinity, in the judgment
high military experience the proper stations for the pro
'teclng forces OF the Government"
The instructions to which the President alluded
are contained in the following extract Of letter
from Mr.. Marcy TO Gen. Taylor, then, and unit
the | th Of March thereafter, at Corpus Christi