Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-07-23
cory
TO his Eateliency The Minister 81 Foreign Rela-
lions al he Mcriean Rpub!ic:
DEPARTMENT CT STATE

lions Al inc Mcr,ceH R.pu6sic:
DEPARTMENT CT STATE,
Washington, April 10, lS47.
Sir | have The honor TO acknowledge The re-
ceipl Of your eycellency's note, Of The 22d Feb
ruary last, in answer 10 mine OF Inc 18Th Janua-
~, proposing, on The pan q. tie President OF Inc
United States, Immediately 10 despatch either 10
The Havana Or Jalara, as the Mexican govern
ment may prefer, one or more ol our most dis
;inguished citizens, IA ccmmiss oners, clothed
with foil powers To conclude q treaty OF peace
with similar commissioners on the part Of Mexi-
CO. as soon as lie shall he officially informed that
The Mexican government will appoint such COM
missonels"
The President deeply regrets the refusal Of the
Mexican government 10 accede 10 this friendly
overture, "unlc.s the raising OF The blockade Of
our Ohe Mexican) ports, and the campeie eyac
ualion of the territory Q! The republic by The in
vading forces, shall be previously a, copied as
preliminary condition"
The President has instructed ME 10 inform you
that This "prelimnary condition" is wholly mad.
missbe. Such condition is neither required By
the honor, nor sanctioned by The practice Of ma.
tons. II il were, this would tend 10 proong
wars, especially between conterminous counties,
until the one or The other power was entirely sub
dued. No nation which, al The expenditure Of
blood and treasure, has invaded It's enemy's coun-
try, and acquired possession OF any considerable
portion of his territory, could ever consent TO
withdraw its forces, as preliminary condition to
the opening OF negotiations for peace. This
would be al once 10 abandon all the advantages
il had obtained in The prosecution of The war;
without any certainty that peace would result
from The sacrifice. Nay, more should such 4
negotiation prove unsuccessful, The nation which
had thus impfudently Withdrawn is forces from
the encmys territory, might moi be able 10 re-
Cover, without cost OF blood and treasure equal
10 that first expended, The advantageous position
which i. had voluntarily abandoned.
Fortunately Tor The cause OF peace and hui
manly the history OF nations al war affords no
sanction TO snch a preliminary condition. The
United States are as jealous CT their national
honor as any power on The face Of the earh and
yet il never entered into the contemplation OF the
great statesmen VINO administered our Govern.
mon, during The period Of our last war with Great
Britain, 10 insist lha, The latter should relinQuish
thai parl Of orr territory, of which she in &C.
,ual possession before they would consent 10 open
negotiations for peace. On the contrary, they
took Inc initiative and appointed commissioners
10 treat Tor peace, whilst portions Of cur ccun-
Try were held by the enemy; and il is remark
able fact, that the Treaty. Of Client w.s con-
cluded By The plcnipo;entaries 0! The two powers,
whilst The war was raging on both sides; and the
mos: memorable OF the conflicts, TO which il gave
rise TOOK place upon our own soil, after The nrso-
liators had happily terminated their labors. His
tory is iul Of such examples. Indeed, so lar IS
the undersigned is aware there j. not 10 be found,
at least in modern lines, single case, except the
present, in which il has been considered neces-
saIy preliminary that an invading army should
be Withdrawn before negotiations for peace could
commence between The parties 10 The war.
Il would, also, be difficult 10 find precedent
for The course pursued By The Mexican govern
ment in another particular. The President anx-
ious 10 avoid The war now existing, sent 4 minis
Ter Of peace to Mexico for this purpose. Alter
the Mexican forces had attacked The army OF
Gen. Taylor on this side Of the Rio Grandc, and
thus commenced the war, The President aclna'ed
by The same pac ic spirit, made repeated over
lures 10 the government OF Mexico TO negotiate
iur It's termination; and although he has, from the
beginning, soemnlY declared before the wuTld
that he desired no terms bur such as were Just
and honorable Tor both parties, YET The Mexican
government, by refusing 10 receive our minister
in the first place, and afterwards BY not acceed
ing 10 our overiures 10 open negotiations for peace,
has never afforded 10 this government even the
opportunity of making known The terms on whi..u
We would be willing 10 settle all questions In dis.
pute between the two republics. The war can
never end whilst Mexico refuses even 10 hear the
proposals Wnicn We nave always Deep ready 10
make Tor peace.
The President will not again renew the offcr
TO nrgotiate-a, least until he shall have reason
TO believe that would be accepted by the alcxi-
can government. Devoted, however, 10 honor
able peace, he is determined that The evils Of The
war shall not be prolracied one day longer than
shall be rendered absolutely necessary oy The
Mexican republic. For the purpose of carrying
this determination into effect without the least
possible delay. he will forthwith send 10 the head
quarters Of the army, in Mexico, Nicholas P
Tris, Esq, The officer next in rank 10 The under
signed in our Department Of Foreign Affairs, as
a commissioner. invested with full powers 10
conclude de6nilive treaty of peace with The
United Mexican States. This gentleman pos.
sesses The entire confidence Of ihe President and
The undersigned relrains from all commentnp.
on The concluding paragraph, as well as some 9th.
er portions, Of your e1celency'' notsi because he