Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-03-11

bring upon herself the scourge of renewed invasion
and the stigma Of per6dy-that he would not have
made such proposal for the whole round world, il
he had known of the afnstice and the peace negoia-
tions-that he wished success to the peace makers,
both for the sake of Mexico and Texas and because
Texas could then come into the Union without the
least interruption friendly, commercial and
social relations with our sister republic Of Mexico
and that to secretly lending the army and navy Of
the United States to Texas fight Mexico while we
were at peace with her, 1t would be n crime against
God, and man, and constitution, for which
heads might be brought to the block, if presidents
and their secretaries, like constitutional kings and
ministers, should be held capally responsible for
capital crimes. This, in my opinion, should have
been the answer But the first part Of itthat of the
scieHer UPON the point of the arnsce and the peace
negotations-coud not be given point of fact; Tor
the Department of State full Of communications
giving that info5 mation-one Of them from the agent,
(Murphy,) in these words:
"rhe powers TO be given TO General Henderson to
be OF the fullest and most complete character that
impeachment shall be found requiring further other
powers, or further other instructions But, nasmuch
the commissioners Of Texas in Mexico in treaty
negotiation touching armsce, supposed not TO
have concluded their labos, and IL rs clear to the Pres
dent Of Texas that this negotiation IN relation
TO annexation is known to the government Of Mexico all
negotiation that aud all other questions between Texas
and Mexico will cease, and that the President OF Mexico
will instantly commence active hoses against Texas
which Texas is wholly unpepared by sea or land TO re-
tit understood that the government Of the United
States having invited Texas this negotiation, Will at
once, and before any negotiation is set foot place
sufficient naval force in the Gulf protect the &C
Texas, and hold sufficient force of cavalry, other
description Of mounted troops, the southwestern bor
der of the United States readiness to protect aid ia
the protection of Texas pending the proposed negotiation
for annexation. trust my government viii! at once see
the propriey OF this Of policy for found IL i'm
possible induce this to enter heartily into
the of annexation without that my
government would aI To guard Texas against all the
evils which likely 10 assa her in consequence
Of her meeting and complying with the wishes OF the
United States
Denial of the knowledge of the existence of the
armstice, and Of the opening of the negotiations,
was, therefore. impossible. Mr.. Upsher TO whom the
letter Of the 18th of January addressed, gave it
at all. During the forty days that his life
was spared, he answered not; and / mention this
particularly in justice to the memory of gentleman
who is no more. Mr. Nelson, the attorney general,
his temporary successor in the Department of State,
did not answer it to the Texan minister in Washing
ton, but he did to Mr.. Murphy in Texas, in reply to
his communication TO the effect with the letter.
Mr. Nelson's letter is dated the llth of March, aud
/ is in these words:
"Of the anxiety of the President to provide for the
annexation of the territory Of Texas that of the United
States you have been heretofore apprzed and of his
readiness by negotiation promptly efectuate this de-
sire, well aware. He regards the measure one
of vital importance both parties, and recommended
by the highest considerations of sound public policy.
Entertaining these views, the President is grat6sd TO
perceive in the you have pursued in your
with the authorities OF Texas the evidences of
cordial cooperation in this cherished object of his policy
but nsTucs to say, that whilst approving the general
and of that intercourse he regrets perceive
in the pledges gwen by you your communication the
Hon. Arson Jones of tie l4lh February that you have
suffered your zeal TO carry you beyond the line Of your
instructions and commit the President FOR
which he has constitutional authority to stipulate.
"The employment of the army or navy against for
egn power with which the United States at peace
is within the competency of the PRESIDENT and
whilst he is mdsposed, measure of prudent pre-
caulion and as preliminary to the proposed negotiation
to the Gulf of Mexico and southern
borders of the United Sates naval and military force
to be directed the defence OF the inhabitants and terri
tory Of Texas at proper tmc he cannot permit the
hor,ies of that government yourself to labor unde
the misapprehensIon that he has power employ then
at the period Indicated by your siiPuations.
"Of these Impressions Mr. Van Zandt, the charge dc
sares of the Texan government has been and Genera
Henderson, who is daily expected here, will be full,
advertised In The time, the President desires tina
you will couniermand your instructions to Lieu
tenant Davis, far they in conflict with thesS
views
ain any emergency that may occur will be taker
that the commanders OF the naval and military forces
the United States shall be properly instructed Your
quest that they may be placed under your control
be grati6ed.
This is very constitutional and proper language
and if it had not been reversed there would have beer
no war with Mexico But it reversed. Soor
after it was written, the present senator from Soutl
Carolina took the chair Of the Department of State
Mr.. Pinckney Henderson, whom Mr.. Murphy men
tons as coming on with full powers, the faith
the pledge that he had given, arrived also; and foun
that pledge entirely cancelled by Mr.. Tylers answc
through Mr.. Nelson and he utterly refused to treat
The new Secretary in strait; for time wa
short, and Texas must be had and Messrs. Hender
son and Van Zandt would not begin to trea
without a renewal of the pledge given by Mr.. Muir
ply. That had been cancelled In writing and th
cancellation had gone 10 Texas, and had been mad
on high constitutional ground. The new secretar,
was profuse of verbal assurances and even permtte
the ministers take down his words in writing,
read them over to him, as was shown by the Senate
from Texas, General Houston] when he spoke Oh
this subject Thursday last But verbal assurances
or memoranda of conversations, would not do. Tn
instructions under which the ministers acted requires
the pledge to be in writing, and properly signed
The, then President, present senator from Texas VIII
had been a lawyer in Tennessee before he wen. L
Texas seemed to look upon it as u case under tn
statute Of frauds and perjuries-a sixth case added
the FIVE enumerated in that satute-in which tn
promise is not valid, unless reduced to writing, an
| signed by the person to be charged Herewith, b
some other person duly authorized by him sign o
{ him. The frmness of the Texan ministers, unde
the instructions of President Houston, prevailed
at last and after long delay, the secretary wrote. an
2 signed the pledge which Murphy had given, and i
: ali the amplitude of his original promise That lei
, ter was dated the 1lth day Of April, 1874, an
a was in these words:
k ".Mr Calhoun to Messrs Vaa Zandt and Henderson.
! "WAsHIsGToE, April IL, 1874.
g "GENTLEMEN: The letter addressed by Mr. Van Zanc
to the late Secretary Of State, Mr. Upshur TO which yo
called my attention, dated Washington, 18th JAM
airy, 1884, has been laid before the President of the I'm
: ted States.
J, ain reply to It, am directed by the President to sa
the Secretary of the Navy has been instructed
order strong naval force concentrate IN the Gulf