The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-12-16
For the Voice of Freedom.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE" PRETEXTS FOR
THE WAR WITH MEXICO REITERATED.

THE WAR WITH MEXICO REITERATED.
In his Message to Congress of the 18th inst,
Mr.. Polk repeats, what he has so often affirm
ed in his former messages, THAT this war was
begun by Mexico" also, that she had in
sultingly rejected our Minister of Peace,
who had been sent to her, from an anxious
desire to avoid rupture between the two
countries, by amicable negotiation" "Thc
government of Mexico involved the two
countries in war, by invading the territory of
Texas striking the first blow, and she'd
ding the blood of our citizens on our soil."-
That both these assertions of the Message are
in direct conflict with the facts in the case,
will show from documentary and other testl-
monv, which | doubt not will be deemed con-
elusive by every candid mind. / will show
not only the talsity of these two assertions of
Mr.. Polk, "that Mexico refused to receive
our Minister of Peace" and that tho gov
eminent of Mexico involved the two countries
in war by striking the first blow" but that
this war with Mexico was produced by the
acts. and in accordance with the deliberate
DESIGNS of Mr.. Polk for the purpose Of ac-
curing Mexican territory by conquest, rather
than defending our own. Although the an
nexation of Texas was an act of war, on our
part, against Mexico, which it was declared
bv our own statesmen, even of both political
parties, would be such, long before the consum
nation of that abominable deed still Mexico,
feeble and distracted as she was, made no
hostile demonstrations of resentment. llav-
ing protested against the act, and recalled
her Ministers thereby saying, rs she had
perfect right to say, that she would no longer
continue diplomatic intercourse with US, after
we had pcrpetratcd this act of war upon her,
she there rested her case. Without the
slightest ground of apprehension than that
Mexico would commence hosulltles against
US, either by sea or land, or in other words,
without the least hope by Mr.. Polk, that she
would do so, he sets about hunting up pre-
terts, for commencing the work of human
butchcry himself Accordingly, on the 18th
of January, 1916, he orders Gen. Taylor
from the Neuces, the extreme border OF
Texas, where he had been stationed some SIX
or eight months, with nothing to do, and not
the slightest prospect Of having any thing to
do. to march his army to the Rio Bravo, and
plant his cannon within point-blank-shot OF
the old Mexican town and Fort of Matamoros
Previous to this, however, he had stationed a
fleet within sight of Vera Cruz. So much
for the ,car-acts of Mr.. Polk, who has the
:, hardihood to declare in the face Of these his
4
Merico." TO assert that one of the reasons
for the order to General Taylor, was " to
meet a threatened invasion of our territory
; by the Mexican Forces" when Mexico had
been successfully resisted for some ten years,
by little Texas, and defeated in every attempt
: to coercc that province back to her allegiance
is most supremely ridiculous and worthy on
ly of place in the category of Folks falla
cious preterts for this war.
intend however, to confinc myself chiefly
to an examination of the grave charge il
the Message, that "Mexico had insultlngly
rejected our Minister of Peace &C., afte
she had consented to receive such function
, arv." Now ! intend to show that Mexico
neuer did consent to receive Minister O
any other functonary from our government
= except A commissioner and for the sole anC
specific purpose of settling the Texas Difficult
tv. She had forwarned our government
through her Minister at Washington, Ger
Almonte, while it was taking the Incl pien
measures for the annexation of Texas, tina
she should regard such measure as an act c
war upon her. And Immediately after it
contamination by the Pa qsage of the joint re
solutions by Congress, Mr.. Almonte present
j. cd his protest, demanded his passports, ant
. left the country Thus all diplomatic inter
y course between the two governments wa
It broken off, and never could be renewed
# according to the usages of all civilized ma
e tons, without subjccting the complainin
party to the deepest degradation, until he
= grievances were redressed. In this conditIo
1t Of the parties, the only functlonary that Men
leo could receive from our government con
= sistent with any proper respect for herself, c
- the uniform usageS of all nations as we HAY
: before stated, would be an agent or commits
e soner, appointed for the specific purpose +
~ settling tie questions in dispute. And it ws
=. precisely and exclusively for that purpos
II that Mexico did consent to receive a commi
re sioncr, as the documents clearly show.
s. On the 18th of September, l845, NJ
:. Buchanan wrote to Mr.. Black, our Consul
Mexico, and after assuring him Of MIR. Polk
g ardent desire to restore amicable relation
IS " between the sister republics" be says :
lie /" Actuated by these sentiments, the Presidel
= has directed me to instruct you, in the a
= sence of any diplomatic agent in Mexico,
lie ascertain from the Mexican govcrnmei
to whether they would receive an Envoy fro
IA the u. S." &c. Accordingly Mr.. Black a.
dressed note to Mr. Pena the Minister
I'll Foreign Affairs to which the latter reptile
ri under date of October Is, 1845, as follows :
al In answer, | nave 10 say 10 you, lnaC
~ though the Mexican nation is deeply injure
~ by the United States, through the acts con
Ill mitted by them in the department of Texa
le which belongs to this nation, my govcrnmcl
ct is disposed to receive the Commissioner OF tt
United States who may come to this capt.
~ with full powers to settle the present diSpt!t
in peaceful, reasonable, and honorable maj
re ner" The Minister required as conditic
, IN which such " Commissioner" could
~ received, the previous recall of the who
IFS naval force now lyng in sight of our port,
~ Vera Cruz" In this letter of Mr.. Pena, o
he cupying in the whole, less than page of ii
document, NO 1863 he uses the term Co,
~ ..:As;o.,o,. no less than Eve ti1nes In do