The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-24

''Ir. Calhoun 10 litssrS van ZdHdt ana HeHdtfSOh
'sWAsHNGroN, April IL, 1874
GENTLEMEN. The letter addressed by Mr. Van Zandt to
the late Secretary OF State, Mr. uPshur, TO which You have
called my attention. dated Wasfg'1h I'm ra
'Iu reply it, am directed by the President TO say that
the Secretary Of the Navy has been INSTRUCTED % order
strong naval force 10 concentrate in the Gulf of Mexico to
meet emergency and thar similar orders nave pse IS
southwestern frontier for the same purpose
Should the exgency arise which you refer 10 your note
to Mr. Upshur further directed by the President to
say tha during tendency of the treaty of annexation,
he would deem his duty 70 use all the means placed DIV With
in his power by the constitution to protect Texas from all
foreign invasion have the honor to be- @c1 uo,rv
"NIessrs. l. Van zANDr and J, p IIrSpERsoy,.r
ministers from the republic OF Texas
This is the answer given by Mr.. Secretary CALHOUN
to the demands and, although little detphlc IN the spe-
ccaton of the emergencies and the erigeneie IN which
our forces fight the Mexcans yet taken IN con-
nexion with the terms OF the letter to which was an
answer and to which refers, ii is sufficiently explicit 10
show that is clear and absolute promise 10 DO me thns
which Murphy had promised, and winch President ~
Ter, through the Attorney General Mt Nelson had re-
fused to do because involved violation OF The const
tuition of the United States The promise was clear and
explicit to lend the army and navy TO the PRESIDENT OF
Texas TO fight the Mexicans while they at peace
with us That was the point-at peace with us. MIR.
CALHoUNs sssumps was clear and eXplct TO mat point
and that circumstance of contradiction or folly should
be wanting to crown this plot OF crime and mbecy, 1t
so happened that the day that our new secretary
here giving his written assumpslt to lend the army
and navy to fight Mexico while we were al peace with
her. the agent Murphy communicating to the Texan
government, in Taxas the refusal OF Mr. Tyler through
Mr. Nelson to do So because OF its unconsttuonaity
Here is tie letter of MIR. Murphy:
sDhr Murphy to Mr. Jones
LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Galveston, (Texas) April IL, 1874.
"SIR. The undersigned charge dafaires Of the United
States near the government Of the republic OF Texas has
the honor OF informing Mr. jones' that whilst his govern
approves of the general tone and tenor OF his inter
course with the government of the republic of Texas,
greet is felt in perceving that his zeal Tor the accomplish
Of 1 bs ea Ee m r a ns @ h 10
tons President OF the United States considers
the employment of the army and navy against foreign
power with whom the United States are at peace and
posed measure of prudent precau'ion and as prelln
mary the proposed negotiation, 10 concentrate in the
naval and military force, TO be directed
the defence of the inhabitants and territory OF Texas at
proper rme he is unwilling that the authorities OF Texas
should apprehend that he has power TO employ this force
the period indicated in my note to you OF the l4h OF Feb
ruary last"
In conformity with the secetarys letter OF April llth,
detachmens of the army and navy were Immediately sent
the frontiers of Texas, and TO the coast OF Mexico The
senator from South Carolina IN his colloauy with the
senator from Texas Gen. HoUsToN] Thursday last,
seemed anxious tohave it understood that these land and
naval forces not to repe lnvasons, but only 10 re-
port them our government for It's report TO Congress
The paper read by the senator from Texas, consisting OF
secrearys words, taken down IN his presence and
read over to him for his correction by the Texan MINIS
tes establishes the contrary; and shows that the repulse
of the invasion was in the mean time to be made And,
in fact any other course would have been fraud upon
the promise For If the invasion had TO be made known
at Washington, and the OF Congress taken on the
question OF repeng it, certainly in the mean time, the
mischief would have been done--the invasion would
have been made and, therefore, to be consistent with
himself, the President in the mean time was bound to
repe the invasion, without waiting TO hear what Con-
gress would say about it, And this is what he himself
tells in his two messages TO the Senate of the 18th
and 3lst of May, doubtless written by his Secretary OF
State, and both avowng and ustfyng his intention to
fight Mexico in of invasion, while the treaty of an
neXaon depending, without awaiting the action OF
Congress. Here extracts from these messages
Message, 18th of Aay.-Ert,act
! At the same time, 1t is due to myself that should de
clare opinion that the United States having by the
treaty of annexation, acquired title 10 Texas, which
owes e could be pered ' to invade d by force
possess itself of portion of the territory of Texas
ITSELF IN hostile altitude to the United States, and just
tying the employment of any military means at our dpo-
| sal TO drive back the INVASION
Message, 3lst of May.--Erract
SIN my message the Senate Of the 18th of this month,
advered the duty which, in my Judgment the signature
the treaty for the annexation of Texas had imposed upon
me, repe any invasion of that country bya foreign pow
while the treaty under consideration in the Senate
and transmitted reports from the Secretaries Of War and
oil the Navy with copy Of the orders which had been is
sued from those departments for the purpose of enabling
TO execute that duty In those orders General Taylor
directed communicate directly with the President of
Texas upon the subject and Captain Conner was instructed
to communicate with the charge dahairs OF the United
States accredited TO that government Nocopy OF any com
munication which either of those officers may have made
pursuant those orders has yet been received the de-
! parments from which they emanated."
| Here the avowa of the fact and the for it
that honor required us to fight for Texas if we intrigued
her into admit that would be good reason be-
tween individuals, and in where big bully should
involve little fellow in the fight again after he had got
himself parted but not so between nations and under
our constitution, The engagement to fight Mexico for
! Texas, while we were al peace with Mexico, was to
make war with Mexicoa piece of business which be-
onged to the Congress- and should have been referred TO
them and which, the contrary, concealed from
them though IN session, and present and the Tact only
found out after the troops had marched and then by dn
! of calls from the Senate.
| The proof is complete that the loan of the land and
naval forces to fight Mexico while at peace
with her and this becomes great turning point IN the
history of this Without this pledge gwen by
Secretary OF State-whout his reversal of Mr.. Tyler's
first decson--there could have been war Texas
and Mexico would have made peace and then annexa-
ton would have followed OF itself. The victor OF San
Jacnto, who had gone forth and recovered by the
sword and erected INTO new republic the beautl-
full domain given away by Secretary 1872 at
his country 10 peace and acknowledged Independence
If let alone, he would have accomplished his object; for
he had already surmouned the great difficulty OF the first
septhe armistice and the commencement OF peace ne
goiatons; and under the powerful mediation OF Great
Britain and France, the establishment of peace was
tain. A heavenly benedicon rests upon the abors of
the makers and what is blessed of God must
coed AT all events, does not lie in the mouth OF any
man--and least OF ALL in the mouth oil the mischef-ma-
ker--to say that the peaceful mediation would not
have succeeded. 1t was the part of all men
to have aided, and wished and hoped for
cess and had it not been for Secretarys letter of
April 9Th, authentic facts warrant the assertion that
Texas and Mexico would have made peace the spring
of 1874. Then Texas would have into this Union
as naturally, and easily and with little offence to
anybody, as Eve went into Adams bosom in the gar
den of Eden There would have been more need for
intriguing politicians to get her in by plots and tricks
than there was for some old bag OF a match making
hill. ,Ilr