The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-11-17

w.
district of lands subject sale al Charlottesville Ia
Philip E. Engle, deceased.
Mr.. CIay's Speech and ResoIutionsrhe march Of the
American Army to the Rio Grande the OF the
War.
We have carefully examined the synopsis of this speech
and resolutions-ths message from the GREAT EMBoDI
sin relation to the author and of the present
war with Mexico"-and which, for some time, has en-
gagged the solcous attention of the public, intended
to be the platform of the opposition in the approaching
Congress.
1t is most remark able how sgnally and invariably all
those persons who have attempted to place their own
country in the wrong in the present war with Mexico
have been confronted and rebuked by known facts,
officially recorded directly the Of and destructive
TO, the entire premises upon which their arguments
based. AS was to be expected, Mr. Clay arraigns Mr.,
Polk the author of this war; and ascrbes its origin
the order of the President for the American army to
march upon the Rio Bravo, We propose to confront
these charges and statements of Mr. Clay with the Off
cal facts communicated time and again Congress and
the country, and which Mr. Clay ought TO have under
stood
Mr. Clay says this of the war "twas created by the
act of Mr. Polk ratified lis true by the act of Congress-
who voted, antigs and al for what they knew to be
false" sit created" says Mr. Clay Sin consequence
of the order OF the President to General Taylor march
upon the Rio Bravo to point opposite Matamoras"
How does he prove these bold MISUNDERSTANDING the
President as the cause of the war; and Congress- wings
and democrats with uoting lie? AS follows:
cat the very that army ordered to march
Maanoras take possession of the disputed boundary Mr.
Sidell his way the city of Mexico, enter into
negotiation for the settlement of the dispute Why have
Strange to tell there is not the semblance of truth in
the statement here made, as the following plain and in
dspuable statement, communicated to Congress in the
annual message OF the President of December, 1885, will
show:
Accordingly, portion of the army ordered to ad
into Texas Corpus Christi the position selected
by General Taylor He encamped that place in August
1885, and the army remained in that position until the
eleventh of March, 1916, when it moved westward and
the wentyeighh of that month reached the bank
of the Rio Grande opposite to Maamoras. This move
ent was made in pursuance of orders from War De-
partmen issued the thirteenth of January 1916. Be
fore these orders issued the despatch of our minister
in Mexico transmitting the decision of the Council OF
Government of Mexico, advising that he should be
received and also the despatch of consul residing
the city of Mexico-the former bearing on the seven
teenth and the latter the eighteenth of December,
1915, copies of both of which accompanied my mes
sage Congress Of the eleventh of May ,ast-were
tons rendered it highly probable, if absolutely certain
that our minister would be received by the government
of General Herrera. 1t also well known that but little
hope could be entertained of different result from General
Paredes, in the revolutionary movement which he
prosecuting should prove successful highly
probable. The parsans of Paredes Gas minister, in
the despatch referred to- staes) breahed the erces hos
y against the United States, denounced the proposed
collation. treason and openly called upon the troops
the people put down the of Herrera by force
The a he njfpu
openly threatened. These the circumstance
existing, when it deemed proper order the army
der the command of General Taylor advance west
frontier of Texas, and occupy position or near the
Rio Crande"
These facts had been previously communicated tc
Congress in the message OF the nth May 1885, accompa
MED by the despatch of our minister to Mexico (Mr
SlidelD transmitting the decision Of the Council Of Coz
eminent of Merico, abusing that he should not be re-
ceued, and also the despatch Of consul residing in tn
city of Mcrco" of the same purport Yet we are now
gavey told, that al the very time army ordered
march to Maamoras to take possession of the disputed
boundary, Mr. Slidel his oay to the city of Mex
ico to enter into negotiation for the settlement of the
dispute"
Upon such palpable and shameful perversion or g-
OF facts, upon which Congress is to be convicted
of voting le and the President held up as the author
and cause of the war, comment seems to be unneces
sary.
In point of fact, have before shown the march
Of army to the Rio Grande-though proper in itself
and imperousy called for by the information received
of the decision and purpose Of Mexicohad nothing to dc
with, and was in nowse the of, the subsequent in
vason by the Mexicans across the Rio Grande Thi,
is fully shown by the following extract from the same
message to Congress OF December, lSl6
"The apprehensons of a contemplated Mexican invasion
have been since fully justified by the event The deern
nation of Mexico to rush into hostites with the United
States afterwards manifested from the whole tenor
the note OF the Mexican Minister Of Foreign Affairs ou
minister, bearing date the twelfth of March, 1916 Pa
rcdes had then revouonzed the government and his min
lister, after referring the resolution for the annexation
Texas which had been adopted by Congress March
1910, proceeds to declare that fact such this or to
speak with greater cxacess notable of
ton, created an mperious necessity that Mexico her
own honor should repel it with proper mness and dign
y. The supreme government had beforehand declared
that it would look upon such as casus beli and
consequence of this declarations negotiation was bv lis
very nature, end, and only recourse OF
the Mexican government"
1t thus appears that the army moved from their pos
ton at Corpus Christi the lh of March. 1916. and
only reached the east bank of the Rio Grande the 2sb)
twenty eighth of March On the 10th of March. 1915.
but one day after our army had moved from Corpus
Christi, the Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs an
nounced TO our minister that the supreme government
had beforehand declared that it would look upon such
an act (annexation) as beHi; and as conse-
Uot,o fton b,r,