Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-01-27
PRESIDENT PoLK's MESSAGE.

line following message from the PRESIDENT,
which was received in the House of Represen-
tatives on the 12th instant, caused a warm
and excited considerable feelipg
To the House of Representatives.
ofthe United States:
/ have carefully consideredthe Resolution of
the House of Representatives of the 4th inst,
requesting the Presidents to communicate any
instructions which may have been givent to any
Of the officers of the Arnyor Navy of the Uni
ted States, or other persons, IN regard to the re-
turn of President Gen. Lopez de Santa Anna,
or any other Mexican to the Republic of Mexi
co, prior or subsequent to the order of the Pres
ident Or Secretary of War, issued IN January,
1916, for the March of the army from the Nue.
ces across the stupendous deserts which inter
vene the Rio Grande; that the dates Of all such
instructions, orders and correspondence be sci
forth; together with the instructions and or
ders issued to Mr.. Slidell at any time prior o.
subsequent 10 his departure for Mexico as Min
lister Plenipotentiary of the u. States TO the
Republic; and requesting the President also tc
communicate all the orders and correspondence
of the Governmental relation to the return Of
Gen. Paroles.
/ transmit herewith Reports from the Secre-
rary of State, Secretary of War, and the Score
tary of the Navy, with the documents accom-
panying the same, which contain all the infor-
nation of the Executive which it is deemed
compatible with the public interest to commu.
nicate. For further information relating to
the return of Santa Anna, | refer to my annual
Message of December 9Th, 46. The facts and
considerations stated in that Message induced
the order of the Secretary Of the Navy to thC
Commander of the squadron in the Gulf o.
Mexico, a copy of which is herewith commu-
nicated. This order was issued simultaneously
withthe order to blockade the coasts of Mexico,
both bearing date the 18th of May, 1916, the
day on which the existence Of the war with
Mexico was recognized by Congress. 1t was
issued solely on the view of policy presented
in that message, without any understanding Oh
the subject, direct or indirect, with Santa An.
ma or any other person.
Gen. Paroles evaded the vigilence of oul
combined forces by land and sea, and made his
way back to Mexico from the exile into which
he had been driven. landing at Vera Cruz afteI
that city and the Castle Of San Juan dUlloa
were in our military occupation, as will APP
pear from the accompanying reports and docu.
ments.
The Resolution calls for instructions and or
ders issued to Mr.. Slidell a long time prior o.
subsequent TO his departure for Mexico as Min.
lister Of the 4 III S S5atss 4 e {hat Rs9 S4dhaIiamioed +
calls of either House has been omitted in the
resolution before me.
The call of the House is unconditional. It'll
that the information be made public, whether
in the opinion Of the Executive, who is charg
ed by the constitution with the duty of con
ducting foreign negotitians, such information
when disclosed would be prejudicial to the pub
lie interest or not. 1t has been subject of Sc
rious deliberation with me whether | could
consistently with my Constitutional duty AM
my sense of the public interests involved ant
to be effected by it, violate an important prin
ciple, always heretofore held sacred by my pre-
decessors, as | should do by a compliance will
the request of the House. President Washing
ton, in a message to the House of Representa-
tiyes of the 30th of March, 1896, declined IL
comply with a request contained In a resolution
of that body to lay before them a copy of tn
instructions of the Ministers of the u. States
who negotiated the treaty with the King o
Great Britain, together with the correspon
dence and other documents relative to th'
said treaty, excepting such of said papers a.
any negotiation may render improper TO be dis
closed. In assigning his reasons for declining
to comply with the call, he declared that "tht
nature of foreign negotiations require caution
and that success must often depend upon Sc
crecy, and even when brought to a conclusion
a full disclosure of all the measures, demands
and eventual concessions which may have
been proposed or contemplated, would be ex
tremely impolitic; for this might have a per
~nicious influence on future negotiations, o.
produce immediate inconvenlences; perhaps
danger and mischief in relation TO other pow
ers. The necessity of such caution and secre
cy was one cogent reason for vesting the pow
er of making treaties in the President with tht
advice and consent of the Senate the principl,
on which that body was formed confinlng it tc
a small number of members. To admit Their
a right in the House of Representatives to dc
mand and TO have, as a matter OF course. all thu
papers respecting a negotiation with a foreign
power, would be to establish a dangerous pre-
cedent.
In that case the instructions and document
called for related to a treaty which had beer
concluded and ratified by the President anC
Senate, and the negotiations in relation to i
had been terminated, Here was an express
reservation too, fexcepting' from the call 70
all such papers as related to any existing ne
gotiations which it might be improper to dis
close.
In that case Gen. Washington deemed it t.
be violation of an important principle, the es
adjustment Of a dangerous precedent, and pre-
judicial to the public interest to comply will
the call of the House.
Without deeming it to be necessary to exam
inc or decide upon the other reasons assigned
by. him for his refusal to communicate the in
formation requested by the House, the on
which is herein recited is in my judgement con
elusive in the case under consideration.
Indeed the objections TO complying with tn,
-equest of the House, contained in the resolu
ton before me, are much stronger than thosC
which existed in the case of the resolution il
1895. This resolution calls for the %''instruc
lions and orders to the Minister of the Unitet
States TO Mexico, which relate to negotiation
which have not been terminated, and whicl
may be resumed.
The information called for respects negotia
tons with the United States offered to opel
with Mexico, Immediately proceeding the com
mencement of the existing war. The instruc
ltions given to the Minister ofthe United States
relate to the differences between the two oun
tries, out of which the war grew, and the term
of adjustment, which we were prepared t
offer to Mexico, in our anxiety to prevent tn
war.
These difficulties still remain unsettled, an
to comply with the call of the House, would b
to make public through that channel, and t
communicate to Mexico. now a public enemy
u