Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-01-21

THE INSTRUCTIONS TO MIR SL1DELL.
Tho Speaker laid before the House the follow
ing message from the President Of the United
States:
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 1913.
TO Me House Of Representatives. Of he United
States;
have carefully considered the resolution Of
the House Of Representatives Of the 9TH instant,
requesting the President 10 communicate to that
House "nny instructions which may have been
given to any of the officers Of the army or navy
Of the United States, or other persons, in regard
10 the return Of President General Lopez de
Santa Anna, or any other Mexican, to the Re-
public Of Mexico, prior or subsequent TO the or
der Of the President or Secretary of War, issued
In January. 1896, for the march Of the army
from the Nucces river, across the stupeDdOis
deserts which intervene, TO the liio Grande;
that the date of all such instructions, orders and
correspondence be set forth, together with the
instructions and orders Issued to MIR Slidell ut
any time prior or subsequent to his departure
for Mexico as Minister Plenipotcntiary Of the
United States TO that Republic" and requesting
the President also to communicate all the or
dcrs and correspondence of the Government in
relation to the return Of Gen Paroles"
transmit herewith reports from The Secrefa-
nv of Stale the Secretary OF War, and the See
Rotary Of the Navy, with the documents accom-
panying the same, which contain all the inforna-
ton in the Iotession Of the Executive which is
deemed compatible with the public interests to
communicate.
For farther information relating to the return
of Santa Anna 10 Mexico ] refer you to my an
nual message Of December sih, 1916. The facts
and considerations stated in that message induc-
ed the order Of the Secretary Of the Navy to
the commander Of our squadron in the Gulf Of
Mexico, a copy of which is herewith communica-
ted. This order was issued simultaneously with
the 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. II was issued solely
upon the views of policy presented in that mes
sage, and without any understanding on the sub
ject, direct or indirect, with Santa Anna or any
other person
General Paroles cyaded the vigilance Of our
combined forces by land and sea, and made his
way back to Mexico from the exile into which
he lad been driven, landing at Vera Cruz after
that city and the castle OF San Juan de Ulua
were in our military occupation, as viii appear
from the accompanying reports and documents
The resolution calls for the instructions and
orders issued to Mr. Sldell, a, any tine prior or
subsequent to his departure for Mexico, as Min
stcr Plenipotentiary OF the United States TO that
Republic" The customary and usual reservation
contained calls Of either House Of Congress up
on the Executive for information. relating to our
intercourse with foreign nations has been omit
ted in the resolution before me. The call Of the
House is unconditional. II is, that the informa-
ton requested be communicated, and thereby be
made public, whether, in the opinion Of the Ex-
ecutiye, who is charged by the constitution, with
the duty Of conducting negotiations with foreign
Powers, such information when disclosed would
be prejudicial to the public interest or not 1t
has been a subject Of serious deliberation with
me whether l could, consistently with my con-
stitutional duty and my sense Of the public in
terests involved and to be affected by It, violate
an important principle, always heretofore held
sacred 10y my predecessors, as should do by
compliance with the request of the House.
President Washington, in message TO the
j Honse of Representatives of the 30th Of March
1896 declined TO comply with request contain
cd in resolution OF that body, 10 lay before
them "a copy Of the instruction to the Minister
Of the United States who negotiated the treaty
with the King Of Great Britain" together with
the correspondence and other documents rela-
tive TO the said treaty, excepting such of the
SAID papers as any existing negotiations may
render improper 10 be disclosed" In assigning
his reasons for declining to comply with the cali,
he declared that "the nature Of foreign negotia-
tons requires caution, and their success must
often depend on secrecy; and, even when
brought to a conclusion, full disclosure of all
the measures, demands, and eventual concessions
which may have been proposed or contemplated,
would be extremely impolitic for this might
have pernicious influence in future negoda-
tons, or produce immediate Inconvenience, per
haps danger and mischief, in relation to other
powers. The necessity Of such caution and Sc
crecy was one cogent reason for vesting the pow
err OF making treaties in the President with the
advice and consent of the Senate; the principle