The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-01-20
THE WAR WITH MEXICO.


IN the several Messages presented BY
Mr.. Polk to Congress, since The commence.
ment Of The unhappy wat, now being wa
ged by Us against the Republic Of Mexico,
our Chief Magistrate has uniformly and
boldly asserted, that Mexico, commenced
tho war BY 's,rking the first blow, and
shedding the blood Of oar citizens, on our
orn SOIL"
ia order 10 ascertain and determine, the
truth or falsity Of the avermcnt Of Mr..
Polk, a resolution has been recently intro
duccd in tho House Of Representatives Of
the United States, by Mr.. Lincoln, Of hi
nois, which will, when the facts are fully
elected. put the matter at rest forever
Mr.. Lincoln has wisely confined his inqui.
ry to tho fact, whether the "spot" or piece
OF land, on which the first blood was shed,
was NJ tho time, or n. any previous period,
within the limits aud jurisdiction OF Texas.
Gent. Taylor, we believe admitted, tha,
the country contiguous to the east bank {:
the Rio Grande, WINS ut the time he enter
ed il solely occupied by Mexicans and no.
by Texans, who fed at the approach Of his
army.
We incline to the opinion, that Texas,
never for ono hour, occupied my position
IN lower Texas, beyond the small settle
ment adjacent to Corpus Christi, distant
ono hundred md fifty miles from the cas-,
bank Of the Rio Grande. II our memory
serve us, the Mcxcnns nj the time our sr.
my by order Of Mr.. Polk, invaded their
country, maintained a Custom House nj
Point Isabel, some miles east Of the mouth
Of the Crandc. The resolutions Of Mr..
Lincoln, will when properly investigated
prove beyond cavil or controversy, tina, the
State Of Texas never possessed tho occu-
pancy Of the soil, nor exercised jnrisdic-
ton over the particular spot, on which, in
the language Of Mr.. Polk, the first blood
was shed, in the present war, but on the
the spot referred to, was a. fully
under the jurisdiction, control and posses
sion Of the Republic Of Mexico, MS was the
soil within the department Of Durango.
The preamble aud resolutions Of Mr..
Lincoln, set forth, that;
Whereas, The President of the United
States, in his message Of May llth, 1916,
has declared, that '.thc Mexican govern.
ment not only refused to receive him (,he
envoy ot the United Slates) or listen 10 his
propositions; but after long continued Sc.
ries Of menaces, have Mt las, invaded our
TERRITORY, and shed the blond Of our eel.
|ow-citizens on Cur OWN SOIL"
And again, in his message Of December
;. ls46. that 1--WE had ample cause Of war
against Mexico long lefore the breaking
'at of hosiiliies. But even then we c.r
pore 10 take redress in our own hands. I'M
IL Mexic" herse!fhccame tho nggrcssor, by
invading Cur SOIL, in hsiilc array, and
the hl1xl of our citizens"
And yet again, IN his message of Dcccn.
bei :, 1877, that ',he Mexican govern
ment refused even Ia hear the terms of nd.
Ins,'nent which he (nr minister Of pcace)
was authorized IN propose; aud, finally, un-
Ter wholly unjas'iiiabIe pre,ex,s, involved
hc two countries ia war, by invading the
territory Of the State nf Texas, striking the
irst blow and shedding tho blood Vi our cit.
zcns on our 0ra soil.
And whereas this House is DESTROYS 10
obtain a full knowledge of all the facts
which 80 In establish whether the particu-
ar spot on which the blood Of our citizens
wns SO shed WINS or was not nj that time our
orn soil: Therefore,
Rcsolred BY the House IF Representa-.
hoes. That the President of the United
States be respectfully requested to inform
his House:
LIST. Whether the spot on which the blood
Il our citizens Was shed. as in his messing cs
declared, WINS or was not within the terrific
rv ct Spain--at lenst after tho treaty OF
1910, until tho Mexican revolution.
I'd. Whether TIN, spot il or il not within
he territory which was wresled from Spain
BY tho revolutionary government Of Mex
ca.
81. Whether that spot is or il not with
= settlement Of people, which settlement
las existed ever since long before the Tex.
Is revolution, and until its inhabitants lied
before the approach Of the United States
army.
9TH. Whether that settlement il or is
1T iso'n,ed from my and NIL other settle
ncnis BY tho Gulf and tho Rio Ora ndc on
he south and west, md BY wide uninhabi,.
ID regions on the north aud cast.
9th. Whether the people Il that settle
neni, or majority of them, OF any 81 them,
lave ever submitted ihemaclxns Ii Inc my.