Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1845-1851, 1848-01-22
Presidents MpSS1yC.

10 The House Of Representatives. Of the u. States
l have carefully considered the resolution OF the
House OF representatives of the 18th instant, request
Ing the President To communicate 10 that House 'any
instructions which may have been given 10 any of the
officers OF the army or navy of the United States, OF
other persons, in regard TO the return Of Pres dent
General Lopez de Santa Anna, or any other Mexlc, n,
to tie republic OF Mexico, prior or subsequent TO the
order OF the President or Secretary of War. issued
In January, 1916, for the march of the army from the
Nueces river across 'ihe stupendous deserts which
intervene to the Rio Grande; that the date of oil
such instructions; orders, and correspondence be set
forth, together with the instructions and orders issued
to Mr.. Slidell, at any time prior or subsequent TO his
departure for Mexico, as minister plenipotentiary of
the United States 10 that republic and requesting
the President also to communicate all the orders and
correspondence of the government in relation TO the
return Of Gen. Paroles TO Mexico"
J transmit, herewith, reports from the Secretary OF
State, the Secretary of War, and the Secretary of the
Navy, with the documents accompanying the same.
which contain all the information in the possession of
the Executive which it is deemed compatible with the
public interests to communicate.
For further information relating To the return OF
Santa Anna 10 Mexico, | refer you 10 my annual mes
sage of December 9Th. 1916. Tie facts and cunside-
rations stated In that message induced the order of
the Secretary of the Navy TO the commander Of our
squadron III the Gulf of Mexico-a copy of which is
herewith communicated. THIS order was issued SIM
ultaneously with the order to blockade the coasts of
Mexico. both bearing date the 18th Of May, 1916,
the day on which the war with Mexico was recogni>-
ed by Congress. 1t was issued solely upon the views
of policy presented IN that message, and without any
understanding ON the subject, direct or indirect, with
Santa Anna or any other person.
General Paradcs evaded the vigilance of our COM
bined forces by land and sea, and made his way back
to Mexico fronI the exile to which he had been driven,
landing at Vera Cruz. after that city and the castle of
San Juan dUlioa were IN our military occupation, as
VIII UDDear from the ACCOMMODATING reDOrtS and dOcU-
ments.
The resolution calls for ''the instructions and or
ders issued 10 Mr.. SIIdel! at any time PRIOR or suisse
quent TO his departure TO Mexico as Minister Penlpo-
Tertiary of the Uniied States 10 that republic" The
customary and usual reservation contained III calls
of either house Of Con gress upon the Executive for
information relating 10 our intercourse with foreign
nations has been omitted in the resolution before me.
The call of the House is unconditional. 1t is, ihatth
information requested be com municated, and thereby
be made public; whether, in the opinion of the Exec
utlve, who Is charged 5y the constitution with the
duty of conducting negotiations with foreign powers,
such information, when disclosed. would be preludicIal
TO the public Interests or not. 1t has been a subject
of serious elaboration with me, whether | could, con-
sl>tently with my constitutional duty and my sense OF
the public interests involved and to be affected by IT..
violate on important principle, always heretofore held
sacred by my predecessors. as | should do by a COM
pliance with the request OF the House.
President 4 ashlngton, IN a message to tie House
Of Representative Of thc 30ih of March, 1896, de-
clIned TO comply with a request contained III a reso-
luton of that body, to lay before them IA copy OF the
Instructions To the minister of the United States who
negotiated the treaty with the King of Great Britain
-'logether with the correspondence and other docu-
ments relative to the said treaty, excepting such OF
the said papers as any existing negotiations may rem
der improper to be disclosed In assigning his rea-
sons for declining to comply with the call, he declared
that ''the nature OF foreign negotiations requires eau
tIOu. and their success must often IpDppt on SpcreSy
and even when brought 10 u conclusion, n full dlsclo-
sure Of all the measures, demands, and eventual con-
ces>ions, which may have been proposed or contem-
plated, would be extremely lmpOlItIc; for this might
) have u pernlcious influence on future negotiations, OF
produce Immediate lnconvcnlences, perhaps danger
and mischief. IN relation To other powers. The me-
cessiiy OF such caution and secresy was one cogen'
reason for ve>iIng the power OF making treaties III Inc
D President, with the advice and consent OF the Senate
7 the principle on which that body was formed, conhn.
j.. ing II TO a small number of members. To admit, then
u right in the House Of i Representatives 10 demand
and To have, as a matter of course, all the papers re-
n speeding u negotiation with a foreign power, woulo
n be 10 establish a dangerous precedent In that cast
the Instructions and documents called for related To O
treaty which had been concluded and ratified by thu
: President and Senate, and the negotiations IN relation
: to 1t had been terminated. There was an express
reservation. too, ''excepting'' from the call all sucI
papers as related To "any existing negotiations
Y which II might be improper to disclose. In that case
: President Washington deemed 1t to he a violation o
I an important principle, the establishment OF n dan
: gerous precedent" and p%rejudicial to the public inter
r est>, To comply with ,he call of the House.
I Without deemlng it to be necessary, on the pres
r ent occasion. 10 examine or decide upon the othel
i reasons assigned by him, for his refusal to commune
o cate the information requested by the House, the one
r which is herein recIted Is, IN my ludgm ent, conclu
slye IN the case under consideration.
: Indeed, the objections To complying with the reques
h If the House, contained III the resolution before me
d are much stronger than those which existed III TIN
case If thc resolution of 1896. This resolution call
for 1.-THE instructions and orders 10 the minister q
the United States 10 Mexico, which relate To negotla
II lions winch have not been terminated, and which ina.
be resumed. The information culIed for, respects ne
g0tlatl0ns which The United States offered TO open wit
Mexico Immediately preceding the commencement @
the existing war. The instructions gwen 10 the MN
lster of the United States relate to the differences be
tween the two countries, out of which the war grew
and the terms OF adl ustment winch we were prepai
ed to offer to Mexico IN our anxiety to prevent tn
war. These differences still remain unsettled an
ne Ia comply with the call Of the House, would be
make public, through that channel, and TO commun
cate 10 Mexico, now a public enemy engaged IN wa
:. Information which could not fail 10 produce serIou
embarrassment III any future negotiation between tn
two countries.
have heretofore communicated TO Congress all III
correspondence OF the minister of the United State
. to Mexico, which, III the existing stale of our rel'
4 ions with mat republic, can, III my judgment, Oe
~ this time communicated without serious injury to ii
public Interest.
Entertaining this conviction, aud with a sincere d.
' sire 10 furnish any information which may be in ii
" possession Of the Executive Department, and whlc
either house of Congress may at any time request,
D | regard 1t to be- my constitutional right, and my So
IL emn duty, under the circumstances Of this case, to d
= cline u compliance with the request of the Hous
contained in their resolution.
JAMES X. POLK.
ri w ,cu,~Crox Ian ~ 1919