Tri-weekly journal., 1848-02-05

/ must suppose then, sir, that this was the
object for which the President prosecuted the
war from the beginning, and that indemnity
was not the purpose for which he carried on the
war. Why, sir, is it not a singular mode oil Sc
curing indemnity if such had been his purpose.
At the commencement of the war, what did
we want indemnity for? Mexico, it is true,
owed to our citizens money. II the object had
been to seize the Mexican territory and simply
to hold it by military occupation in order to
compel Mexico TO recognise and discharge her
debts to us, Thy is nothing of this kind men,
toned in these instructions? Why did these
officers treat the territories of which they OBJ
tanned possession as a conquest, which was TO
become portion of the U. States? Why is it
that no intimation was given TO them or TO us
that the object had been misunderstanding
the possession which they held of these terri
tories was sort of mortgage, or in the nature of
security to be held until the payment of the
debts due to us by Mexico2
But this view OF the subject, think, becomes
still stronger when we consider the mode in
which the President carried on his negotiations.
Mr. Sidel was sent to Mexico, if recolect
rightly, in the month of November. / believe
that his credentials bear date on the 10th that
month. Well, when he went to Mexico he
was not received. Why was he not? The
President tells you that Mexico, in spite of her
plighted word, insultingy refused TO receive
our minister Well, now il is plain to me-it
is evident, that when adverting to the cores
pondence which took place between our con-
sui at Mexico and Senior Pena Pena-it is
plain it never was the design of the then exec
utive government of Mexico TO receive a min
lister resident from the u. States. The express
sion used, think on the 18th of October, as
1.-THE Mexican Government will receive a
commissioner TO settle the present dispute;' >
and two months thereafter, on the 18th of De-
cember, 1915, when our representative insist
ed upon 1t that he understood that the person
who was to be sent from this government was
to settle all the differences between the two
nations-both the indemnity for spoliations
and the question of boundary-the Mexican
minister replies in substance, ''not word is
said in the credentials of this person about set
| tling any differences He is sent here a resi-
dent minister plenipotentiary, as if friendly dl-
| plomatic relations between the two countries
had never for a moment been interrupted"
/ 1t is impossible to read the correspondence
without seeing that the persons administering
| the government of Mexico were exceedingly
anxious TO settle the question of boundary, and
that in order to enable them TO do this, smoothing
might be done further to arouse or irritate the
Jealous feeling of the Mexican nation, and that
therefore we should send them commissioner,
with power to settle the pending dispute
! Well, we are not satisfied with that They
! had promised TO receive commissioner; the
President rendered them minister resident.
To that minister they objected, because he
could not be received without arousing excited
feelings and endangering the government ofthe
country. But that is not all. Long before
Mr.. Sldell's mission was set on foot, on the
18th of June, 1915 the acting Secre tary of War
writes to Gen. Taylor in these terms:
I
tern frontier OF Texas, where YOU will select and
cupy, near the Rio Grande del Nore, such site
will consist with the health of the troops and will
be best adapted to repe nvasion and TO protect what
in the event of annexation, will be our western
border"
/ Now, sir, here is an order as early as the 18th
of June, 40, in which Gen. Taylor is directed
/ to select position on or mar the Rio del
4 Norte, claimed as the western frontier of Tex
as, which should have these conditions-it
should consist with the health of the troops and
be the point best adapted to repel invasion,
and to protect, in the event of invasion, what
was TO be our western border Now il will be
sufficiently obvious from these documents,
think, that ii was the intention of the Presi-
dent that Gen. Taylor should move TO the left
bank of he Rio Grande. Gen. Taylor so un-
derstood it, for in despatch Of his dated 4th of
October, lSl5, he say
at will be recollected that the instructions OF June
Is issued by Mr.. Bancroft, then acting Secretary OF
War, directed me to select and occupy, on or near
the Rio Grande such a site as will consist with the
health of the troops, and will be best adapted repe
INVASION, &c Brazos Santiago is the nearest entrance
4 to the mouth of the Rio Grande; and Point Isabel
! within that entrance, and tweniy-one miles from
| Matamoras. would have fulfilled more completely
than any other position the conditions imposed by
the secretary. But we had no artillery, no engineer
force or appliances, and but moderate amount of in
L fantry; and the occupation Of Point Isabel, under
these circumstances, and with at least the possibility
of resistance from the Mexicans, might have COM
promised the safety of the command. |, therefore.
determined TO take up the next accessible position
in the rear, which is the mouth OF the Nueces
river"
i Gen. Taylor aysexpressly that he understood
that he would more completely carry out the
order by taking position at Point Isabel
Why did he not He Immediately assigns the
! reason:
/ As early as the 18th Of December, an order
was issued to Gen. Taylor, which he under
stood to be an order to take up his position on
the left bank of the Rio Grande, an order which
he thought would have been best complied with
by establishing his position at Point Isabel
And he informed the department on the 4th of
October, that this would have been done, but
that he had not the requisite force TO enable
1 to do il without the fear of check on the part
of Mexico. Well. sir, did he understand the
order rightly7 Let us see. On the 10th the
the Secretary writes to him.
i "You will approach as near the Western boundary