The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1848-04-01

by virtue of this treaty he obtained his per
sonal release. By it hostli;ios were suspend
ed, and the army which had invaded Tcxa,
under his command returned, in pursuance o
this arrangement, unmoested to McXico.r
Now, sir, propose to examine the validity
OF this treaty, thus solcmnIy claimed, in q mes
sage to Congress, to be Of binding force on the
Republic of Mexico. Santa Anna was cap
tive, prisoner of war, and TO procure his re-
lease made this pretended treaty. Let us sup
pose that when President Polk had failed in his
efforts to supersede General Taylor by the ap,
pointment of Lieutenant General, he had
finding he could get rid of him in no othel
way, proceeded to Mexico, and at the battle
Of Buena Vista had taken the command of the
army in person, as did Santa Anna. And sup
pose further, (not an unreasonable suppositon,)
that he had lost that battle, had been taken
prisoner by the Mexicans, and while in captiv-
ity in the halls Of the Montezumas, had made
a treaty, ceding to Mexico not only Texas, but
Louisiana, to the Mississippi rver-would gen.
tlemen have assented to the validity of such
an instrument! Yet, sir, it would have all the
authority which belongs to Santa Annals
treaty.
But the President tells us, that though Santa
A ma was a prisoner'of war, yet "his author
ity had not been revoked" The treaty, he
says, was made in the month of May, 1886
On the 9th of July following, NJ. L. De Cor
ostiza, the Mexican minister residing in WASH
ington, addressed Mr.. Forsyth, Secretary of
State, as follows:
WASHINGTON, July Q, 1896.
"Sr: Having been assured that some new
commissioners of the so. called GovernnIen
Of Texas are about to arrive in this federal CITY,
and as they may, perhaps, in order to give great
err weight to their negotiation, bring forward
some agreement which Santa Anna may have
concluded since he was made prisoner OF wa
on the field of Sau Jacinto, consider it my
duty to communicate to you, Mr.. Secretary
Of State, as it may not as yet have been seen
by you, for your information, an official copy
Of the law promulgated on the Goth Of May
last 1886 by the Mexican Congress, the third
article of which precisely provides for this
case, by declaring such agreements void ab
Hito.
Signed, NJ. l.. DE GOROSTIZA.
''To Hon. Jonv FoEsyrH, socrcfny ofstnto.
Then follows the law referred to, the Grst
aud third sections Of which arc as follows:
cart. /. The Government will excite the
patriotism Of the NoXicans. and will employ
all the resources in its power, 70 continue with
yigor the war in Texas until the national hon
or be established, the interests OF the republic
entirely secured, and the liberty of the Presi-
dent General be secured.n
"Att. 3. The Government will fulfil the Oh
iects OF the first article, without regard to any
stipulation which the President (Santa Anna)
NAV make, or have made while a prisoner;
such s,pulalions, being null, void, and of no
effect"
Yet the President of the United States tells
us that Santa Annals authority had no, been re-
voked here, too, he uses guarded language
with peculiar meaning" keeping the word
of promise to the ear" " His authority" (he
says) "had not been revoked" The treaty
was signed on the l4th May; the law Just re-
fcrrcd to was promulgated on the Goth OF May,
six days after the treaty, but before It was
known in Mexico. IL spoke Of the treaty s'I-
pulation made, or to be made, and doclar d a.,
whether made or to be made, null, void, aud OF
n n 49, D. l.. .fv,.y yt4f
Santa mas aulhority had not been revoked,
mean TO "palter with US in double sense "
Or was he ignorant of tins protest Of Gorosiiza
and the law of Mexico, thus brought to the
notice of our Government If he was ignor-
ant, General Jackson was not, and shall now
proceed T. show what ne, when President OF
the United States, thought and said OF this
treaty with Santa Anna.
Santa Anna, it is said, styles himself the Ma
poleon OF the West; and it must be acknowl-
edged that his march from San LUIS Potnsi to
Buena Vista, il it had resulted as he anticipa-
ted, would have partakon somewhat of Napo-
Icons style Of tactics. 1t was certainly re-
mark able expedition, aud only wanted success
to make it brilliant on his part. lie showed,
too, very great military ability, and great ener-
gy, and fertility Of resource, in being able, at
ter his entire defeat at Buena Vista, to assem-
BILE, so soon afterwards, a powerful army at
Cerro Gordo. After the battle Of Corro Cor
do, his combinations at the city Of Mexico
were such, that they could only have been de-
feated by the unnvalled skill and science OF
the greatest military commander Of the age,
(Gen. scoti,) and the bravery Of troops whose
courage has never been surpassed
in any age, among whom the sons OF Connec-
ticut bore distinguished part. Well, sir, this
Napoleon Of the West, while a prisoner in,
Texas, wrote a letter to President Jackson, as
Napoleon did to George III, in 1905. 1t was
dated on an suspicious day, the 4th Of July,
1885. In that letter he requested Gen. Jack
son to lend his aid in carrying into effect his
treaty with Texas; and while he protested
and swore, in his usual fashion, that he would
suffer a thousand deaths, and ! know not how
many fortunes, rather than yield one inch to
Texas, yet, as il was vain to struggle longer,
he had concluded to yield to necessity, and had
made the treaty. Let me read bnef extract
from this letter.