Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-02-25
From the Albany Atlas.
Report OF Judge Fine. Of the y. rs LeEis@
lature. ON the Mexican War.

The minority report of Messrs. Fine and
Belts on the origin and Justice Of the Mexican
war, will be found in another column. II has
the great merit of brevity. 1t is recital of
| facts, with little, if any, accompaniment OF
words in illustration or enforcemento OF the po-
sitions to which they lead and If 1t convinces
any, it is by the cogency of facts, and not by
the adroitness or skilful and deceptive array
Of language.
Ii is in happy contrast, in its accuracy of
statement and It's strict reliance on facts. as
well as \ its positions, with the address OF
the majority.
Minority Report ofMe Senate Committee on
the Governors Message.
| The undersigned, a minority OF the Senale
Committee on that part of the Governors mes
sage which relates to the Mexican war, beg
| leave to report:
LIST. The war was begun by Mexico; we
had cause of war against Mexico. and would
have been justified in beginning the war, but
did not
Mr.. Forsyth sums up the wrongs committed
by Mexico, in his letter of May, 1887, to our
minister in Mexico:
"These wrongs are of character which cannot
Re tolerated by any government endued with
just SELF respect, with proper regard tor the oPln-
ions of other nations, or with an enlightened con-
Germ for the permanent welfare OF those portions
of its people who may be engaged in foreign com.
Tnerce.
"Treasure belonging to citizens Of the United
States has been seized by Mexican officers in its
transit from the capital to the coast.
| "Vessels of the United States have been captu-
red, detained and condemned, upon the most
| frivolous pretexts.
Duties have been exacted upon others. noto-
riously against law, or without law. Others have
been employed and IN some instances retained in
the Mexican service, without compensation to
their owners.
"Citlzens of the United States have been inn
prisoned for long periods of time, without being
informed of the offences with which they may
have been charged. Others have been murdered
and robbed by Mexican officers on the high seas.
without any attempt to bring the guilty to justice"
War was commenced by Mexico in the
murder OF Cross and Turner. and soon after,
gath April, 1916, by the capture OF Thornton
and his party On that day, General Arista
officially notified Gen'l Taylor that hostilities
had commenced.
On the day before, (23d April) Paroles, the
President, issued his proclamation declaring
war. He says:
Having determined III the beginning Of the
year to adopt more vigorous policy, he had or
dered the Mexican army to attack the American
troops"
On the 18th April, 1916, Paroles wrote TO
Ampudia it was indispensable host. tiles should
commence. The language of Earedes is
CAT the present day suppose you, at the head
of that valiant army. are either fighting already.
or preparing for the operations of campaign.
1t is indispensable hostilities be commenced your
self taking ths initiative against the enemy"
AS soon as the capture of Thornton and
party was known at Washington, Congress
declared Goth May, 1860 war existed be-
tween Mexico and the United States-2 noes
in the Senate, IA in the House. The act gave
power to the President 10 prosecute the exist
ing war to speedy and successful termina-
ton.
ID Mexico was not justifable in making
war.
The cause, and The only cause, put forth by
the Mexican government, is the annexation Of
Texas.
Bocanegra, the Mexican Secretary of For
eign Affairs. in his letter to w. Thompson, our
minister, August 23d, 1s43, says:
1.-THE Mexican Government viii consider as
equivalent to declaration of war, an oct for the
incorporation Of Texas into the United States"
He repeats this in his letter of September,
1843, and in his letter of 18th November,
1s43, he declares, by express order of his 60
vernment, that war will be the inevitable con-
sequence OF the annexation OF Texas.
18th March, 1916, the Mexican minister
writes to our minister:
"The Supreme Government had before hand
declared it would look upon such an act (the an
nexation of Texas) as casus belE, and, as a neces-
sary consequence, war was the only resort of the
Mexican government"
9Th March, 1845, the Mexican minister at
\ Washington wrote to our government, protest.
ing against the annexation of Texas as an act
Of aggression. AS consequence, he declared
his mission had terminated he demanded and
received his passports, and returned home.
LIST March, I845, the joint resolutions were
passed by Congress TO annex Texas This
was not sufficient ground OF war; Texas be-
ing an independent nation.
March, 1886, the Texan government issued
her declaration of independence 2lst April,
1886, was the battle of San Jacinto In May,
1896, Santa Anna signed treaty. acknowl-
edging her independence. In 1897, the indie
pendence of Texas was acknowledged by the
United States, and afterwards by France, En-
gland, and Belgium.
Mr.. Webster reasons upon the point as fol-
lows:
From the time of the battle Of San Jacinto. in
April, 1886, to the present moment. Texas has
exhibited the same internal signs of independence
as Mexico herself, and with quite as much stabili-
ty of government. Practically free and indepen-
dent, acknowledged as political sovereignty by
the principal powers Of the world, no hostile foot
has found rest within her territory for six or
years. Since 1897. the United Stntes have regard
ed Texas as an Independent sovereignty as much
as Mexico" See letter of Mr.. " ebster. Secreta-
~ of State, to our minister in Mexico, July Sth,
1912.
Sd. 1t is said by some, that Mexico is justi-
fable in carrying on the war, because the Pre-
sident claims the boundary of Texas to be the
Rio Grande.
Our Congress. by the act of 31st December,
1915, has made the same claim, by establish
ing post routes between the Neuces and Rio
Grande, and district for the collection of du-
ties. Texas, when she became an indepen-
dent republic, made the same claim. Land
was located between the Neuces and the Rio
Grande by the Texan government; the laws
of Texas was extended over it; post Office
was established; counties and courts of JUS
tice were organized.
The Texan government defend the bounda-
ry of the republic, December 10, 1886, as fol-
lows Beginning at the mouth Of the Sabine
river, and running west along the Gulf of
Mexico, three leagues from land, 10 the mouth
| of the Rio Grande. thence IN the nrin Gin. |