Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-01-12

trinsc difficulty in making fin al arrange.
ment, founded on an unconditional rccoe
milton Of the Independence Of Texas. with
in its legitimate boundaries Popular feel
ing and the ambition Of contcnding mill
tary leaders, prevented that peaceable ter
IN nation of those unfortunate discussions
Yet. when Mexico refused 10 receive
Mr.. Slidell as an Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Pleni potentiarv. the United
States should have remembered that We
had been the ag@ressors. that we had com
mitted an act acknowledged. as well bv
the practical law Of nations as by common
sense and common justice, to be tantanount
to Il declaration Of war: and they shou i
have waited with patience III Inc feelings
excited by our own conduct had subsidized
Gen. Taylor had been instructed bv the
War Department, early as Nav go.
fG -. to cause the forces under his com
mand to be put III position whore they
might most promptly and efficiently act in
defence Of Texas, il the event that il
should become necessary or proper - etn-
poy them for that purpose. BY slJse-
qucnt instructions and after i,sa n"ople of
Texas had accepted the proposition of an
ncxation, he was directed 10 select and
''eCHl'S Ip'Sttitii ipt'''l u itptl lily I
sion. as near the boundary line. the Rio
Grande. as prudence would dictate: and
that, with this view. a part of his forces at
least should be west of the river Eucccs.
1t was certainly the dutv Of tn Prcsiicn:
10 protect TeNas against invasion from the
moment it had been anncved to the nitod
St:tcs and that Republic VAS in actual
possession 81 Corpus Christi. which was
the position selected by Gen. TAYLOR. there
was nothing. in the position he had taken.
indicative Of any danger of actual HOSTILE
ties
But our Government sccms 70 have con-
aidered the rcsu al, on the part Of Mexico,
10 receive Mr.. Siidell as . resident Envoy
Of the United States. as necessarily lead
ing 10 war. The Secretary of State. in
his letter 70 Mr.. Sldcll Of January 90,
1916, saws:
should the Mexican Government final
y refuse 10 receive YOU. the cup Of for
berance will then have been exhausted
Nothing can remain but 70 take the redress
u the injuries - our citizens and the IN
suits 10 our Government into our own
hands,
And again:
..Should the Mexican Government final
: refuse - receive you then demand ptss-
ports f ~ the proper authority and return
To the 'nitel States. It will then become
the duty of the President to submit the
whole case to Congress-. and call upon
tn nation 70 assert its Just rights and
aseng is Injured honor
Vita the same object III view. the Sc
crctary of War did. by his letter dated
Janurry -. 1871, instruct Con. Taylor
40 advance and occupy, with the troops
under his command, positions on or near
the east bank Of the Rio del Norte
1t is presumed Point Isabel
will Be considered by you an eligible posi-
ton. This point. some one near it, and
points opposite Natanoros and Mier. and
in the vicinity Of E.orcdo. arc suggested
for Your consideration
Should You attempt to exercise the right
which the United States have. in common
with Mexico. y the free navigation Of this
river. j, is possible that Mexico would in
terposc resistance. You VIII not attempt
to cntcrc this right without further instruc-
tons. i II is not designed. in
our present relations with Mexico that YOU
should treat her an enemy: but, should
she assume that character bv declaration
OF war. or any open act of hostility to-
wards us. YOU will not act merely on the
defensive. il Your relative means enable
you 70 do otherwse.''
The Administration was therefore Of
opinion that this military occupation otthe
erritorv in question was not an act of
hostility towards Mexico. or treating her
IS an enemy. Now. | do aver. without
ear Of contradiction. that wl.encvera terri
DRY claimed bv two Powers is and has
'can for length Of time in thu possession
If one Of them. if the other should invade .
md tax possession Of it BY military
erec, such an act is an open act OF ho~ti-
.ty according 10 thr acknouic1ocl and
PRACTICAL law OF nations. In this case the
aw OF nations only recognises clear and
positive fact
The sequel is well known Gen. Tav-
or. with his troops. left Corpus Christi
iarch "th to It'll. 1916. and entered the
csert which separates that place from the
icinity Of the Del Norte On The o1St he
taS cncampcd three miles south Of the
'rroyo. OF Little Colorado. having bv the
quite he took marched one hundred and
l.rtv-.ivc miles. and being nearly north
Masanoro~. about thirty miles distant
&c had on the l9th met party OF irrcou-
:
iat they had Pereinptory orders il he pas
81 the river. 10 fire upon his troops. and ;
lat II would be considered a declaration :
war. The river was. however. crossed :
Ithout q single shot having been fired. |
\ proclamation issued on the 9th. Gen.
ieJia. who commanded the forces of the ,
apartment OF TamauIpas. asserts that :
e limits OF Texas are certain and recon- !
ised. ana never had extended beyond the .
yer Nueces; thatthe Cabinet Of the United ;,
tales coveted the regions on the left bank !
me no Bravo. and that the American !
my was now advancing 10 take possession a
large part of Tamaulpas. On rho q
itt of March Gen. Taylor reached . !,
pint on the route from Natamoros II :
ONT Isabel. eighteen miles from the, Tor. :,
er and ten from the latter place. where a =
sputaton sent him a formal protest of the :,
reject OF the northern district of the de- ,