The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-03-16

III me argument by which Mexico justihes her cause
constituted the whole ground Of complaint against the gov
eminent of tho United States the subject woud
no iutner consideration But there many among our
own citizens who have urged arguments against the cause
oil the country, which the public enemy would neither
frame nor adopt 1t has been commended among other
things, that the territory of Texas did extend further
than the river Nueces and that the passage of stream
ana Inc occupation OF the territory beyond, in.
iringement upon the rights OF Mexico II might replied
10 this assertion, that, while Texas portion Lou
lsiana all the public who discussed question of
boundary with the Spanish government commended that
Iexas reached to the Rio Gande and that, after il was
ceded to Spain in part payment for Florida no alteration
as lar as is known, made in its limits But this con-
venon understands that the the war ba We given
up the absolute right of Mexico the country beyond The
Nueces and content themselves with the allegation that
was disputed territory, and, such, that American
forces could not occupy il rightEy. In this aspect
case is proper TO state that before xaon Texas had
extended her jurisdiction this territory and that
tune OF annexation government offered TO adjust
all matters OF boundary in liberal and friendly spirit This
oef was renewed and minister sent TO Mexico, with the
appreciation of that government fully powered settle
all questions growing of the annexation Of Texas Bnt
so hostile the Mexican people any friendly arrange
ment that our minister insungy rejected, and the
administration of Herrera which had agreed to receive
him, was hurled from power The revoutioniss headed
by Paredes made the arrival of Mr. Sde and the proba
by of amicabe settlement of all difficulties, the chief
if the only ground of their revolutionary This
,eared refusal treat, known to the government
Washington, and fully justified the President in ordering
our troops, accordance with General Tayor's pre-
vious recommendations, leave their encampment
Corpus Christi and take up position the Rio
Grande. The plain and wel.seuled principles of in.
temationa law would have sustained the pur-
sued, under the circumstances have been consid-
ering. But the cause of country higher
grounds Mexico preferred any claim the terrific
y between the Nueces and the Bravo separate and dis
nct from the State Of Texas. She consented
inquish her pretended title rood of soil beyond the
borders of louisiana but threatened send her troops
fms had with the th8 md
from sovereign State of this conlederacy Under this
statement of facts this convention cannot perceive any
reasonable grounds for doubling that government has
acted only with BUSINESS but fobearance and thinks
it must be clear that the refusal to adjust the bounda
es of Texas by friendly arrangement it would have been
of fragrant injustice the people of that State and
stain upon national honor 10 yield the boundary OF
the Rio del Noe Negotiation had been twice offered and
twice ejeced and had the territory beyond the Nueces
alone been in dispute, there nothing that could be
sorted to but force.
i GAS if to exhaust every pretext for their opposition
just and righul war, the whg party arms that the
making has been wrested from Congress- and the
stuton tamped under foot This they has been done
by the order ohe President without the knowledge of Con-
gress, while that body in session, directing General
Taylor to march to the Rio Grande and upon
belonging Mexico in dispute between that repub
lie and our Although the federal legislature in
session when that order issued yet all the conclusions
which opponents have deduced from it at
destroyed by the statement that Corpus Christi is
President, in his annual message of December ls45,
informed Congress that he had ordered General Taylor
to take position in the country between the Nueces
and the Rio Grande, and protect Texas from inva-
sion and he communicated order from the Secre-
ary of War, directing that the Rio Grande should be
regarded boundary Neither to this order,
the recognition of the boundary of the Rio Gande and the
occupation of Corpus Christi for months, was any
objection made These facts conclude the ques
ton But there others which should not be left oil
view 1t has already been shown that this territory did
belong Mexico and that she did not dispute title to
it than the residue Of the State of Texas But, aid
hitting the be different it will not be arduous
task Justify the pursued by the Executive Texas
had been admitted into the Unon and while utterly
dclam the idea that this constituted just
cause Of the part Of Mexico, because her at
tempt conquer Texas had been long since de-
feated, yet, followed it was by the withdrawal
of General Almonte, the Mexican minister, and the
rejection of Mr.. Slidell the minister of the United
States, it placed the two nations virtually at war and
consequently it only the right but the duty of the
President under the constitution order troops take
up any position, whether Mexican American soil,
that might be necessary to protect Texas from invasion
There can be question that the OF Mexico
this the subject Her minister had in advance
inform ed the government Washington that the
would be considered antamount declaration of war
and he had demanded his passports, when that
consummated. She had refused conclude peace, by
which the that then existed might be finally ended
and she thought that the laws of nations required her dc
nothing And it is we'll established, that, before
known Mexico orders had been issued from that city d
rectng that the American troops should be attacked
driven the Sabine.
Such, fellow-citizens, is the plain answer the mos
prominent arguments OF such Of people condemn
the pursued by govern in its relations will,
Mexico But there other Giro connected with
this subject which should not be left Of view When
the OF the surprise and capture Of Capt Thorntons
command reached the city of Washington both houses
Congress, with almost unanmty passed bill declaring that
war existed by the of Mexico For time after
wards nothing heard Of the injustice of the war; the
usurpation of the warmaking power 1t not until the
and distress which had been predicted the result
democratic had ailednot until the cry repea
which had been uttered loudly by the leaders Of thu
wing party, began be unheeded-hat ii pretended
that the country had been plunged into niqutous and
unhoy war; and the constitution disreGarded and tram
pied under foot Then it became necessary TO find
new ISSUE to bring forward principle, which
the federal pa could be rallied with hope of
Our domestic affairs obstinatey prosperous, and
our foreign relations afforded nothing cav at but the
Mexican war. That Immediately seized Mem
bers of Congress- who had voted that it existed by the
Mexico under the of party necessity perceived
once brought by the President of the United
States Many who had never questioned our perfect title
up the Rio Graude discovered that the Nueces the
true boundary of Texas while they admitted that the
whole subject in dispute and open to negotiation
The occupation of Fort Brown declared unjust, while
the seizure of Corpus Christi objected to- The
public credit assaledhe of the government
were exaggerated, and defeat and disaster oreod. Mer
who delayed furnishing the necessary supplies for prose
cutting the complained that operations