The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-14
The Call the House OF Representatives for thu
Publication Of MIR. slldclr. Instrncti0ns.

r. call Of the House OF Representatives for the
/ Publication Of MIR. slideIrs Instructions.
The simple question presented in this resolution OF the
House of Representatives is, whether the Executive can
now. while the war with Mexico still continues, be
ghtuly and properly called upon to publish to Mexico,
without any regard to their bearing upon the pubic in
rests all the instructions TO minister which were
form the basis of his negotiations with that nation, in
me event that she had consented 10 receive him and
Ter upon negotiations, instead of eecting, she did to
make war upon us. To the question stated there
seems to be but one possible reply.
By the constitution, the Executive is charged with the
conduct and the responsibility OF all negotiations with
oreign powers, until they closed in treaty, which
must then be submitted to the Senate By the invaria
Ibe usage OF civilized nations, founded upon wise
gard for the public peace and safety and interests such
negotiations considered secret and confidential in
line discretion Of the Executive, at least during the pen
dency Of the controversy out of which they arise From
the very commencement Of government this usage,
and its foundation in the principle of the public IN
crest and safety, have been constantly recognised
10Th by the Executive and by Congress This re-
cognlon has, fact passed into the regular and for
NAL phraseoogy in which the calls by Congress upon the
Executive for such information expressed Ii has
heretofore been the almost nvarable custom, after
the close Of the negotiations after the treaty has been
ratified, and in time of peace, to make the call ior such
pspers subject 10 the reservation that the Executive shall
deem their publication 'not Incompatible with the public
interests" Now, for the first time, call is made, rhae
the acar is yet raging for the instructions as to nego
ltlation which 10 have been entered upon with our
Ieneny before the ardr commenced and with view to lis
kavoidance And this canew and strange as II is in II
t at such time-is made the occasion tor still more
ange and utterly ndefensble departure from the salu-
ary precedent OF the customary reservation, long esab
shed as that precedent has been, upon the momentous
Iprincple of the public safety! Because in wal
because in addition TO the inherent difficulties involved
our future negotiations, have besides acar to be
osed the treaty they to produce-herfoe our po-
son towards Mexico is TO be stu complicated and
embarrassed by making known TO her all the views and
the conditions to which our government might have
scented before the forced upon us by her refusal
10 negotiate, and by her hostile attack
Observe the inevitable effect of such course, should
the President comply with the call OF the House New
negotiations arise at the instance OF Mexico Her gov
eminent is put in possession of Mr. Sdel's instructions
and with these in her hand she comes forward to protest
against the terms, which her in forcing an expen-
sve upon has compelled government no1r to
insist upon Her language is, "Here your own pre-
vious conditions of adjustment set down In Mr. Sll-
dells mission These may accede to, and we have
your authority for saying that you ought TO claim
no % Can there be doubt in any mans mind that
such state of things must make the conclusion OF
satisfactory treaty OF peace vastly difficult Such
result is just as certain as that government must re-
gard the terms which would have been admissible before
the war, as wholly unfit and unjust after the sacrifice
| and the loss involved in the war have been forced
upon To set this matter in It's true light suppose
that Mr. Sdefs instructions had by any casualty, come
the possession of the Mexican government before
Nj Trist had opened his negotiations with the Mexican
commissioners Who can doubt that such event
would have been regarded serious mschance-as like
to produce most disastrous effect in defeating those
/ negotiations, and so prolonging the war lndeed-to
Illustrate by homeier example question that
hardly bear grave argument-the publication OF Mr.
Sidelfs instructions aoc would be imitation by our
government of the wisdom of the market-boy, who,
when asked the price of his eggs instead Of negotiating,
chose rather publish has instructions, and replied
his mother had told him TO ask three bits for dozen
out, il he could not get three, then TO taEe tcot
But apart from this obvious view Of the subject on
III
called Tor In what view of the future action of the
House can they be wanted Mr. Slidell himself has
never had chance 10 act upon them His offer to nego
tate IN pursuance OF them was insungly rejected These
papers, therefore, form, in this view of Them no part OF
the actual res geaG Of this war They are merely conf
dental papers the archives of the State Department
and IN discussing the question of the war; the House OF
representatives has plainly no more pretence for de-
handing their publication than has to call for publ
cation oil any other confidential papers relating TO past
transactions OF our executive government which might
be regarded as likely to make the conduct of necota
aons, and the conclusion of satisfactory peace more
difficult
add 10 hls That even containing the views of our
\ government confdenally made known IN ;,s or,n mir,
ister these instructions to Mr. Sdel have been spner
seeded, may reasonably be supposed by the ins,ruc
tons 10 Mr. Trst IN his subsequent negotiation e,,a
] upon IN circumstances wholly changed WHY does moi
the House call for Mr. Trists instructions as well Gov
enments indeed, publish the instructions Of their
4 diplomatic agents at all On the contrary it is mani
lest and admitted duty OF diplomatic agent to conceal
IRON those with whom he negoates the nature of his
instructions And this for the plain reason that the ad-
Versary nation thus knowing his views without commu
4 mcahng has own, would leave him at fearful dis
Il advantage. Yet. our government alone among ma
lions rs to cripple and stuitify its negotiations by
giving up this sautary and universal precauton surely