Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-03-19
ZACHARY TAYLOR,
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

WAsnIsGTos MAY 3, lS49.
DEAR Coon FRIEND: have to acknowledge the re-
cep Of your communication the 18th December lS47 which
has been with lively and painful interest The Secretary
OF State a the UHited States has this day adre
tie Minister IT Foreign Affairs Nicaragua expressing hC
sympathy Of this Government the injuries which STATE
believes She has received in consequence Of the cbe
patton d the port Of San Juan by British authorities and
mentioning the friendly steps which have been taken By
with view to obtain redress therefor Your Exceency may
be assured that efforts this end amicabe spirit
and towards both Nicara~ua end Great Britain win
be cordial and Jealous. and will be animated by the DESIRE
which sincerely cherish that the just territorial rights Of
Nicaragua may be respected by all nations and that she may
advance in prosperity and happiness.
Your good friend, z. TAYLOR
To his Excellency the DIRECTOR
Of the State Of Nicaragua
BE- tho President:
JoHS NJ. CLAYTON, Secretary 81 State.
During the Administration Of Mr. Polk the British ag-
ressons in Central America were constantly increasing
The attack in 1913 made just six days after the treaty
Of Guadalupe ldalgo, by which acquired California
1t blocked up passage to the Pacific. The war with
Mexico whs ended-the army Of Taylor unemployed.
liz IL were desirable prove the truth Of the Monroe doc
trine to the British few philosophers could have been
selected from army OF occupation that would have
been convincing in their arguments Thackeray says
there is nothing like good rafting article from tie
throat Of nine FOUNDER to carry conviction in such
Why upon the idea of Louis Napoleon and throw
the sword Of Brcnnus into the scale Of civilization ~ The
answer ir. Polk preferred to adhere TO the doctrine
OF his speech the Panama mission and did not regard
this Government bound by his recommendations Of the
Monroe doctrine to Congress- because Congress had not
adopted them.
Another instance in which Mr. Polk disregarled these
recommendations made by himself was on the occasion
Of the Oregon treaty He elected the platform Of
the whole Of Oregon none" "Fifty.four forty,
fght tie euphonus nlliteration-the war-cry the
very shibboleh Of his party. lie recommended to Con-
gross the Monroe doctrine again. and yet VIC know from
authentic evidence he did intend to act upon his own
recommendation He sent Mr.. McLane TO England to
negotiate the Oregon treaty, aud Mr. McL on his
turn, at public dinner in New York. informed that
division Of the country H. Oregon upon that principle Ia
compromise the 49th parallel Of latitude with
sonabe regard to rights grown up under III joint posses
sion, always appeared to (him) to afford just and
practicable basis for amicable and honorable adjust
ment Of the subject Such also cas satisfied The
tiers Of Government the time engaged IN y recent
mission and ia earnestly and steadily dJorRg 6es SET
Hmen upon ha basis Jat representing ne policy Of
mY 02H Government AND FAITHFULLY PROMOTING the ~
TESTIoNs AND WISHES PRESIDENT Here, again,
Mr. Polk gave evidence Of the practical abnogaon OF the
Monroe doctrine asserted in his messages and again adj
hered to the doctrines of his speech the Panama mis-
SION Fifty-four forty" given UP without the pro-
missed night and the doctrine Of Washington trlunphed
again over the Monroe doctrine by the ratification of the
Oregon treaty.
The statement Of Mr. McLane enables TO understand
now why IL was that the resolutions introduced into the
Senate by Mr. Allen, Of Ohio the l4th OF January
1896 stAed and eacctualy voted down by the De-
mocratic Senate of that year The friends who really
understood Mr. Polk al opposed 70 that resolution
which affirmed the same doctrines publicly espoused ny
the President and his party organ and while every De-
mocratic newspaper in the United states was filled with
the Monroe doctrine and with "ftty-lour forty or fght
while tho Senators from Michigan (Ar. Cassl and from
Ohio (Air. Alen) and from Indiana, Mr. lannepanj
with many others of tine party we're deceived by
the public opinion Of the Executive head others secretly
knew and acted upon the prcae opinion Of Mr. Polk and
these were the who suppressed the resolution and
voted down the Monroe doctrine. This was another me
morabe instance in which that doctrine was practically
ropudiacd ] was not deceived by the Executive mes
sage by the party press. or by the c drdor para
Jn6enfium," which distinguished that crisis,
Among those who the most ardent for htty-iour
forty the Senator from illinois, Mr. DouoAs) lie
not in the Senate. lie supposed the Monroe doc