The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-10-27

on to say, 81 had all three forms OF the
treaty Twas instructed to propose pub
lished in the Mexican papers at once OF
course nv mission was failure NoVs
this is an entire fabrication from begin
ming to end there is not one word OF
truth IN It.
never received any such Instructions
as those supposed, and | never published
or caused to be published line OF any
kind in any Mexican paper, at any time. ]
No human being except the Secretary
of Legation, ever saw any instructions l
received from my Government while at
the Mexican Court, until after they had
been called for by Congress and thus
made public. am not aware that any
instructions ever did receive from my
government have been called for by Con-
gress and made public, except lnstruc-
tons sent to me some months alter my
arrival in Mexico, in relation to the right
of that Government to invade Texas and
keep up a continued state of hostllities.
As the instructions sent to me on that oc-
casion together with the protest OF our
Government, based thereon, have been
published, and as my agency IN that
mater has been grossly misrepresented
and is now the subject of daily misreP-
Presentation in portion of the public pa
pers, deem it due to myselfas well as the
pablic that should state the facts in rela-
ton thereto. Atthe time these instructions
and this protest were published by Con-
gress. was charged ~ q certain class OF
politicians, who let 40 opportunity favor
able or unfavorabIe pass. 70 sssssil me
with having copied my INSTRUCTIONS aud
sent them to the Mexican Goyernme.t.
The charge was so absurd thatit amount
ed to ".telo de set killed Itself
But since my appointment to the otiice
of Governor of this Territory, it has been
revived in various shapes and forms, fur
nishing luminous text for disparaging
comments in relation to myself. The
fac IS are these-and | propose to state
nothing more: Gen. Santa Anna was
then at the head of the Mexican Govern
ment, and had issued his decree for rails
ing twenty thousand additional troops
making the whole force ofthe army sixty
thousand. This was done for the ayowed
purpose of invading Texas, and driving
The Americans out Large military stores
and munitions of war were being collect
ed at various points-forced loans were
ordered, and every preparation seemed
to be making to invade Texas, and to use
the language of the Government papers
in Mexico, "to blot out the Texans" 1t
was under these circumstances, and at
this time of eminent peril, to the people
of Texas and while negotiations were
pending for the annexation OF Texas TO
the United States, that the Government
determined to send to the Mexican Gov
ernment asolemn protest, not only against
the threatened invasion, but also against
the right of Mexico to keep up and pro-
long hese hostlities. Il was bold and
vigorous policy determined by Mr.. Cal
houn, then Secretary of State, under the
direction of President Tyler. Ii was
well known that the Mexican Govern
ment at that time was in the habit of
publishing all the important correspon-
dence that took place between the two
governments In relation to Texas, and
that consequently this protest as soon as
sent to the Mexican Government would
be published in the Government papers,
aud thus find its way at once to the pub
lie. 1t was also known that it wasa doc
ument that would be severely criticized
and commented on both in Europe and
this country. Under these circumstances
Mr. Calhoun drew up instructions to me
as Minister, and at the same time drew
up the protest based on these instructions,
and sent both to me by a special bearer
OF dispatches, with directions to make
such notifications in the protest as my
knowledge of facts Obtained on the
ground would suggest as proper, and
then to sign it and send it to the Mexican
Government. did precisely as dires-
ted by my Government, as any Minister
would have done, having any knowledge
of his duties
1t was document, as Mr.. Calhoun in
his unofficial note to me observed, in
which the President preferred to express
his own ideas in his own words, and to
have its whole contents carefully consid-
erred and agreed on before leaving Wash
ington.
Those acquainted with the mode of
conducting diplomatic Intercourse be-
tween two Governments, know that this
protest, at least in conformity with the
ordinary practice, had to receive my sig
nature, as Minister, before being sent to
the Mexican Government, or, in other
words it had to be sent through the Min
lister. When this protest and the instruc-
tons on which i; was based were called
for by Congress. and published, there
appeared to be an identity of ideas in the
protest and instructions, and in many
cases an identity of words. Both were
drawn by Mr. Calhoun, and were the
well considered productions of his great
mind And | will leave it for the editors
OF the public journals who have COM
mented on the identity of these two doc
uments, to determine among themselves
whether it is most likely they or Mr.. Cal
houn have fallen into diplomatic blum
der.
Having rectified your last paper as to
myself, have the honor to be, yours, with
great respect. WILSON SHANNON.
Authority.
We commend the following. from the |
pen of the celebrated ERskINE, to the |