The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-29

he had the misfortune to meet in Ha'
vana the day ne landed, he gladly
would see dead. And now Bustamante,
after exile in France. was back in Next
co, gloating over the fall OF the man
who had been his arch rival.
Nominally ut War.
Nominally the United States was at
war with Mexico. In May. 1S45. the
United States had declared war, and
few days before the formal declaration
General Zachary Taylor. on the fields
of Palo Alto and Rescaca de la Palma
had defeated the MeXicans under Cen
eral Arista. Then there had been a
cessation of hostilities. But the
United States could feel no pride in
its position. Mexico was PROSTATE.
1t was In a state approaching anar-
chy To bring order out of chaos would
have required a man of extraordinary
ability General Herrera was good.
honest man. but with an empty treas
ury and an inilaned and disordered
people, wild and corrupt band OF
politicians, a multitude of conflicting
laws. and the great body Of the church
and conservative population In opposi-
ton to him, he could do little. He had
no false notion about Mexico and the
MeXicans Down in his heart he be-
| lieved that nothing worse could happen
! for his country than war With the Unit
I ed States, and he gave private assur-
ances to the United States representa-
tives in the City Of Mexico. that If II
was within his power he would have
! the Independence of Texas acknow'
lodged and would have such differences
| as existed between the two countries
adjusted satisfactorily.
A few days before Herrera took Of
fee, James X. Polk had been elected
President OF the United tSates on
| platform favoring the admission @
Texas into the Union. For nearly tel
years Texas had been an Independent
republic, and Mexico had been to-
weak to recover it's revolted pro
vince, but Santa Anna had served no
tice on the United States that the ad
mis- sion of Texas would be accepted
by Mexico as a declaration of war
There should have been no clas1
between the forces of Zachary Taylo
and General Arista. The American
were at fault. Mexico had declare
| that it would make no offensive NOV
and that it would not act unless II
| territory was invaded BY America
| troops. The Nueces was considered tn
western boundary of Texas. althoug
| some OF the leAdnS CldllllSu d. ZIG lci
|ritory to the Rio Grande. Taylor cross
| ed the Nueces and approached the RI
| Grande Arista insisted that he retur
to Texas soil Taylor refused. and Pal
Alto and Reseca de la Palma We're tn
| resultant this before formal de
claraton of war.
| Buchanan.
III In the Cabinet of James x. Poll
! there was a man who dominated Tn
| President. This was James Buchanan
| who later was TO be in the plesldentii
chair himself. y man of the Nortl
he was in sympathy with the Soutl
| but he had an ambition as wide an
| as strong as the Napoleon of the We:
| himself. only that Buchanan's amb
/ ton was in the field Of peace. lie sa
/ little honor and no glory In conquer
| ing weak and disorganized countr
He saw no justice in visiting upon
! suffering people the sins Of fy-bs
night and prot1igate rulers. He kne
the costs and the horrors OF war.
was his hope and his plan to brin
about an adjustment whereby the1
would be no further shedding of BLOC
Having every confidence in the prira
advices received from Herrera
sent as envoy extraordinary to Mex1
John Slidell later to be known II
world over through the Mason-Sllae
AFFAIR
But before SNdell reached MeNic
General Herrera was so harassed
new complications into which MeNi
had been thrown and had been so u
able to eNtricate himself and the go
eminent from the morass of years
trouble that he was in despair. II
war spirit was again rising. The pc
pie were beginning to think once mo
of Santa Anna and his sainted lie
They We're tired of an honest man
the presidential chair. II was I
tame. too dull, too common lac
there We're mono of the grand eNhii
tions, the fetes, displays of militia
pomp. the fervid oratory and 9th
things with which Santa Anna n
his kind had diverted the minds OF
- ipopulacc. Herrera sorrowlully
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