Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-31
OUR "oTHER" WAR WITH MEXICO
When Troops Crossed the Mexican
Frontier Sc Years AGO.
history repeating itself?

Back in 1854 the United States or.
dcred troops to Texas because Of tn,
attitude of Mexico
troops again are mobilized near thu
Mexican frontier.
In 1S46 the troops entered territory
that was claimed by both the United
States and Mexico-entered-by exec.
utive order, without the consent OF
congress. A Mexican force attacked
them, and the president at once sem
word to congress that war existed and
existed "by act Of Mexico herself
Congress, recognizing the fact, then
backed up the executive by exercising
its constitutional right to declare war
Evidently 1t Is within the power OF
the president as commander in chief
Of the army to bring about a situation
that may compel congress to acquiesce
An invasion of Mexican territory
might again result in war.
But history repeats itself only when
the conditions are identical, and they
never are identical. The situation
leading up to the mobilization is abso-
lutely different today from what 1t was
when the aggressive and intense Polk
became president in 1S45.
At that time the Mexican domain
thrust itself up into the United States
There was widespread feeling that
this nation ought to acquire the ter
ritory to give it an unbroken southern
fic. The unsettled conditions in Mexi-
co had given rise to numerous claims
on the part of American citizens
which had been approved by arbitra-
ton, but which Mexico had been una
BILE to pay. Finally, Mexico had been
particularly dlsagreeable about Texas
The Lone Star state had won its in
dependence, and after several years OF
uncertainty had been annexed to the
United States, where 1t evidently be-
longed. Before annexation Mexico had
declared that 1t would regard the alb
sorption of Texas by the United States
as an act of war. When annexation
was consummated Mexico had broken
off diplomatic relations with this gov
ernment.
| Polk assumed office at this juncture
The first dark horse" in presidential
campaign, his character has been
much misjudged. His violent political
enemies called him a weakling and q
liar. But his diary, which has been
made accessible in recent years, shows
that he was an earnest and high
minded man, of great force and char
acter.
| The president believed ne could buy
the Mexican territory that geographi-
cally ought to belong to the United
States He appointed a special COM
missioner, John Slidell, to negotiate
and he believed that the United States
ought to be willing to pay $40,000,000
Later he authorized an offer Of $685.
100000, with the United States as
suming the payment of the claims or
which Mexico had defaulted interest.
The Mexican president refused tC
receive Slidell, and Polk felt that the
time for patience was at an end. Al
a Saturday cabinet meeting in May
| 1916, he announced that he would
send a war message to congress on
Monday, urging a declaration on the
ground Of Mexicos failure to pay the
claims and its refusal to negotiate. All
the members except George Bancroft
secretary of the navy, voted yes"
That night Polk got word that Tay-
lor's forces on the Rio Grande had
Ibeen attacked. So he spent Sunday
revising the message. When it went
to congress on Monday action was
urged chiefly on the ground that Mex
leo had taken the initiative in bringing
on war.
Congress promptly met the presi-
dents wishes, and a bill was hurried
through appropriating $1O,OO0,O0O for
expenses, and authorizing the presi-
dent to call for $4,000 volunteers. The
chief opposition came in the senate
| but at the close Of the debate only
two senator's, one from Delaware and
the other from Massachusetts, voted
no"
The war was bitterly opposed by the
anti slavery party in New England on
the ground that it was undertaken to
gain more slave territory. Their at
titude found literary expression In
Lowell's "Biglow Papers" For exam
pie:
Thrash away, you'll hev to rattle
| On them kittle- drums o yourn-
'Tain't KNOWN kind O. cattle
| That is ketched with moldy corn;
| Put in stiff, you fifer feller,
| Let folks see how spry you be
| Guess you'll toot till you are yeller
Fore you git ahold O. me.
Later historians generally agreed
however, that this feeling was confined
to small group. AS was indicated
by the promptness with which con-
gress acted, the war generally was
popular, both on account Of the irrita-
ton with Mexico and because Of the
feeling that the United States would
get it's desired territory at last. The
popular view Is expressed in this stan
"a in a war poem of the day. ITO
Arms" by Park Benjamin.
Awake, Arise, ye men of might!
The glorious hour Is nigh:
| Your eagle pauses in his flight,
And screams his battle cry.
From north to south, from east to
west
Send back an answering cheer
And say farewell to peace and rest
And Danish doubt and fear.
There had been a dispute of long
standing between Texas and Mexico
over the boundary line. Early in 1916
General Zachery Taylor with a small
force had been sent into this disputed
territory, and in April one of his de-
tachments was attacked by the Mex
leans.
With the declaration of war re-en-