El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-05-11
d. c. May IL

ASHTNGTON. d. g, May IL
M The news that Tammany viii
W send regiment to the front IN
.acasa the trouble with Mexico assumes
more serious aspect recalls to
nv mind the brave part borne by men
of the 18th street organization in our
previous international conflicts
The Society of Tammany is entirely
separate and distinct from the political
organization. But the same men are
members OF both and it was the
poIitical opinion Of the Manhattan
regular Democratic leaders which
hasteued the call for the meeting 1t
is the wish of Tammany political led
ers TO express their loyal support OF
the prcsiucnt in this crisis, the more
especially because the organization
had differed with both the president
and secretary Bryan on most principles
Of government
When the sachems offered a fully
equipped regiment Of 1000 volunteers
to governor GIvnn of New York state
they did no more than had been done
by the heads Of the organization IN
1912. 1886. 1861 and 1898
-Four times Tammany has sent its
own regiment TO the front and TINS
viii make the fifth
The Tammany regiment was one OF
the smart military organizations Of the
Mexican war Of 1886
The TaUmauy regiment that served
through the civil war won great dis
riuctiCu IL took part in nearly score
OF battles between october, 1851 and
AppomattOE- The leave taking OF the
regiment from New York was marked
by a great demonstration as the re-
cruits marched through the streets in
the council room of the Tammany
headquarters is a memorial recitiug
the achievements of that regiment
When the war with Spain came,
Tammany sent its committee TO Albany
to volunteer another regiment John
j. Scauneu was chairman Of the com
mittee, and the message presented to
the governor stated that Tammany,
always patriotic and loyal vas
ready to equip and pay every expense
OF putting its military organization into
the field
The regiment was not needed in that
brief military flutter, as the national
guard regiments were not all en-
pl0yed- The report of the committee
forms another OI tine historic relies
hanging in Tammany hall
In his History OF the American
People president Woodrow Wilson by
inference criticises president Polk for
sending Gen Zachary Taylor to the
Rio GrGude without first having con-
suited congress and also asserts our
=
end o. the war was that Of conquest.
The Texas boundaries" he says,
were another natter Here the gov
eminent dealt with d rival and neigh
Dor with whom no compromise was
necessary Texas claimed not only
everything north and west OF Iser that
had been Spaiu's or MeLicO's all the
way TO latitude - degrees, but also so
much Of the territory of her One--ime
partner state, CDehuild- as Law between
the Nueces and the Rio Grande del
Ncrte and dr- FoIS esV0used ana acted
upon her claims at the south even be
fore her formal admission into the
union was complete
He ordered Gen Zachary Taylor 20
occupy the western bank OF the
Nueces with a small force Of United
States troops and during the summer
Of ISf5 sent him reinforcements which
raised his strength 10 nearly 1000 men
In December. 1S45. Texas became in full
form stale OF the union. and early in
the following year the president or
dered Gen Taylor TO advance to the /
Rio Gra-dc- His presence there threat
enel the Mexican town of MatamOrOs, !
just beyond the river and the Mexican /
commander at MatamOros demanded his Z
to the Nueces.
Gen Taylor refused to withdraw. Z
The MeNicans crossed the river and on =
April %. ambushed a small body Of {
American Dragons Two weeks later I
they attacked Cen Taylor in force and I
ne repulSec them tPalo Alto. May s. I
1850 The next day TAYLOR in his Z
turn attacked. and drove the Mexicars
back across the river in disastrous
rouL % nthe 18th. Gen Taylor him 1
self crossed the Rio Graude and Occu- {
pied NatauoTcs.
o. Mexico the president told con- /
gress on the nth OF May. while yet .
he had no news except that OF the am I
bush Of the 23d Of April. Mexico has /
passed the boundaries OF the United !
States and shed American blood (
Ipon American soil War exists and I
exists 10y the act Of Mexico herself :
He had not consulted congress before {
he ordered Gen. Taylor forward to the 4
Rio Grande and brought this momen- :
.ous matter to a head. though 10 had {
been i'm session when the order was
ssUed- He had taken full responsible
ty for that upon himself. War. indeed. /
sNisted-but by whose act congress