The Blackfoot optimist., 1916-07-13
IN 1916.

The history of the Mexican war of
lS46, like that of every other large war
in which this country has engaged.
had long prologue, and the stirring
events which precipitated the conflict
as the result Of which the Union ac-
quired New Mexico and California, and
possession of Texas was confirmed, had
in reality been brewing for two de-
cades before the actual clash of arms
came.
On May II, 1916, President Polk sent
a special message to Congress, in which
he asserted: "Mexico has passed the
boundary of the United States and has
shed blood upon American soil. War
exists, and exists by the act Of Mexico
herself
When the newspapers printed this
message there was much excitement all
over the country. 1t appears, from a
dispatch from General Zachary Taylor,
that Mexican force had crossed the
Rio Grande and Oh April "a had at.
tackled him. Texas was then disputed
territory, over whose possession the
United States and Mexico were con.
tending and there was strong party
in the country that did not approve Of
American troops being there at all, and
who really believed that Texas belonged
to Mexico.
The origin of the dispute goes as far
back as 1903, when, according to some
statesmen, Texas was ceded to this
country by Fraboe. 1t was so distant,
so little known and generally so little
regarded in those days that no steps
ever were made by the United States to
take actual possession. When. in 1919,
Florida was purchased from Spain, the
American commissioners, after making
a half-hearted plea that Texas was a
part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1903,
agreed to give up the claim, and new
boundary was set.
This treaty with Spain had not been
ratified when in 1921 the Spanish pos.
sessions in North America revOlted and
Mexico established an independent gov
tually all we know as Mexico today
Meanwhile, however, Americans who
were far-seeing, and who believed that
the Texas territory belonged to the
United States, had come out to the new
land in numbers, soon bringing the pop.
ulation to point where the Mexicans
were in a minority.
The first constitution of Texas as a
member of the Mexican Union provid.
ed for the gradual abolition of slavery,
and the constitution of 1927 actually
prohibited the importation of slaves,
but the American immigrants that be.
gan to flow in brought with them their
human chattels. Being in the ajor.
ity the American settlers decided to
adopt constitution of their own, per.
mitting slavery within the States do
main and separating Texas and setting
it up as Independent from its neighbor
ing province of Coahuila, with which
it was constituted commonwealth.
The Mexican government, under the
sway then of the dictator Santa Anna
ignored the claims of the American set
tiers, who went ahead and organize
a State in defiance of it. Slaves were
brought in, and in 1886 Texas formal
ly seeded from the Mexican Unior
and declared Texan independence. Tn,
United States. England, France an
Belgium recognized Texas as an indie
pendent State, and with this recon
mendation the new republic of Texas
knocked at the door of the United
States for admission TO the Union.
Then followed the long fight for ant
against such admission, for it mean
the widening of slave territory. Th'
question came up in Congress session
after session. Meanwhile Mexico hat
not relinquished her rights to posses
sion, and in lS43, when the subject wa
reaching crisis in Congress, issued I
warning to the United States that al
act admitting Texas to the Union woul'
be regarded as signal for war on he
part. This threat did not deter tn
party at the back of the project, how
ever, and at the following session o
Congress the aon of annexation wa
finally adopted. Texas was annexed t.
the Union December %, lS45.
At the same time President Polk or
dered General Taylor to proceed to oc
eupy the disputed territory lying be
tween the Nueces river and the Ri
Grande. while General AlmOnte, th'
Mexican minister at the time, pro