I. J
I I'
I
nor,, xv
I i !....
voLU:-:i.
Viil. NO .0.
AWiOLirNUMBElU...
4. A k.U4
n:;
r;
' v
it
a
TJiKJIS:
Two Poix-aa Pr annum In aJrancc; if not
',fin aJvanee. T',!-,:' -'V"
No orkr fr lhe P"!'1' W-'Il receive attention
k --off' ponied bT t" mom. .
7 ii P 'UP8 len l'1"" or 'C81" lae 'a.
KTU.nJ TwETT-fnE CtTS f .f CAu.l COD.
I innai- t,rrr one lur counted is two, Aver
I I w0 M il.rre, 3- In number or m-tcrtio-t d
' !! w" b marked 5a tLe mar?! a, or the ani.
rtiment will be coittinoed liil forbid, and
tltrJred accord, nj'y. Uonrt Ufl wi.libc
ehrfd ait dollar, invariably.
The charge for announcing the r ri cf a Can
g,j.u for C3 Ui variably in a.Jance. ,
Itters.to the Lddor must eosie free of jpoau
,jetf will receive no attcutiua.
" PEACE YiTir MEXICO"
BT ALBEST CALLATIX.
' Concluded
fM..TIie Claim; of Texai loathe
IXlopiI TYortcnslfs Uoundurr,
, Uxarnltied. - ,,
From what precedes, it appears that the
Cownmcpt of the United Slates consid
ered the refusal of Mexico to receive a
resident Envoy or Minuter as a aufllcU-nt
e . n... j . " r "i ..
causa Kir r;m ku ci Morre as
the legitimate boundary r Texa's. Th
firt opinion f now pf no: importance; bujt
ths question of Boundary, which was the
immt Jiate cause of hostilities, has to thin
day been the greatest impediment to Ukj
i '.' restoration o Pence. 1 feel satisfied that,
! if this was" settled, there would be no ib
uperable difficulty in arranging -other pre.
,1 tcnaions.- -; ''
The United States claim no other pof
tion of the Mexfcan dominions, unless it
be by ngtit of conquest. Th tract of
country between tho Nueros and the
j (!! iNurle, is the ot.ly one which h is been
claimed by both parties, as reapectively
; U -lunging rither to Texas ur to Mexico
As -regard s every other part of the Mexi.
can possessions, the United Stales never
I 1 tad cUimfid'fUjV portion of it. Tho, ini.
qjiiy ofacqutsmg any portion of it, other
I wise than by fair compact freely consented
toby Mexico, i. self ewd;nt. It is, in ev
ery respect, most important to examine
the grounds on which thJ claim ol U.
.S;itr ta tho only territory claimed by,
both nations is founded. "It is ihe tniin
(jjrition at Usuc '. ..
The Uepjblic of Texas did," by an net
of Decc liber; 1830, dc-i-Uro this Rk del
N)fieto bo its b MinJary. It il not by
teriously contended, that a nation his a
nght7 by a low of ils own,, to determine
bat is or shall be tho- boundary 'between
it and anotlu-r eountry. Tho act5, was
nothing more than the cxpfrssitfri of tho
wishes or pretensions of the Government
liscnly pruclical effect wss'lhnt, cmnna
ting from ilscoogreas or legis'jtivo body,
U made it imperative 00 iIk liltecutive not
tironcludo any peace with Mexico unless
tb.it bounJury was agreed to As reg irds
njHt, the act of Texus is a perfect nullity.
We want the arguments- -and documents
by which the claim is sustained.
O.i a first view thu pretonsion is tru'y
'.irtting There is no exception: tho Ilio
None, from its source to its mouth, is de
dared to be thd rightful boundary ' of Tex.
s. 1 The river has its source within" the
Deportment,. Province or State of New
Mnco, which it traverses, through it
bole length from rmrth to south, dividing
it into two unequal parts. The largest
anl most populous, including- Santa 1V,
the cajiital, lies on itw left banlc of the riv
er, and i thercf6re, embracccrvlthin the
clmn of Texas. Now this province ol
Sew Mexico waa firt visited and ccu-
j pud dy the Spaniaids under Vasqurx Cor
I Wda, irfthe years 1540 to IM2.; It was
1 -t that time voluntarily evacuated, bubse-
puently revisited, tnd some settlements
Ir.sde about the -.year 1494; finally 8Con.
r,uertd in 1505 by tie Spaniards, under
p command of Oaate. An insurrection
flh'o Indian drove away Uhe Spaniards
U the year 1690. ' They reentered it the
fnsmnir year, and, After a long resistance,
Kcotiquerci it. This was an internal con
Foreign Powers, tho aovercignty of the
?niards over. lfb territory was never
'!ed in question; and it was, in cxpre'ss
1 'rrms, tnado the Western owndary of
Louisiana: in tho Royal Charter, of the
trench Government. ; ''
The conques&'of the province'by Onate
took place five a,nd twenty years prior to
he lapding.gf the Pilgrims in New ling
land, and twelve years' beforw any : perma
nent settlement had beeii made in Nrth
America, on the sliorps of the Atlantic, by
either EcgUnd, France, Holhnd, Swe
den or any other Power J but that in Flor
ida by Snain hcraclf.'
Lhaveio vain sought for any document,
eroanailns Horn tho lleiVubtic 01 State ol
Texas.'for tho purpose of bustaintng its
claim either to New Mexico or the com.
-Iry bordering on the. lower portion of the
uv44orte; I he only ofhoial papers with
in my reach, in which iho claim of ,Tex-
m s sustained, are the President's Messa
gp: of Ma 11 and , Dtceir.bi-r 3. 184G;
i and these refar only to the country boi-
j ring on the lower pan of tho del Nortv
x i tie portion of the Message of May 11
'iv&nfS. lhat subject is as follows:
GSresi WTtVby the final acl:on of
ouf
f Uoion. Tv. Sa n i
'oion. Tv. integral part of
ofeDeceW S of TeWs, . by
ho Rio Def Ml. r VS. had declac-
5 that R,n..Ci-. c.0ibo. boundary
1 oeen pi.kj. j
5u(e naad "erciA iM.w.m4- lll(
Texa,; had.iK... ..L1Q lhe Aveotion of
"cnP?7.i4ihe ci of
auuLXivjci itsc.i; auJ is ujw it;.-! j J
within on of our Gir-resi.Mial Dt-tr'jt-.
Ojr own Cbrrtfcs haj, , nure-.er, trltii
great unmirt "v, by the act approved Dc-ct-mVr
Zli, . Tj9 rcccgnized tho ct ";r,trv
beyond the Nutcts as a put of ct t-rri-x-,
rncluJuig it wishin- our cr,, Rev
enue system; and a Ileveriue oITicer, to
reside w-'.ihin thai District, ba beeij ap
pointed,by aod.wiih thy advice nnd con
sent of the Senate.; It trcarrielhtrVforp,
of urgent necessity to provide far the do.
lerco of thai portion of our country, - Ac
cordio-lyt 00 the 13 h of January last in;
struciions,.were issued Jo the'.' General in
Cimmand of'these troop to occupv the
left bank of the del Norie. ;
'The rrfove'ment of the troups to the del
Norte waa made by the Commanding
General, under positive instructions to ab,
etain fromjall aggresive acts toward MeX;
ican citizens, and to regard the rejations
between that republic nod tho U. States as
peacelul, unless she should declare war,' or
commit acts of hostility indicative of a state
lf war. He waj speedily dinctei to pro.
lect private property, and respect personal
rights.
In his annual message of December 8,
1840, the President states that Texas, as
ceded..- to the United Siaies by France fn
1803, has ben aUaya claimed as extend;
ing $wcst to the, Rio Grande; that rliis
fact is established"' by declarations ot our
Government -'during Mr. Jt:irrsons' nri1
Mr. Monroe's administration; and that
the Texas which was ceded to Spain by
the Florida ireatv :of .1819, embraced all
the country now claimed 'by the State of
Texas btwtcii the Kutcts and the Rm
Grande. '
fie then repeats the Acts of Te'xs with
reference to their biundjines; stating that
"during a period of mire ihan ruine yetirs,
which intervened b twetn i'io adoption tA
her Consitutiun and her auuexjiiioi as one
of llm S'.ates of our Union, ;Texas asserted
and -exercised many act&j of sovereignty
and jurisdiction oyer the territory and in-,
habitants west of the Nueces; ch as or
ganizing anJ definiug ' limits ot counties
extendiitg to the Rii .Grande; eatablishing
courts -ol I justice, and extending her judicint
system over the territory; establishing also,
a qusrom house, post offices, a land office,
ic.n : , '' r ! ', '
"Tin President designat(ci by .ihct name,
f ' Texas ' the cession : oH Louisiana by
Fr mre to iheUnited States nn he again
calls the tereitory . ceded to Spain by. the
Florida trety of 1819, , the' Texas. He
intimates that lhe ckum . of the : United
States to the territory between the Sibine
and ihft Rio irie was derived.' from lht
boundaries. of Tt-xa."', and thu bv claimtntr
n far west as .the river, the UnitedSUies
did not recognize that it w;is the bound-try
of the Texas. . I really do not understand
what is meant by this assertion..
The United States claimed the R'u
Norte as being the -legitimate b mudary of
Lbuisiatia, and not of Texas,. J Neither
they nor France h-jid ever been .m posses
sioifof the. country be yohd the Sabine.---.
Spain had-alwajra held possession, andhac
diViifed iho territory into provinces as she
pleased. One of these Wits called Texas,
and its boundaries . had been designated and
altered al herwill, ' Wrth these the Unt-
ted Slates had bo-concern. If thci reclaim
c fuld be sustained, it niut bo by proving
tlHtLouisiana extended of right thus Jar.
this had no connection with the bounda
ries which Spain mliiht have assigned Ui
her province of lexas. l hee-- might
5ave extended beyond the Rio del Nofle,1ln had earned their atnns not only to the
or h .ve been 'eat of .therRW Nueces.
There is nM the sliffhtesl connection b".
tweeu the- legitimate ; boundaries of Louis?
iana and those ufthn Spanish pr.ovince A
'WjiTts ' The presumed identity is a mere
suppoMiiuo. i '
It is not necessary to discuss the sound
ness of the pretensions to the Rim Nne,
asserted by Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Mnroe,
since they were leidetf in est hange l
Florida, Sod some": 01 her' objects;.', by the
treaty of 1819; a treaty extremely p.pular
at the time, Mid r: the Vxecution.of which
was pressed with great zrat and, peruse ver-!
ance , - ' - , , '
Whenever ullimiteljr Vd.;d to Mexico,
thil republic fixed: its ' boundaries 1- asit
thought proper. Texas and Coahuilawere
declared to form 4 State; and, the' Ri Ku
eces was made the boundary of TeXas... .
When Texus declared itself . independent
11 was the Insurrection' yf jpoy part of .a
State; Jor Couhuila remained tiniied ' to
Mexico. Btit the - lliu Ncnces wa a, the
boundary between the depart mem of.Tex-
h and- thtt State of Tnujaulipas. The
whlo cuntested- territory- lies within the
limits of. Turmuttp-s which; never was'
under the Mexican Govern ment.j'conhect-
kd in 'any slnpo with Texas. , .
The question now ; unuer coniaerauou
isinly that between the United Sutcs and
Mexico; and in thai view of the object, it
i qm't immaterial whether th'rt ftlts of the
UmtedSia:es emarrated from C.ingres or
from the Exequtife. No act 6(uther,
recogntziog the territory beyond, '.be Nue
ces as-a part of the territory of Ihe : United
State, can be aliened ' against Mexico, as
a proof of their cigM.19, the country thus.
claimed. A"ysuu 4 .. -
i,nfi declaration;, but ot an argument
sustaining the right.- It is, however, prop
er to observe here that the port of driver
West of the Nueces,' erected by the r of
Congress." ".To Y.wblUh' elision
tr6?m the State of TeiM-at wCorj.os
fjhruti, a place which -M w ljc Cuar
iossession of that Stte ' " r . : ?. m . -
"h'must also be "premised hc
joint res.'.!u'iion for.the Knnexationhf Teas.
the'rjutWof tfca boundary betweca it
reserve t.ua-vi.e-
rrej'.V l-'wtea
I .e Ur - 1 . . .: ,
" Ti ji j -
t. k !
t j TV rri'i ry I v ;
U:,i-J 1 tl.'.-e j .
Si-rttd tf. U li j -ri, ;
been exit ii.'cd &r, J t
Nueces; that tht c
t'co. - , - .-
Prcs" Sect's
t cf Texas
, r! con
. ri v...-. 11 is as.
i f T - 1 bad
rv:j
!rv J t ;yor.Jtthq
.i :een ihat
L ;i represen
C i:vei:tjoii nf
t ""'etitios
'river and the c't r s.,'.
ted in ihtj Cirress ar.J
Texas, Lad taktnpnrt in if..; 1
itself, and was now included, wit
1 r..' ol
our Congressional d.SLi ic:
Bol it is not stated in t!.t PeiJety
inesgefhow far beyond the Nueces ths
jurisdiction of '1 exas had been extended,
nor whit prt of the cuuntry betwfen " th it
river and the del Norte had been reprcscn
led in the Congress and fConvcntioa of
Texas and ws then included within one of
our Cjngressibnal dsrrictsi ,
Now the actual jurisdiction beyond the
Nueces uever extended farther, than tho
adj icent settlement of Sn j Patrico. con
siting of about twrnty.- families. That
srmlf district, though beyond the Nueres,
was p'ontiguous to n4 in the actual pos
session .-'of Texas. 'Oi jthia Recount it
rughl be 'r.ightlulty,inciuded" within the
.limits which we were bound to protect a-
gainst .Mexican invasion.
But what. was the ctiuntry betweeri tbis
smalt settlement of San; Patrtcp or be,
1 ween CorpusJ Cluisii vand tins Rio del
Norte, ovei which it might J be supposed
from the message that - tho jurisdiction ' of
Texas had been extended; so ns o be in
eluded - within one . of our Congressional
districts? Jere Again -Texas had erected
thu small settlement rnt a county owlleTf
S n Palrico, and declared 'tlMis thi courvty
extended to the Rio del Norte. Thi.,1ike
ilH other declarator acts of the same bind,'
wan u n ly a n n sse r 1 im not , 6 fleet 1 n j?. v the
question of right. -,'The S:te 'of. Texas
t night', with t qaal propriety; have declared
ihat their boundary extended ;to. the Sierra
Madre or to the Pacific-'- The, ttue ques
lion of right to any territory; beyond ,lhe
.Mexican limits of the ---Department of Tex
as depends on the fets: By wj;hom was the
terruy in question actually inhabited . and
occupied? and had the inhabitants united
with Texas in the ' insurrectrun against
Mexico? I - '''. ;
The w hole rountry beyond tho. settle
ment of Sao Patrico and Corpus Christi.
'till -within & few miles of thedel Norte, is"
a perfeqt desert, -160 .miles' wide by, the
rute pursued by General iTaylor, rfj sta
ted by bimsvlf, and near 150 in, a straight
line. - ;.J
. The onl1 settled pajt of it is along the
left hank of thedel'Norte and but a , few
miles 111 breadth. ' This - belt was settled',
inhabited and occupied exclusively by Mex
icans. It, included the town of Lored;
and Mexico had a custom house (at Brazos
north of the mouth of the rier. Tiil. oc
cupied by the American arms it rwid ever
been, and was 'at the time -when invaded
by General Taylor, ji part of I tho Depart,
mem of Tumaulipas and subject to the jir
nsdiction of the Prefect, of ' the; Northern
DtNtiict ol tbal Department, j -
lo the course of the war between Mexi."
co and Texis, tncuTsio.ns bad.' occasionally
been, made by eaqh pariylinio. the territo
ries of the oihe'r; A Mexicanidlieer had
once or mice, obtained te:ipbfiry occJpa ,
tion ofSin Anulnio, Within the- limits" of
Texas; and the Texarts had on one occa-r
siuii taken Loredo itself, and; -more than
l ieU.Xorte, out even UKyono
that river. In both cses the' acsjresaive
itrlies had been repulsed and. expelled
The last Texan expedition ,6f' that kind-
H00K place 10. Uecemoer; ; isi5, ana - let-
ininaie-d"tn their Oeleat at Micr. ,
1 Tli at. ihe county -adjacent o thei left
bank of the river ' was exclusively in the
possession . of the -. : Mexicans, ' was well
knoWTi.to oor Government.
When General , Taylorrmrc'hed to the
del Norte, he issued ot'der, (Ng. 30,)
trariHtfd into the; Spanish; ordering ell
undeMijs command to observe with the
tnosL scrupulous respect, the rights of all
the inhabitant, who might f be found p
peaceful prosecution of their .-respective oc.
cup'itioQs, as well on the left as n the nht
side of the Rio Grande. 'No: interference,
he adds, w ill bv: allowed with ; the civil
rights or religious privileges of the inhab
itants. . ' r .
in" June, 1845. General ; Tavlor had
been directed u select and occtipv, on nr
near the Rio Grande del Norte, such a
sue s wou d'ue best adf-ptvd tqrepel in
vasion and to protect our Western border
But on th 81b of July following, the Sec
retary of .War, (Mr. Marcy,) addressed
ihe following, h tier to him :
.: H This, Department', i informed 5 that
Mexioi has some, . military r.tnbhshmnts
in the estside of tlio lio Grande, wluch
la re and for some lime bavo been, in the
actual occupancy of hr lnrip; ' lb car
rymg nut the i lS'ructio s heretofure re
ceived, you will (e cnietul to avoid any
i"ls of aggjession-'Unless n actual Maie
of war should exist. Tlt.Mexicai forces
at the posts in tbir possession, and which
U&V been -eo wilf not lie disturbed as
looga's the relations f peace between the.
Uned States a tyJ -Mexico continue' . .
" ' On the 30:h J''v, 1815, the Secretary
ngiin address arG.meral Taylor as follow:
Yu ar expevtt-d to tcrupy, protect and
defend ihe territory of Texas v the ex
tent that it has been occvpied Vy the peo
ple of Texs-s.1' Tne Rio GVan is claim
ed m be the buunda ry between the two
countries, vand tip ta -thm boundary' ym
ting any pota"ca the cawro lido thereof,
are to 'extend yinjr prutectiononiy excrp-
which are tu the iu:tut 'Uccupaiioy I .'Jtx-
lcac forci i or ..tzh stii?t''.;r,'.s cu'r
which 1L3 Republic cf 7exas did not exer
ci$e j jri-Jictiua tt the period of tnsexa.
tin or shortly before tiut etent. It' is tx
pecltd, in selecting the s:iL!ibhment fori
your troop,. you will opproach'as near
the hour; dart line, ths Riu Grand?, as
prudence' will dictate. With this view the
President desire thajt your position for a
part of vour forces at least, should be west
of the River Nueces. : ' '
-i ! Tho Mexican settlements, thus excepted,
are not tlxjs over wliich" Texas did not
claim Jurisdiction, but those on the east
bank of the Rio Grande over which Texas
did not exercise jurisdiction at the period
tn('nt'nrd..,The President had no authority
tog!e up the boundary claimed by Texas;
but itli clear that at that-lime, when war
Vas not contemplated, the Administration
wasofupinkm tiat, till the question wasdefi.
nittvely settled, the occupancy by the Mex
icans td the territory adj-acent, the left
bank of the del Norte oiuht not to be dis.
turbed. , Neither tv subsequent .refusal
by -Mexico to receive a residing Envoy;
rior the success of the, American arms
hnve afTected the question of right, The
claim of Texas, whether to'. New Mexico
or to the lower portion cf the Rio Norte;
was identically1 the same,' as invalid -and
groundless in one case as in the other.
Why. a distinction has- teeh made by ihe
Executive has not been stated. Tho fact
is that'ho jias established a temporary
vjovernment torlNew Ajextco, as a conn
try conquered, and. without any reqird to j
the claim of Texas; : wl i!e,,on the o'.heri
hand, he hai permitted that State to ex
tend its jurisdiction over the country hing
on the left bank of the def Norte, whicl
like New Mexico, had' been conquered bv
the arms of the United States. Not a shad
(iw of proof - has been . adduced to sust a in
the' pretensions of Texas ta that district;
a nd just ire imperiously requires that it
should 6y the treaty of peace be restored
to" ..Mexico: . ' . -' , . .' ,
- It so happens that the boandary, which
oiav bv traced to conformity -with thts
I principle, is a natural one, and that, as' a
measure ot expediency -none more eligible
could have- been devised. A,desert of one
hundred- and twenty miles seperated; the
most sooth weMerlv Texan settlements of
Girpus Christi and Sin Patricio from those
of the Mexicans on the left bank oflthe del
Norte, 1 ha tr which ho boundary could be
deviled better calculated to prevent cbHis;
ions hereafter U'twcen thotwo .nations,
U wilt be ' sufficient, for that purpose to
drawanomtiiftt line thfoujrh the desert.
leaving nlllbe waters that empty into the
Uto ' Norte to 'Mexico, and all those that
empty into the Ri : Nuecsf4o Texas, io4
gethcr with such other provisions, respec
ting: vforiificatuins and military posts,', as
in ay oc necessary tor tne pTcservauon ol
pence, . , - ,-'
The line- of the Rio Norte is one from
which Mexico would be perpetually threat
ened;' and from which their adjacent-town
on, tho eastern bank '.may be bombarded?
bucti an intolerable nutsance would perpe
tuate .most -'hostile feelings.' " Wjih sucYt ft
narrowt river as the Rio del Norte, and
with a j'ml right of a vigation, repeated
collisiens would be unavoidable.
; Among these, when there ;wt nothing
but a Tordahle river to cross, slaves would
perpetually .escape from Texas; and where
would be the rvmed? Are the.. United
plates prepared to impose, by a treaiy on
Mexico, where Slavery is unknown, the
obligation to surrender fugitive staves!
, Mexjco rs greatly thu weaker power,
arid required a h)Undary which wilf give
her as much security as iv practicable.
Itts nit required, eilner lor th preserva
tiun of peace or for any other legitimate
purpose, thaf t he tJuited'Slateir shou'.d oc
cupy a threatening position,' It cannot be
rationally supposed that Mexico - will : ever
make an aggressive war against them.
and'bven in such case, ' the desert would
protegt them against an invasion. If
war soouTd ever agai n 1 a ke place . be t wee n
the two couutries. the overwhetmin su.
periurtrVof tho Navy of the United Slates
will enaOle them to carry on iheir opera
t ions wh re ver ithey please. .They Would,
within a month,-reoccupy the left oaok.vf
the U10 Norte, and within a short time
effect a landing and carry the war la any
nuarter they pleased. j
Must, the war be still prosecuted for an
objeet of no intrinsic value, to which the
Uuned Jd'airs have no legitimate richi.
which justice requires them to yields and
which t-ven cxpdtency rioes not rt quirt?
. v I.... t.ccarrf titlatiou,
It'is an indipui'dbe fact ihat the an
nexution of Texas: then at war "with Mex
ien, waa ' taiitamuuM to'a dcclaralio' of
war, and that the comparative -weakness
of Mexico alone prevented ii$ Government
from considering it as such.
.Under these eirrufri-i,an-eat it wis evi
dently the duty- f ihe 1 Untied State-to
use every means l soothe, and ronciliate
the ;Mexian,''nnd ta wgh with patience
lor an - unconditional recognition nf th
independence of Texas, ; li'l the feelini:
fvxciirii oy our aggression had subsided.
It hs been shown' that after Mexico
bad resorted, as a substitute .fur" warjrto
the harmless suspension of ' the ordinary
diplomatic, intercourse, the attempt
make it retract jhal nwnsfure, , U-fi.r aoy
negotiation for ;Im ret.tf.ratiia'tif Karmoo
tietweea thd two eounliies should b enter
ei into, was ntirter crumemnced by" the
iicknowledgeJ law "of rations, nor neccs-
hary lor any useful purrxise, gor coiisi.tent
wiili' a proper ftnJ just sense cf the rela-
11 V&. ; poeuion 10 r wen; : the ..- apressi ve
1 m5-sure ot lha UnHeSiMet hxd placed
mo caJ:.Uii. Uut that tils. lv!.:li,l
.Mcx'cj am.i tj that Jt.'ior...l co:
tumcly, shoo!J t.-.va boea cooiJen'd as
an in-su't t hiUn.i Ltrays the.
prida of pj.. er, ra.cr thia a jast sensj Ht
what is id jo tu the true d nity and honor
of this oatio.
It r is tet-n .demnRStrateJ, that 'the
republic of Texas hd not a shadow t
right to the territory adjacent t? the Left
bank of the lower prUoa of the Rio Norte;
that though ahe claimed, she never bad
actually, exercised j'lrUdictwnjovfir any
portion of it; that the Mtxicans; w'ero the
sole inhabitants, and in actual' possession
of that district;- th?T therefore hs forcible
occupation by the arrny of the U." States
was, according- Jo the ackrwwledged- law
of nations, as well as id fact, an act vt
open hostility and war; that the' res;stance
d the Mexicans to that invasion . was
tegttimal?;od that therefore the war wa
unprovoked by them, and commenced bv
the United Siates. k
. ' df any doubt should remain of the cor
rectness of these statements, let thorn be
tested by iho Divine and ur.depiab!e precept
DK outo 1 others as ' you would - be dune
bv." r - - ,
If at this moment France was to contract
treatt'uf defensive and ofienvive ilhaftce
with Mexico, a treaty taking efl-ct imV
mediately, and pending the war btM ween
the United States and Mexico and hcr&ell
to defend ;?t with alt her forces against any
nd every other ruVer, would not thu
United -Spates at once consider such a'
treaty
them?-.
treaty as a declaration, of war' .against
If, in lieu of declaring war agaipsf Great
Britain, iti the year 1812, the U. States
ad only suspended the otdinary diplomatic
relations between ihv two countries; and
Great Britain had declared that she would
not 'enter into any negotiatitm for the
settlerncn'of all "the subject of difference
between the two courjirles,. unless theUii-
llPft "M 1 f CO tu .trl no a nrJimin..ii j..n
- ...... u.i"u. t J pi V tllif IIJ.4 I I
dition, restore those rrTations;1 woew not
this haC! been considered, aa a - must
insolent demand, and to which ,the Unilei
Siatj.hever could submit? ' '
If the United States-were and hall -been
'forxrtore than a century, in possession oi
a tract 01 country, exclusively inhu!ned
nd governed by them, disturbed onlv by
the occasional forays of an enemy; w ould
tney not consider th3 lorcioie -military
invasion and occupation cf such a district
by a third Power, -ns"open and unprnvoked
war, commenced against them? And could
their resistance to the invasion- .'render
them liable lo the im-..lio.T cf 'having
themselves Commenced the war.?
Yet it Would seem ns if the splendid and
almost" romantic successes of thn Amsri-;
cVin'arms had for a while, made the people
ol the united Elates cea! to." nny other;
consideration than an enthusiastic' and
they thought that ll.ose successes gave'the
nation ;a-right ro. dismember Mexico, and
10 appropriate to themselves that which did
not Dejong to them
But I do not oovpair, for I have f mh in
our institutions and in the peoplc;-B'id:-I
win now ask them whether this was their
mission? and, whether they were plact'd by
Providence, on thts continent for thri rur-
ppto of cultivating fjlso glory, and of
sinking lo the level cf those vulgar con
querors who have at all times desolated
ihe earth.
VII....Tlic :?liiati of the United
Ltatcs.
The people of tho United Slates have
been placed by Provtdence4in a -position
neve before enjoved by nny other nation.
They are- possessed)!' a most eirensive
territory, with a very fertile soil, a variety
ofjChmaiea qyrj producuons, anda ap-i
cuy 01 sustaininga p ipji.uion.gTeatpr, ,n
proportion lo its extent, than any other
lerritory of the samesizo on the face of
the gh-.be. , ,
uy a concourse 01 varmiM circv;'r..tances
they fund themsLlvrs. at tho epoch : of
their -Independence, 3riii:;'f.il enjovmenf
tif religious, civil ntil p .iuical liberty;
entirely frte frortrany l-f-K . ( try monopoly
of wealth or power.' I ha people Hi larg
were ir. full ncd-cnitt nosstsskm ofal!
those natural rights for which- the peVnU
of other countries have f.r a tan'Mimt
contended, jind -sti.'l . cr coru r;J. They
were, an I too sti'.I ,ir, t. ' .MtiiPsuw-r
fmns, acuuoAitdtd iis sa -h bv ail; For
the proper' exercie ef i!i i - i.:-e'ntrl!ed
powers atiJ privileges you nre responsible
to no-!entv. to l!. v,io t -t r"p."an I Ir
the Amv .ty Bt'ifi wfo hi, injured cn
yon S'JCh unparalVied-L'v-'r
nmr rr.aion is to improvenhe "atfj tt
itie wurlJ, to. br t; c "Mi.M U ' c
hi s.miw uni men ure car t r.f I'-ttrn
Oig thV.T.selvis, I'tr t'.'illi.i ''s,J
natural form ot Govrn. rr i i.l ith;;
which Coders rrnii l.-p-""ti i n s '
priduilive t.f i -fr, ;!'tit il-' ;i
ihe irUrl!ectu.. iua. 4 h .
which 14 titer l-J ui h ilc J. n .1 at
uf private ar.J r'-'-t'ral vut-jt'ilr
'J v . ' . . . ; ..
.br, forefathers,, t!e f. -jn-rs
RipuV.Ic, irritued fti;!ia' ip i.
ilicrr rights oiul J jiirg'dr f r. t t'-fr-m
th pf iiici, h s. " T ; . I
the wtsdfina, tie prtdIty , ti rrsJ- '
pMi2 It'isIj, wi'h wl'ch . I: - i. '.
1 w-n
madv
-I
;f
re.
ctrooi r.ano.r wvre rra'.i
cr ir.k'iitr'uirs an el ;
miiaiion. Ilre, fir the f.rt t
experiment astcrrpted i h - ry
succeas, and on larpe vc!o,i.f
tentative DiTjrM", P.i;V .
ed tho last h.p cf, tu 1 friends u
exclusive love of military r'ory us iffof
getthjg the origirVuf th'a War, and wjth' an
entire. disregard for tne dictates of mstice.
a lost ur iiidttloie v jk jnii.ed; it. i i' 1
ejescf tte world were 'fjri dt rd
Whenever real or'pret5add epre!. -T" ,
of-tlis .imminent direr tf truattr u? .
pec p'e at Urja wiili'powt r v ere express- .
rd,.tha answer ever was uLbok. af A". . '
merica!' ' , , . .- : .? . '
. , .. .. ...v. ,- . ; t , ' i .- s ..-
'Jn their extfrnsl rehiicns. tha Ur.;:J
Stales Vfor this unfortunate War, hJ,
while sustaining their Just rights, eVpr'; 'i
acted iirlritt conformity with tho dicU'.: .
.of jusuce, and displiyeJ the utmost rl. "
eration. They mver had yoluniarily ii
jdred any other nation." Every acquisitioa "
of. .'teni'.ory from Foreign Powers waa.
honestjy madethe resiill of Treaties, tfot . ;
tti:po?ed, but freely assentr d lo by the
fitter pirty ; "the preservation c peace ;
was evtr a nrirmrv ib"pi. Tm roMtirM
ro trms.was always, in self defence. f6n r
its. expediency there nwy have been a did
fert-nce. of cpinionpihat, in tho only ttro"
instances" ofconflict with - civilized nations
winch occu red during a period of sixty ',
three years, (1763 to 1816) . the just
ngms ii ii,9 uuiieu o;aies naa Been iqtbv .
ded by a long ccminund series of aggres.
sions. is Undeniable. I n thn 'firar inslnnri
WTar was' r'ci dt-rliiTed;' anJ' there were
inly partial hostilities between Frsnceand .
E a nd.. The Congress of the United
Sutes,viho only legitimfite organ oi the
tialion for that purpose, did, in 1812, de
clare War against Ureal Britain. lode-
pendent of-depredaiionssiirour Commerce,
r... . ' . f. i-
mic unit . iLJi i wrni v xrnrk i nrr hu nn m r m '
actual "War a cain.tt I ha United Soup- !1 :
say actual 'War, since Ihero is now but,
one opinion on ihat subject; a renewal of '
tlhe impressment of men : sailing under the.
protection of our flag would be tantamount
to a' declaration of,. War. The pariial,
opposition lo ihe Avar of. 1 012 did not' ,
rest ml n denial of the aesressions of En
gland and of the justice ot our cause, but '
on) the fact that, with the exception of-rmpresimcnisy-
similar, infractions of ou?
just rights had been committed by Franco,
ana on tne most erroneous oeiiet thatne --
Administration was partial to that country; -
and insincere ,io their apparent efforts to-'
reMore rcace. .
At prescni, all these principles would4
seem to have been abandoned. Th mmf '.
just, a ; purely defensive" War and be
other is justifiable Is necessarily attended
wan a iram oi great a no unavoiaaDie evils.
What- shall we say of one,-iniquitous in
its origin land provoked by ourselves, of
War of ; agg ressioo', vhich is'njw publicly '
11 peraisieu in, tis necessary conser c
quenres .witl be, a permanent increase tit,
our Miliiiry Establishment and of Execu
tive, patrocsgs;' its" general tendency to
make man hatq.man, lo awaken his worst
passions j to accustom - him to the taste ol
blood. It has. already demoralized no .
inconsiderable portion of the nation. '-.
. ni. . n '. - '
I ne, general .reace wmcit nai, ocen ;
preserved betw-een- tKp great Eoropean "
Powers.'dfimMhe last - Ihirtv venm mnw -
not be ascribed to the- purest motives.-'
Bti ; these1 what they . may, this long and :
onosual repose has been most ; beneficial to
.the-;caue;of humanuy, 'Noihing can be
rnorc" . iniriou- to itf .more : lamen'able j
more scandalous t than , the" War .between
two: adjacent; -.; Republics of North' ' AtoerU'---
ca. 1 ,'-.. ' , .
Your mission was, to be a' model ; for!
all 1 other- Overnments and for all 'othetf
teas favored nations,-ta adhere to the most '
elevated principles of political moralily to
apply all your faculties to. the gradual
improvement f your own institutions and;
social Mate; and,? by' your exarrrpbjy 16 j
eaert tr moral, influence- most beneficial to,
mankind at large. . Ins. ead of this, ani
appeal has heen made to vour worst pas;
aions; to cupidity, to the yurst of-unjust
aggrandizement by' brutal force; to the love '
of military larnnud ofi false glory;-and it'
has even been tried to pervert, the noblest!.
leefiiig'of jour c .nature. Tlje attempt t' .
made" to-make you abandon the . lofty posi-
non which, your fathvcs iiccupied,- to s!A. r. ;
Ktiiure fur ; it the "political morality and,
heathen rralnotism of the heroes and states
men of uritiqmiy; ; . , .
1 ,l:lnve sai l, thl( it i war'alffrrfpted'to
pervert even your-viriur8. Devotedn'-ss
'toTuntryipor patriotism, is a most esien..
tint virtue, mce the national existence of
nny socle! jr5 depends upon it. Uufortu- -hately,
our rnost Virtuous vdispositions are (
perverted, not . only j by our - vices and,
selfihness", b,ut aIo by iheir own excess
Even the most holy ef our attributcj, the ;
religiou'sfrehrfg, - may bs perverted from ;
that cause, as was ' but ioo lamentably ex,
iHDiiea in ine prosrcui'ons even unto aeain,t
of those a who were d-e Tied heretics. It'
is not, therefore, astonishing, ihat pa trio.
'in' carried . to excess, ahou'd also be;;
perverted. ' In the -entire dtvoiednss to
1'hei couplry, jhe people, everywhere and .
at all limes, ha.ve befntoo apt lo forgeti
the Dalies impost d, upon Ihem by justice-t..'-
j J eilrer nations It is agai rut thii
":..l rLperwtiy .ibnt ou , shojuld Ee-
pi ciajly onj our gard. ,Tbe blame does-,
l, attach-j. l ho sti who, Jed by their ;
; i!riotic fillings; though erroneous, fl jekv-
roend the, national , standard. On-he
c 'raryj. no men aro more worthy oP
.aiiiori beiuir emi:ej to ihe ihanka '
i ( ! iheir 4iuntry,ahan those who after war 1
j; i i-.tze taken phto, r.ctuxted I'. only- Ujp
r i i. e i)urrsi motives,-(U3ny ana ua tq ;
ir most self cVviitcditCt Lravfj- death aJ :
stake ihfir. own lives jn lh .conffict a ;
gs'mst the aclual nemy. ,1 mjst. confess, .
that do not extend the nne .charhy-tOk i
'hoic civilians,1 ho c-joly t,. I ' 'rateiy;
plunge the country Into any 'urjur.; c;
necessary war ' " ,
. We should lute bat ono corlicleacjji ;
s