p, TI 10 MAS LOSING, E d itor., , j
STRINOT
THE COMMERCIAL
t published etcrf Altmlan WednctJav, and Fritay.
t W per annum, payable, la ail cae, n advance, i .
Corner fFrmt and Markd Strtctt,
: 1 wiixnwroft. k.'c.
5.
iquhro, 1 lnaTtktf, W 50
1 Muar&3 monOu, 1400
1 dcM 3 '.d 600
1 do. 6' do. f 800
I;- do. year,- WOO
'K3 do.,- 100
lHdo.,lmontb,V23
' . v Twelv lines or Icarf make t Miiaro "'.
If an lTcr-
'fWnemcnJ, exceed IwcItc lim-a, Ihe price will be in pro
Ar All advcrtlaemcnte r$ payable- at the time of (heir
insertion. , .' ...
j. A Contract with yearly ,dyertisera, win be made on
. Qe, moet uoeru ternta,
lit
fytlowrcitizeni pf the Senate
$ml j the ' f louse of Representatives.
Hiniming your labors in the service
ot the ijcople, it is a subject of congrat-
tilaiioiihat,thcr has been no period in
inr tost; historyiwhen all the elements
ly velop.;f, Since your last session
ho'afflictirig dispensation has visited our
itoiihtry J perietal good health has pre
vailed X- abundance has ; crowned the
,-toil of the "husbandman and labor in
all Us branches ii receiving an ample re
ward, while education, science, and the
jl'laiipliaingr the means of
social happiness.-s The progress of our
oimtry in i hqr ;,reer.of greatnessj not
only in the,, vast extension of our tcrii-
'"'lorial liniitlttid'-tli6''i,apid ' increase of
our popiiUit jon tmt fri ; jresourccs and
wealth, and tn vthet happy condition of
4our pecyleg isf without example in the
history f tiona, ' :
y ?As the vwisdom, . strength, and benin-
'.cence of Our bt6 institutions are unfold-
d every day adds fresh motives to con-
"'fcntmQn'and frcsh incentives to patriot-
4 . Our devout dhd sincere acknowledge
ments are du tp the gracious Giver of
all good,, for", thef numberless blessings
.(.Tiuloubaoved 'country etijoyi
W It is fi '' Bource !of high satisfaction to
ihov that the relations of the U. States
with 'fill othcr.nations, with a single cx
Ocptiortlare of the most amicable charac-
-ter. tSincefely Attached to the policy of
peace early adopted and steadily pur
Istjed by this government, I have anxious
j ty desired to cultivate and cherish friend
". snip awl commerce, with every foreign
Tower.',' '-Tbe spirits and habits of the
American people arc favorable to the
anaintenanco of such international liar-
mony. In adhering to this wise policy, a
preliminary and paramount duty obvious-
' ty consists in the jprotection of our nation-
al Interests from encroachment or sacrifice
''"'and bur national honor from reproach.
Thfesoniustbe maintained at any hazard.
They admit of no compromise or neg
lecf, and nust be, scrupulously and con
tahtlyv guarded. In Uieir - vjgilant vin
. dicatioiTtpIlisi'on and conflict with for-
-eigh l?o wen may sometimes become un
avoidable, Such has been our scnipu
' looisidherciice W the dictates ot justice,
.in all our foroieri intercourse, that, though
4tcadlly:afid rapidly advauciug iapros-
' .pcrityatid power, we have given no just
-cause f complaint to. 'any nation, and
'hav6 enjoyed the. blessings of cadc for
;sjran.jmWycar,;;; From ?i pplicy
so sacred to : humanity,' and so salutary
''in its, eflects upon our political system,
wc should never bo induced, voluutarily
.Tho existing watitli Mexico was
.-"neither desired nor provoked by the tJ.
jstates. ua xae.conirary, auponoramo
means were resorted to, ta avert it Af
;1cr;'ofe'n4ra.ncd of aggravated and
;franrcdresscd wrongs on our part, Mexi-
co iriyiolation of solemn treaty stipula
' tious, and of every principle of justice re
vf cognised by cifilizea nations, commenced
'5 hpstflltics and. thus, by . her own act,
forced thewar upon ns. -.Long before
"'thc' advance of bur arniy to the left bank
;T the Rio Grande, we had aniplo cause
oCwax against Mexico j and had the
t United States resorted to this extremity,
We mighUhaveTappealbd to the whole
Vtivilhed wovld for tho Justice of our
2 ! 'l deem U to be my .duty to present to
v ijryarij 6n flie present bccasiohj a condens
"yHtTvlw of tho'lniurics we-' had sus-
tained, of ,tlie causes which led to the
- Jwar,and of Its - progress" since its com-
-menccmenU . This is rendered the more
4 necessary because of the inisapprehen-
fusions Wilicn Jiave w suuiewiu 4i;w;
"cd as to its origra-andtrue character-
''KiThqii-ar' has Iwtfjrcpresentod. aaf. ton-
jjust and unhecesar)',rand as one of ag
tX; gression on 6iir part np6t(af weak and
, injuTcd.eniemy.v Such erroneous views,
though entertained j by but ' few,v hive
' Ibccii widcIyaDdibxlcnsiveiyibirculated
..,twt only at home, but have been spread
J throushouU . Mexico w ai4 jlier.wholo
tvorld. -A more cfToctual means-cotild
".not haya loen devised to.eucouraga ihe
enemy and protract tho war than to ad
tf t vocate ' and adhere to' thcit 'cause and
1 i thus give them "aid and comfort." j-
It is .a source" of national pride and
rpiriTi'''.::TAh r
' I .X I I.I II " '
r Si" (! f.(11 W ''.I '
..i tfc STRINGER, ! ..w 1 ' - ' - r ' ,
" " 1 '.! T-r- 1". .I-'!,".; ", ... . ' lTr-l. ,. . , TrJJL--. , J ,. L ....... , . , ,' , f.
exnltatioii,' that the great body ; of pur
people have thrown no such obstacles in
the way of - the government in prosecu
ting the war successfully, but have
shown themselves to be "eminently pa
triotic; and ready to vindicate their coun
try's hortor and lnteresb at any sacrifice.
The alacrity and promptness with which
our volunteer forces rushed to the field
on their country's call, prove not only
their patriotism, but their deep conviction
that our cause is just.
The wrongs which we have suffered
from Mexico almost ever since she be
came an independent Power, and the
patient endurance with which we have
borne them, are without a parallel in the
history of modern civilized nations.
There is reason to believe that if these
wrongs had been resented and resisted
in the first instancej the present war
might have been avoided. One outrage,
however, permitted to pass with impuni
ty, almost necessarily encouraged the
Srpetration pf another,' until at last
exico seemed to attribute to weakness
and indecision on our part a forbearance
which was the offspring ot magnanimi
ty, and of a sincere desire to preserve
friendly relations with a sister republic.
Scarcely had Mexico achieved her in
dependence, which the United States
were the first among the nations to ac
knowledgOj when she commenced the
system of insult and spoliation, which
he has ever since pursued. Uur citi
zens engaged in lawful commerce were
imprisoned, their vessels seized, and our
flag insulted in her ports. If money was
wanted, the lawless seizure and confis
cation of our merchant vessels and their
cargoes was a ready resource ; and if to
accomplish their purposes it became ne
cessary to imprison the owners, captains,
and crews, it was dono. Rulers super
seded rulers in Mexico in rapid succes
sion, but still there was no change m
this system of depredation. The gov
ernment of the Uiuted States iiiade re
peated reclamations on behalf of its cit
izens, but these wcr answered by the
perpetration of new outrages. Promises
of redress made by Mexico in the most
solemn forms were postponed or evaded.
The files and records of the Department
of State contain conclusive proofs of nu
merous lawless acts perpetrated upon
the property and persons of our citizens
by Mexico, and ot wanton insults to our
national nag. The interposition of our
government to obtain redress was again
and again invoked, under circumstances
which no nation ought to disregard.
It was hoped that these outrages
would cease, and that Mexico Would be
restrained by the '-laws which regulate
the conduct of civilized nations in their
intercourse with each other after the trea
ty of amity, commerce, and navigation
of the 5th of April, 1S31, was conclud
ed between tho two republics ; but this
hope soon proved to bo vain. The
course of seizure and confiscation of the
property of our citizens, tho violation of
uieir persons ana mc insults 10 our nag
pursued fy Mexico previous to that
time, wero scarcely suspended for even
a brief Period, although th treaty so
clearly defines the rights and duties of
the respective parties that it is impossi
ble (o misunderstand or mistake them.
In less than seven years after the conclu
sion of that treaty our grievances had
become 60 intolerable that, in the opin
ion of President Jaclcnon, they should
no longer bo endured. In his message
to .Congress in February, 1837, he pre
sented them to the consideration of that
body, and declared that "The length of
umo sujcc tsuuic oi uic injuries nave
becij'4committed, tho repeated and una
vailing applications for redress, the wan
ton" character of some of the outrages
upon the property and persons of our
citizens, upon the officers and flag of the
United States, independent of recent in
sults to this government and people by
the late extraordinary Mexican minister,
would justify in the eyes of all nations
immediate war." In a spirit of kindness
and! forbearance, however, he recom
mended reprisals as a milder mode of
redres ' He declared that war should
not bo used as a ? remedy by just and
generous nations, ; confiding in their
strength for injuries committed, if it can
be honorablv avoided," and added, ' "it
has occurred to me that, considering the
present embarrassed condition of that
ebtuitryV wo should) act with both wis
dom and moderation, by giving to Mex
ico one more opportunity to atone for
the past before w ;Uke.rcdjrcs into pur
own hands., To- avoid all . misconcep
tion on the part of Mexico, as weir as to
protect our own national character from
reproach, this,, opportunity should j. be
given with the avowed design and jfull
Mi 1
preparation to take immediate satisfac
tion, if it should not be obtained on a
repetition of the demand for it, To" this
end I recommend that an act be passed
authorizing reprisals, and the use of the
naval force of the United States, by thb
Executive, against Mexico, to enforce
them in the event of a refusal by the
Mexican government to come to an ami
cable adjustment of the matters in con
troversy between us, upon another de
mand thereof, made from on board one
of our vesself of war on tho coast of
Mexico."
Committees ' of both houses of Con
gress, to which this message of this
President was referred, fully sustained
his views of the character of the wrongs
which he had suffered from Mexico, and
recommended that another demand tor
redress should be made before authori
zing war or reprisals. The Committee
on Foreign Relations of tho Senate, in
their report, say : " After such a de
mand, should prompt justice be . refused
by the Mexican government, we , may
appeal to all nations not only for the
equity and moderation with which we
shall have acted towards a sister repub
lic, but for the ncccssty which will then
compel us to seek redress for our wrongs,
either by actual war or by reprisals.
The subject will then be presented be
fore Congress, at the commencement of
the next session, in a clear and distinct
form ; and the committee cannot doubt
but that such measures will be immedi
ately adopted as may lie necessary to
vindicate the honor of the country, and
insure ample reparation to our injured
citizens "
The Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the House of Representatives made a
similar recommendation. In their re
port, they say that they " fully concur
with the President that ample cause ex
ists tor taking redress into our own
hands, and believe that wc should le
justified in the opinion of other nations
for taking such a step. But they arc
willing to try the experiment of another
demand, made in the most solemn form,
upon the justice of the Mexican govern
ment, before any further proceedings
are adopted."
No difference of opinion upon the sub
ject is believed to have existed in Con
gress at that time ; the Executive and i
Legislative departments concurred ; and
yet such has been our forbearance, and
desire to preserve peace with Mexico,
that the wrongs of which we then com
plained, and which gavo rise to these
solemn proceedings, not only remain un
redressed to this day, but additional
causes of complaint, of an aggravated
character, have ever since been accumu
lating. Shortly after those proceedings, a spe
cial messenger was despatched to Mexi
co, to make a final demand for redress ;
and on the twentieth of July, 1837, the
demand was made. Tho reply of the
Mexican government bears date on the
twenty-ninth of the same month, and
contains assurances of the "anxious
wish" of the Mexican government "not
to delay tho moment of that final and
equitable adjustment which is to termi
nate the existing difficulties between the
two governments ;n that " nothing
should be left undone which may con
tribute to the most speedy and equitable
detenu ination of the subjects which have
so seriously engaged the attention of the
American government that the "Mex
ican government would adopt, as the
only guides for its conduct, the plainest
finnciples of public right, the sacred ob
igations imposed by international law,
and the religious faith of treaties :" and
that " whatever reason and justice 'may
dictate respecting each case will be
done." The assurance was further giv
en, that the decision of the Mexican
government upon each cause of com
plaint, for which redress had been de
manded, should be communicated to the
government of the United States by the
Mexican Minister at Wsshington.
These solemn assurances,' in answer
to our demand for redress, were disre
garded. By making them, however,
Mexico obtamed further dclatf. , Presi
dent Van Buren, in his annual message
to Congress of tho . fifth of December,
1837. states, that .1- although fhb larger
number" of our demands for redress, and
"many of them aggravated cases of
personal wrongs, have ": been how for
years before tho - Mexican government,
and sonic of tho causes of national com
plaint, and those of thb most "offensive
character, admitted of immediate, sim
ple, and wUdactory replies, ; it is only
wiuinau&w'xlavs past that any specific
communication in answer to our last de
mand, made five months ago, has been
reccivcu irom tne juexican mimsicr;
and that " for not one of our public com
plaints has satisfaction been given or of
fered g that but one of the cases of per
sonal: wrong has been favorably consid
ered, iand that but four cases of both de
scriptions, out of all those formerly pre
sented, and earnestly pressed, have as
yet been decided upon by tho Mexican
government." President Van Ihiren,
believing that it would be vain to make
any former attempt to obtain redress by
the ordinary means within the power of
the Executive, communicated this opin
ion to Congress, in the message referred
to, in which he said: "On a careful
and deliberate examination of the con
tents," (of the correspondence with the
Mexican government,) " and considering
the spirit manifested by the Mexican
government, it has become my painful
duty to return the subject as it now
stands, to Congress, to whom it belongs,
ttfr decide upon the time, the mode, and'
tho. measure of redress." Had the Uni
ted States at that time adopted compul
sory measures, and taken redress into
their own hands, all our difficulties with
Mexico would probably have been long
since adjusted, and the existing war have
been averted. Magnanimity and mod
eration on our part only had the effect
to complicate tlicso difficulties, and ren
der an amicable settlement of them the
more embarrassing. That such meas
ures of redress, under similar provoca
tions, committed by any of tho power
ful nations of Europe, would have been
promptly resorted to by the U. States,
cannot be doubted. The national honor,
and the preservation, of the national
character throughout the world, as well
as our own self-respect and the protec
tion due to our own citizens, would have
rendered such a rcso.t indispensable.
The history of no civilized nation in
modern times has presented within so
brief a period so many wanton attacks
upon the hojior of its flag, and upon the
property and persons of its citizens, as
had at that time been borne by the Uni
ted States from the Mexican authorities
and people. But Mexico was a sister
republic, on the North American conti
nent occupying a territory contiguous to
our own, and was in a feeble and dis
tracted condition ; and these considera
tions, it is presumed, induced Congress
to forbear still longer.
Instead of taking redress into our own
hands, a new negotiation was entered
upon with fair promises on tho part of
Mexico, but with the real purpose, as the
event has proved, of indefinitely Jst
poning the reparation which wc deman
ded, and which was so justly duo.
This negotiation, after more than a
year's delay, resulted in the convention
of the eleventh of April, 1839, " for the
adjustment of claims of citizens of the
United States of America upon the gov
ernment of the Mexican Republic."
The joint board of commissioners crea
ted by this convention to examine and
decide upon these claims was not organ
ized until the month of August, 1810,
and under the terms of the convention
they were to terminate their duties withr
in eighteen months from that time.
Four of the eighteen months were con
sumed in preliminary discussions on friv
olous and dilatory joints raised by the
Mexican commissioners ; and it was not
until the month of D ecember, 1810, that
they commenced the examination of tho
claims of our citizens upon Mexico.
Fourteen mouths only remained to ex
amine and decide upon these numerous
and complicated cases. In the mouth
of February, 1812. the tenn ofthefom
mission expired, leaving inany claims
undisposed of for want of time. The
claims which were allowed by the board,
and by the umpire authorized by the
convention to decide in case of disagree
ment between the Mexican and Ameri
can commissioners, amounted to two
million twenty-six thousand ono hun
dred and thirty-nino dollars and sixty-
eight cents. There were penamg rjeiore
the umpire when the commission ex
pired additional claims which had been
examined and awarded by the American
Commissioners, and had not been allow
ed by the Mexican commissioners, a-
mountina to hLue-hundred and twenty
eight thousand six hundred and twenty
seven dollan arid eighty-eight . cents,
upon which he did not decide alleging
that his authority had ceased with tho
termination of the joint commission.
Besides these claims, there were others
of American citizens amounting to three
million' threo hundred and thirty-ctx
thousand eighfh.undrcd and thirty-scveri
dollars jind fivo cents, which, hau,bccn
submitted to tho tward, and upon which
4.
they had not time to decide before their
final adjourmncnti' f i ; (
The mini of twb million twcntyH&c
thousand one hundred ami thirty-n ino
dollars and sixty-eight cents which had
been awarded to the claimants, was a
outdated and ascertained debt duo by
Mexico, about which there could be no
dispute, and which she was bound to
pay according to the terms of the con
vention. Soon after the final awards for
this amount liad been made, the Mexi
can government asked for a postpone
ment ot the timo of the time of making
payment, alleging that it would be in
convenient to make the payment at the
time stipulated. In the spint of forbear
ing kindness towards a sister republic,
which M exlco.hr.s so long , abused, the
United States promptly' complied with
ner requesr. a second convention was
accordingly concluded between the two
governments on the thirtieth of Janua
ry 1813, which upon its face declares
I' that this new arrangement is entered
into for the accommodation of 3exico."
By the terms of tins convention, all the
interests due on the awards which had
Iwen made in favor of the claimants
under the convention of the eleventh of
April, 1839. was to Iks paid to them
the thirtieth of April, 1843, and the
principal of the said awards, and the
interest accruing thereon," was stipula
ted to " be paid in fivo years, in ecinal
instalments every three months." Not
withstanding this new convention was
entered into at the request of .Mexico,
and for the purpose of relieving her from
embarrassment, tho claimants have only
received the interest due on the thirtieth
of April, 1843, and three of tho twenty
instalments. A ltiough the payment of
the sum thus liquidated, ana confessed
ly due by Mexico to our citizens as in
demnity for acknowled acts of outrage
and wrong, was secured by treaty, the
obligations of which are ever held sa
cred by all just nations, yet Acxico has
violated this solemn engagement by fail
ing and refusing to raako the payment
The two instalments due in April and
July, 1844, uuder the peculiar circum
stances connected with them, have been
assumed by the United States and dis-
cnargeu to tile claimants, hut they are
still duo by Afexico. But this is not all
of which we have iust cause of com
plaint. To provide a remedy for the
claimants whose cases were not decided
by the joint commission under the con
vention of April the eleventh, 1839, it
was expressly stipulated by the sixth ar
ticle of the convention of the thirtieth of
January, 18-13, that wa new convention
shall be entered into for the settlement
of all claims of the government and Cit
izens of the United States against the re
public of Afoxico which was not finally
decided by the lato commission, which
met in the city of Washington, and of
all claims of the government and Citi
zens of Afexico against the United
States."
Ia conformity with this stipulation, a
third convention was concluded and
signed at the city of Mexico on the twen
tieth of November, 1843, by the pleni
potentiaries of the two governments, by
which provision was made lor ascertain
ing and paying these claims. t In Janua
ry, 1844, this convention was'ratified by
the Senate of the united States with
two amendments, which Were manifest
ly reasonable in their character. Upon
a reference of the amendments proposed
to the government of Mexico, the same
evasions, difficulties, ami delays were
interposed which liave so long marked
the policy of that government towards
the Uiuted States. It has not even yet
decided whether it would or would not
accede to them, although the subject has
been repeatedly pressed upon its conside
ration. Mexico has thus violated a second
time the faith of treaties, by failing or
refusing to carry into effect the sixth ar
ticle of the convention of January, 1343.
Such is the history of the wrongs
which wc have sujfercd and pauenuy
endured from Mexico through a long se
ries of years. So far from affording rea
sonable satisfaction for the injuries and
insults wo had borne, a great aggrava-.
tion of them consists in the fact. that
while the United States, anxioui to pre
serve a good understanding with Mexi
co, have been constantly- but vainly,
employed in seeking redress. for past
wronjrs, new outrages were constantly
occurring, which have 'continued to in
crease our causes of' complaint and id
swell the amount of our demands.-
While the citizens "of fthe United States
were conducting a lawful', commcrco
with Mexico under, "the . puranty of a
treaty of "amity, :":"
gation," many of them have r;
1.
tne injuries which won! t hare
' 1
Iff.
rem open war. . Thi.1 treaty, i.
affording protection to our cit;z
been the means of invmn:r t'.er.i i.." t r
ports of Mexico, that they rr.: ;?.t V-, . ?
they have been in numcrons i:i: -.cf v
plundered of their property and d r ri ; . V
oi ineir PCTSonar urjerxy u tney C.: I
insist ort their tkhts. H id the Unlavr '
fid seizurci bf American property,
tho violation ;of personal liberty of our;
citizens, to lay noinuig oi me msuiu ui
. J .t! r . . .
our flag which have occurred In the porta
cf Mexfetj; taken ''lacebn the hi'sh seas,
they would themselves long since haro)
constituted; a state; of actual Wiuf bcj
i ween ine iwo counincs , in so long siav
icring, wexico, ip, vioiaw , ncrmo:ii sot
emn treaty pbhgatfonv plunder our citi
zens of their prppcrty, and imprison thcic
persons Without' affording them any rcj
dress, 'we have tailed to perform one of
urc ursi uh uignes. uuiics wincn every r
government owes to its citizens; and the
consequence has .been Jha,t triany bf
tnem nave been reduced fym a atatc of
affluence to lhknij&
name of American tttrxeny which ought
to protect all who bear it from insult and'
injury throughput the world,; has afford
ed no such nroteWfort Ut
Mexico' Wo had; ample Cause of War"
against Mcxicdlong befofef the breaking
out of hostilities. ,; Rut everi then we for,
bore to take rwlreis luto'our 'o,n'Ti haridsC.
A't '.!' t. . 1 .-IK. A-',.
unui Mexico nerseir, occamc we aggress
sor by invading pursoiUnhbstila amy.
and shedding tha blood pf out citizens!
suet! am inert grara causes; ot; com
plaint on the part of thci United ;Statesi
against AfexicoaOscs which ' existed'
long before tho annexation of Texas ton
tho American Union j and yet, animal
ted by the love of peace-'ana it itaa'giia
nimons moderation,: we; did f not " adopt
those measures of redress which; tmdef'
such circumstahcesarethe juifiedre-f
sort of injured hauonS.u', J;'
The annexation of Texas to the Urn-
ted States constituted no just cause bf of-t
fence to JexRiTh;. pietex4'tliai ft
did so is wholly mconistcntandfrrc
concilable with well amb.enncate'focts
connected with the revolution by which?
Texas became fad(?pcn&cnt, of jcxica
That this.may be the xn( mawtdst.
.... . . JiA i. a,a!
may uuwuifi w . outer' u jtie. cause
cieftt province of lJouisiahcedcd to the'
United States by France in -the yea'
1803. In the year '1819, the United
States, by the Florida; treaty, ceded to
Spain all that part of Louisiana within,
the present limits of Texas : and Mcxi.
co, by the Revolution Which 'Separated- -her
from Spain, and rendered ner an io.
dependent nation, succeeded to the right
of the mother country over this 'territory.
in the year 1821. Mexico cstabhshftd "i
federal constitution, under - which' tho '
Mexican Republlc , was-' cYimpted;f av-
number oi sovereign States, confcdcraf-i.
A,".,- ' A A.
ed together in a federal Unkni similar to '
our own. Each of these States had itr
and to the history of the 'principal events
of mat revolution. Mf. ' -y tffzy
Texas constituted a portron oftha ant
own Excctitive, Iiegisiature,; Snd judici4
ary, and, for all except federal purpose:;;::
was as independent of the general govv
enimcnt, and lhatof the other States, as,
is reiinsyivania ; or . irgima, unucr ;, our,
constitution.'! Texas and Coahuna'unirr )
ted and formed one ot, these lexical-:',
States. The State constixution 'which.
they adopted and which, was approve i'!
by tho McxicahcpruWera?arrL.i '
that they were free and independent cfA ' '
the other Mexican United State?, andt
every other power ftud dominion whdt
soever8 f and proclaimed "UieTg real prui
Ciple of human liberty, that'wtfie the $oJ
vereignty of the StatcTrcsidcs originally ..'
and essentially id ' the general mass of? j;
the individuals Whpl 'compose it. T
the government uuder this constitution
as well as to that tnider thcfedsral, com,
stitution, the people, of Texas ewed al . c;
legiance,. ;v Ji; 1 4 . -
hralgTants trom foreierx tUUntric?, it:'
eluding the United States, Were iaritctL :
by the cotonrzation la ws cf the State ; :,
of the federal government to 'Settle int ;
Texas. Advantageous terms wcte cf
fercd to induce them to leave their owHf
country and become Mcxicanrcitlzcns-
This mvitation was 'accepted by many
of our citizens, in tlie . full faith Uiat in
their new home tfiey would be govern
ed by laws'. "enacted try rmescntatiycii -
elected by, 'themselves, and, that theis, .
protected by constitutional puaranteics
similar to those whkh existed iu t!ie iW -
public they: had- IeO. I Under gorertM V
ment thus organised, they cod'iuuo ran i
til the year 1835, when a military rero V
lution broke out tn the city of Zlcxic6:
wjuch witirclysubvcrtcd the federal and S
State constitutions, and placed a mnitary
dictator at the head of the g6vtrr.:.icnt.. ,
'I By a sweeping decree of. a Congress
subservient to the will i , t!.o Uictator,"
the sevcraVState constitutions wcte a
bolishcd, and the-Statcs Cxn, , Ives Voh2 .t
verted info mere dej :r t3 of the
Central Government Hie k pIo of
Texas were unwilling .tovrubnut to this
cox t i kvk r o?i rov ar tr
t '