municate it to the president of these States, that in consequence of this law, against which he has just protested, his mission near this government has ceased from this day. Wherefore, the undersigned prays the honorable secretary of state to be pleased to deliver him his passports, as he has made arrangements to leave this city, [Washington,] without delay, for New York."

This was the first position of Mexico after annexation. It was one of complaint and protest.

The secretary of state, on the 10th day of March, 1845, advised General Almonte, that he had submitted his protest made in the name of his government, to the president, and he was instructed, in answer, to say, "that the admission of Texas as one of the States of this Union, having received the sanction, both of the legislative and executive departments of the government, is now irrevocably decided, so far as the United States are concerned. Nothing but the refusal of Texas to ratify the terms and conditions on which her admission depends, can defeat this object. It is, therefore, too late, at present, to re-open a discussion which has already been exhausted, and again to prove that Texas has long since achieved her independence of Mexico, and now stands before the world, both de jure and de facto, as a sovereign and independent State amid the family of nations. Sustaining this character, and having manifested a strong desire to become one of the members of our confederacy, neither Mexico nor any other nation will have just cause of complaint against the United States for admitting her into this Union."

This was the position of the United States. It was one of justification and defence.

Having before us the two nations in their respective positions of complaint and defence, we propose to review their spirit of conciliation and of hostility, as manifested by their acts prior to the commencement of the war. We will first turn our attention to

THE DISPOSITIONS OF MEXICO, AS MANIFESTED TOWARDS THE UNITED STATES.

Although it is not our design, in this connection, to notice events prior to March, 1845, it may be proper, perhaps, to advert to the assumed position of Mexico, in regard to annexation, in 1843 and 1844.

Under date of August 23, 1843, the Mexican minister of foreign relations, in the name of his government, addressed to our minister in Mexico, the following language:-*

"The Mexican government will consider equivalent to a declaration of war against the Mexican Republic, the passage of an act for the incorporation of Texas with the territory of the United States, the certainty of the fact being sufficient for the proclamation of war, leaving to the civilized world to determine with regard to the justice of the cause of the Mexican nation in a struggle which it has been so far from provoking."

On the 12th of June, 1844, just two months after the signature by Mr. Calhoun of the treaty for the annexation of Texas, Santa Anna, then the president of Mexico, announced to the government of the United States, "that Mexico was resolved again to undertake vigorously the campaign against Texas, for which she held in readiness a large army," and further expressed the determination of Mexico upon the point, as follows:

"That in no manner will she consent to dismember territory; rather will she carry the war to any extreme which may be necessary to sustain her rights; and that as nations do not die, the right of reconquering that territory shall remain to our children and our grandchildren; that this was the opinion of the government and of the Mexicans."

* See the able speech of Hon. Mr. Downs, delivered in the U. S. Senate, January, 1848, from which we have copied some details to 1844.

This declaration was followed up by Santa Anna, by issuing, in the same month, (June, 1844,) a requisition for thirty thousand men, and $4,000,000, to " carry on the war against Texas." Generals Canalizo and Woll were placed in command of the force raised upon this requisition, and, having advanced to Mier, on the Texan frontier, Woll, at the head of his invading army, put forth a general order, under date of June 20, 1844, menacing "every individual within one league of the left bank of the Rio del Norte with the traitor's doom."

Mr. Bocanegra, then the Mexican minister of foreign relations, styled the act of Congress providing for annexation, in his circular letter to the various European ministers then resident in Mexico, under date of May 31, 1844, 66 a declaration of war between the two nations."

In his message of December, 1845, the president of the United States says,

"On the 6th day of March last, the Mexican envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the United States made a formal protest, &c. Our envoy extraordinary to Mexico was refused all official intercourse with that government, and, after remaining several months, by the permission of his own government he returned to the United States. Thus, by the acts of Mexico, all diplomatic intercourse between the two countries was suspended.

"Since that time Mexico has, until recently, occupied an attitude of hostility towards the United States—has been marshalling and organizing armies, issuing proclamations, and avowing the intention to make war on the United States, either by an open declaration, or by invading Texas."

In a letter from Mr. Donelson to Mr. Buchanan, dated June 2, 1845, it is stated, "It is believed that Mexico is concentrating troops on the Rio Grande."

with Mexico as inevitable

Again, on the 4th of June, 1845, he says, "I look upon war a war dictated by the British minister here, for the purpose of defeating annexation."

Mr. Donelson to Mr. Allen, June 11, 1845.

"The minister of the foreign affairs of Mexico, when asking for the authorization of the chambers to negotiate with Texas on the basis of her independence, at the same time declared that the army on the Rio Grande would be reinforced, and the agency that obtained and brought back to this government the declaration that the door is open for negotiation of a definitive treaty between the two nations, brought also the formal notification that this door will be closed again if Texas consents in any manner to the resolution passed by the Congress of the United States on the subject of annexation. Thus is it made difficult for Texas, even had her judgment led her to reject the overture for her admission into the Federal Union, to accept the propositions of Mexico, without incurring the imputation of being awed by an armed force, kept avowedly upon her frontier to commence hostilities, if her decision should be different from that prescribed for her.”

Mr. Donelson to Mr. Buchanan, June 23, 1845.

"Mexico, however, has threatened a renewal of the war for the whole of TEXAS, if she accepts the proposals for annexation to the Union."

CHAGRIN OF MEXICO HER MODE OF WARFARE.

Mr. Allen to Mr. Donelson, June 26, 1845.

"But the very preference manifested by the government and people of Texas for annexation to the great republican confederacy, and for a participation in the benefits and efficacy of her free institutions, when contrasted with the alternative of separate and acknowledged independence, and when the latter alternative was commended to the acceptance of the nation by the partiality of mighty powers, must be mortifying to the pride of Mexico, and may very probably induce her to commence against this country sudden and active hostilities. For

the last six or eight years her warfare has consisted of irregu lar incursions across our western frontier, her forces entering and retiring from our territory at wide and uncertain intervals of time, and occasioning ruin and distress along the immediate line of their marches. A new irruption of this kind may now be reasonably expected."

Mr. Donelson to General Taylor, June 28, 1845.

" If any reliance is to be placed upon the threats of Mexico, and upon the advice which we may presume will be given by the French and British governments, an invasion of Texas may be confidently anticipated."

On the 12th and 16th of July, the Mexican secretary of war issued circulars, requiring the officers of the army to raise the requisite number of troops to wage war against the United States. We have placed copies of these circulars in our Appendix.*

On the 12th of August, 1845, General Arista addressed his troops in the following language:

"Comrades: The supreme executive has sent to me, by express, the news that the United States, in pursuance of their ambitious views, having taken possession of the department of Texas, he had demanded a declaration of war from Congress against that unjust nation.

"The time to fight is come. We must prepare with the ardor inspired by duty and patriotism, when an attack is made upon the soil, the honor, and the pride of the nation.

"Arms are the only arguments to use AGAINST BANDITTI and men without good faith. Let us hope for that justice which is invoked by all society, and the decision of the civilized world. Our lot will be envied by the rest of the army; we are nearest to the theatre of war; we are the first to avenge the outrages on our country, and to ravish from the usurpers the object of their rapines. Large bodies of troops are on their march; they will soon be here, to share our dangers and repulse the enemy."

* See Appendix K.