that I would attend to receive the same accordingly; to which I consented; but, about four o'clock in the afternoon of that day, I received a note from Mr. Monasterio, chief clerk of the foreign department, advising me that the minister could not receive me that night (as agreed on) on account of it having been determined to hear the opinion of the government council on the subject of the arrival of the minister from the United States; but as soon as he was ready for the conference arranged with me, he would have the pleasure to advise me, as will be seen by a copy of said note, which I transmit herewith.

"On Saturday evening, the 13th instant, at the request of Mr. Slidell, I called on the Mexican minister, Señor Peña, at his house to inquire when an answer would be given to his (Mr. Slidell's) aforesaid note. He replied, that the affair had been submitted to the government council, in a special session of this day, and that it had been referred to a committee, and that as soon as the committee made a report, and the council should decide, he would then advise me, through Mr. Monasterio, when he was ready for the conference to present to me the answer for Mr. Slidell; as he said when he came to examine the credentials of Mr. S. he found them to be the same as those presented by Mr. Shannon, and other former ministers

as a minister to reside near the government of Mexico, just as if there had been no suspension of the diplomatic and friendly rela tions between the two governments; that the Mexican government understood the present mission to be a special mission, and confined to the differences in relation to the Texas question, and not as a mission to reside near the Mexican government, as in ordinary cases; that of course would follow when the first question was decided.

"I replied, that as I understood it, the Mexican government had not only agreed to receive an envoy, intrusted with full powers to settle the questions in dispute in relation to the affairs of Texas, but all the questions in dispute between the two governments, as proposed by the government of the United States. He replied, that the credentials of Mr. Slidell had not reference to any questions in dispute, but merely as a minister to reside near the Mexican government, without reference to any questions in dispute, just as if the diplomatic and friendly relations between the two governments had not been and were not interrupted; that I knew the critical situation of the Mexican government, and that it had to proceed with great

caution and circumspection in this affair; that the government itself was well disposed to arrange all differences.

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*

*

"He said he was happy to say that he had received very favorable information in relation to our minister, the Hon. Mr. Slidell; that he understood he was a person indued with excellent qualities, and an eminent lawyer; and as he himself was of that profession, they would be able to understand each other better, and that he would be much pleased to cultivate his acquaintance; and that if etiquette and the present state of affairs would permit, he would be happy to pay him a visit, even before he was presented to the government; and said he would advise me, through Mr. Monasterio, when he was ready to present to me the answer to Mr. Slidell's note.

"The foregoing, sir, is, as far as my recollection will serve, a true statement of what passed between the aforesaid Mexican minister and myself in the beforementioned interviews."

Q.

BOUNDARY OF TEXAS.

In his message of December, 1846, Mr. Polk says, –

"The Texas which was ceded to Spain by the Florida treaty of 1819, embraced all the country now claimed by the state of Texas between the Nueces and the Rio Grande. The republic of Texas always claimed this river as her western boundary, and in her treaty made with Santa Anna, in May, 1836, he recognized it as such. By the constitution which Texas adopted in March, 1836, senatorial and representative districts were organized extending west of the Nueces. The Congress of Texas, on the 19th of December, 1836, passed 'An act to define the boundaries of the republic of Texas,' in which they declared the Rio Grande, from its mouth to its source, to be their boundary, and by the said act they extended their 'civil and political jurisdiction' over the country up to that boundary. During a period of more than nine years, which intervened between the adoption of her constitution and her annexation as one of the States of our Union, Texas asserted and exercised many acts of sovereignty and jurisdiction over the territory and inhabitants west of the Nueces. She organized and defined the

limits of countries extending to the Rio Grande. She established courts of justice and extended her judicial system over the territory. She established a custom-house, and collected duties, and also post-offices and post roads, in it. She established a land office, and issued numerous grants for land, within its limits. A senator and a representative residing in it were elected to the Congress of the republic, and served as such before the act of annexation took place. In both the Congress and convention of Texas, which gave their assent to the terms of annexation to the United States, proposed by our Congress, were representatives residing west of the Nueces, who took part in the act of annexation itself. This was the Texas which, by the act of our Congress of the 29th of December, 1845, was admitted as one of the States of our Union. That the Congress of the United States understood the State of Texas, which they admitted into the Union, to extend beyond the Nueces is apparent from the fact, that on the 31st of December, 1845, only two days after the act of admission, they passed a law to establish a collection district in the State of Texas,' by which they created a port of delivery at Corpus Christi, situated west of the Nueces, and being the same point at which the Texas customhouse, under the laws of that republic, had been located, and directed that a surveyor to collect the revenue should be appointed for that port by the president, by and with the advice and consent of the senate. A surveyor was accordingly nominated, and confirmed by the senate, and has been ever since in the performance of his duties. All these acts of the republic of Texas, and of our Congress, preceded the orders for the advance of our army to the east bank of the Rio Grande. Subsequently, Congress passed an act'establishing certain post routes,' extending west of the NuThe country west of that river now constitutes a part of one of the congressional districts of Texas, and is represented in the house of representatives. The senators from that State were chosen by a legislature, in which the country west of that river was represented. In view of all these facts, it is difficult to conceive upon what ground it can be maintained that, in occupying the country west of the Nueces with our army, with view solely to its security and defence, we invaded the territory of Mexico. But it would have been still more difficult to justify the executive, whose duty it is to see that the laws be faithfully executed, if in the face of all these proceedings, both of the Congress of Texas

eces.

and of the United States, he had assumed the responsibility of yielding up the territory west of the Nueces to Mexico, or of refusing to protect and defend this territory and its inhabitants, including Corpus Christi, as well as the remainder of Texas, against the threatened Mexican invasion."

R.

PROCLAMATION OF GENERAL WOLL.

"HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY OF THE NORTH, Į MIER, June 20, 1844.

"I, Adrian Woll, general of brigade, &c., make known, "1. The armistice agreed on with the department of Texas having expired, and the war being, in consequence, recommenced against the inhabitants of that department, all communication with it ceases.

"2. Every individual, of whatever condition, who may contravene provisions of the preceding article, shall be regarded as a traitor, and shall receive the punishment prescribed in article 45, title 10, treatise 8, of the articles of war.

"3. Every individual who may be found at the distance of one league from the left bank of the Rio Bravo, will be regarded as a favorer and accomplice of the usurpers of that part of the national territory, and as a traitor to his country; and, after a summary military trial, shall receive the said punishment.

"4. Every individual who may be comprehended within the provisions of the preceding article, and may be rash enough to fly at the sight of any force belonging to the supreme government, shall be pursued until taken, or put to death.

"5. In consideration of the situation of the towns of Laredo and Santa Rita de Ampudia, as well as of all the farm-houses beyond the Rio Bravo, in which remain all the interests of the inhabitants of the line committed to my charge, I have this day received, from the supreme government, orders to determine the manner by which those interests are to be protected; but, until the determination of the supreme government be received, I warn all those who are beyond the limits here prescribed to bring them

within the line, or to abandon them, as those who disobey this order will infallibly suffer the punishment here established. "ADRIAN WOLL."

S.

EXTRACT FROM GENERAL RUSK'S SPEECH.

"I might here go back and array names that would command respect, and among them the names of such men as Mr. Monroe, Mr. Madison, Mr. Jefferson, and Mr. Clay, to establish the fact that the territory of Texas extended originally to the Rio Grande. But it is unnecessary for my present purpose to do so. The boundary of Texas, as now claimed, is the boundary established by revolution, and that boundary is the Rio Grande. ·

"Mexico, after having adopted constitutions, state and federal, conforming very nearly to those of the United States, passed liberal laws, and held out strong inducements to the people of every clime, to encourage the settlement of Texas. This was done, not so much for the benefit of those who might take up their abode within that district of country, as for the purpose of redeeming that valuable portion of her territory from the dominion of the savage, which Mexico had struggled to accomplish, but without success, for centuries past.

Before Austin went into Texas with his colonists, hostile Indians roamed in bands throughout the country, unrestrained. They were constantly committing depredations, robbing the people of their property, and carrying into abject bondage the women and children of the frontier settlements. For the purpose, then, of driving out this ruthless foe, were inducements held out to the colonists to settle there. Until the year 1834, with but few interruptions, there existed a state of peace and quietness. In that year Santa Anna, at the head of the military power, overthrew the constitution of 1824, abolished the state governments, and established one of the most tyrannical and absolute governments that ever existed. The government thus established by Santa Anna is misunderstood here — it was an absolute government. It is true that there was the name of a congress, but it was the name alone. The president was, in reality, the supreme dictator. He called a con