of the Mexican Congress, and the self-applauding congratulations of the French minister, who coveted the honor of its accomplishment as one of the triumphs of "his diplomatic career," he hastened to electrify all Texas with its announcement to the government and people. But after all his zeal, and all his efforts at diplomacy, he was doomed to the mortifying disappointment of witnessing the cold indifference with which all his labors were received by the government of Texas, under the veil of official courtesy. Meantime, President Jones could do no less than to reciprocate the courteous congratulations of the Baron de Cyprey; returning thanks "for his kindness and courtesy," no less than for "his valuable services, in producing a result" so fraught with advantage to Texas. "Should the result," said President Jones, "be the establishment of a good understanding and a lasting peace between the governments of Texas and Mexico, with the concurrence of their people, the cause of humanity will assuredly be greatly indebted to your efforts in its behalf.” Still further to humor the vanity of the French minister, to thence find yourself in a situation to name commissioners to negotiate with Mexico the definitive treaty between Mexico and Texas. The success which has crowned our efforts has only been obtained by much management of susceptibilities. But I should say that the dispositions of the executive power have never appeared doubtful to me, and that they give me the hope of a solution proper to satisfy the two parties and to assure their reciprocal well-being. If, in the course which must be given to this affair, I can contribute to the wise views and sound policy which animate your excellency, I shall lend myself to it with so much the more zeal that it relates to the accomplishment of a work useful to humanity; and if the result answers to our hopes, I shall consider the part which I have taken in it as one of the deeds for which I may most applaud myself in my diplomatic career. Receive, Mr. President, the assurances of the high consideration with which I am your excellency's Very humble and most obedient servant, Mexico, 20th May, 1845. BARON ALLEYE DE CYPREY. His excellency Mr. ANSON JONES, President of the Republic of Texas, &c., &c. [TRANSLATION.] STEPHEN Z. HOYLE, Translator. The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of his Majesty the King of the French, and minister plenipotentiary of her Britannic majesty, certify that the above copy conforms with the original, which has been presented to them by Mr. Elliott, H. B. M. chargé d'affaires to Texas. [L. S.] Mexico, 20th May, 1845. BARON ALLEYE DE CYPREY, These documents are among the official papers accompanying the ratification of the final act of annexation, published in the Weekly Union at Washington city. flatter the officiousness of the intermeddling British chargé, and to lull apprehension with the treacherous Mexicans, the President of Texas, in a proclamation to the people of Texas, announced the cessation of hostilities between the two governments, consequent upon the agreement of the Mexican government to the "articles preliminary to a definitive treaty of peace." The Mexican government accordingly suspended its hostile demonstrations against Texas. Meantime, the President of Texas, well convinced of the unconquerable aversion of the Congress and people of Texas to any political connection with Mexico, and of their unchangeable attachment to the government and people of the United States, and conscious, also, of "the very ridiculous position in which Elliott had placed his government by his ex parte negotiation of this treaty," determined to submit the whole negotiation, together with the joint resolutions from the United States, to the Congress of Texas, as well as to the people in general convention subsequently, for their final action and decision upon the same. On the 21st of June, the government of Texas, by a joint resolution of both Houses, unanimously adopted, ratified, and confirmed the assent of Texas to the propositions for annexation contained in the joint resolutions of the United States, which had been transmitted by the hands of Andrew J. Donelson, American chargé des affaires to Texas. The Texan Congress proceeded to make provision, by law, for the consummation of the annexation so far as Texas was concerned. The British chargé, perceiving the futility of all his schemes of diplomacy, retired into his proper sphere, stripped of the imaginary honors which he, with Sir Charles Bankhead and the Baron Alleye de Cyprey, had gained by their diplomatic proficiency. Among the provisions enacted by the Texan Congress for the final ratification of the annexation, was that of a general convention of delegates, representing the whole Republic, for the purpose of adopting a state Constitution for the contemplated "State of Texas," preparatory to its formal admission into the American Union "upon an equal footing with the original states." The Convention assembled at the town of Austin on the 4th day of July, and at one o'clock P.M. of that day the unani mous vote of that body declared the assent of the sovereign people of Texas to the terms and conditions contained in the joint resolutions of the United States. This assent, in fact, consummated the annexation on the part of Texas, and made that country an integral portion of the United States.* * The following copy of the "Ordinance" of the Convention of Texas comprises also the joint resolutions of the United States: AN ORDINANCE. Whereas, the Congress of the United States of America has passed resolutions providing for the annexation of Texas to that Union, which resolutions were approved by the President of the United States on the first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and forty-five; and whereas the President of the United States has submitted to Texas the first and second sections of the said resolutions as the basis upon which Texas may be admitted as one of the states of the said Union; and whereas the existing government of the Republic of Texas has assented to the proposals thus made, the terms and conditions of which are as follows: Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States. "Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress doth consent that the territory properly included within, and rightly belonging to, the Republic of Texas, may be erected into a new state, to be called the State of Texas, with a Republican form of government, to be adopted by the people of said Republic, by deputies in convention assembled, with the consent of the existing government, in order that the same may be admitted as one of the states of this Union. "2. And be it further resolved, That the foregoing consent of Congress is given upon the following conditions, and with the following guarantees, to wit: "First. Said state to be formed subject to the adjustment by this government of all questions of boundary that may arise with other governments; and the Constitution thereof, with the proper evidence of its adoption by the people of said Republic of Texas, shall be transmitted to the President of the United States, to be laid before Congress for its final action, on or before the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and forty-six. "Second. Said state, when admitted into the Union, after ceding to the United States all public edifices, fortifications, barracks, ports, and harbors, navy, and navy-yards, docks, magazines, arms, and armaments, and all other property and means pertaining to the public defense belonging to the said Republic of Texas, shall retain all the public funds, debts, taxes, and dues of every kind which may belong to, or be due and owing to the said Republic; and shall also retain all the vacant and unappropriated lands lying within its limits, to be applied to the payment of the debts and liabilities of said Republic of Texas; and the residue of said lands, after discharging said debts and liabilities, to be disposed of as said state may direct, but in no event are said debts and liabilities to become a charge upon the government of the United States. "Third. New states of convenient size, not exceeding four in number, in addition to said State of Texas, and having sufficient population, may hereafter, by the consent of said state, be formed out of the territory thereof, which shall be entitled to admission under the provisions of the Federal Constitution. And such states as may be formed out of that portion of said territory lying south of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north latitude, commonly known as the Missouri compromise line, shall be admitted into the Union, with or without slavery, as the people of each state asking admission may desire. And in such state, or states, as shall be formed out of said territory, north of said Missouri compromise line, slavery or involuntary servitude (except for crime) shall be prohibited." Now, in order to manifest the assent of the people of this Republic, as required in the above recited portions of the said resolutions, The Convention proceeded to the labors of framing a state Constitution, which was finally adopted, and submitted to the consideration of the American Congress for their approval and ratification at the session of 1845 and 1846. Meantime, the government of Mexico, apprised of the determination of the Texan Congress on the subject of annexation, and which was a just criterion for the decision of the Convention, had resolved to take active measures for the invasion of the country east of the Rio del Norte. Chagrined that all the means put into operation had been unsuccessful in defeating the annexation to the United States, the government of Mexico began to make every demonstration of active hostilities against the United States for the recovery and subjugation of Texas eastward to the Sabine. Great military preparations were made in all the departments subject to the central gov ernment, while large bodies of troops were gradually advanced toward Matamoros on the Rio del Norte. Before the middle of August, the advanced detachments of the Mexican army had arrived at Monterey, within two hundred and twenty miles of Matamoros, while the declarations of the Mexican government, published at and near the city of Mexico, asserted that war would be prosecuted vigorously for the recovery of Texas.* We, the deputies of the people of Texas, in convention assembled, in their name and by their authority, do ordain and declare, that we assent to and accept the proposals, conditions, and guarantees contained in the first and second sections of the resolutions of the Congress of the United States aforesaid. THOS. J. RUSK, President. Phil. M. Cuny, H. G. Runnels, Robert M. Forbes, Sam. Lusk, Jno. Caldwell, Jose Antonio Navarro, Geo. M. Brown, George T. Wood, G. W. Wright, H. R. Latimer, John M. Lewis, James Scott, Archibald M'Neill, A. C. Horton, Gustavus A. Everts, Lemuel Dale Evans, J. B. Miller, R. E. B. Baylor, J. S. Mayfield, R. Bache, James Love, William L. Hunter, John D. Anderson, Isaac Parker, P. O. Lumpkin, Francis Moore, Sr., Isaac W. Brashear, Alexander M'Gowan, Isaac Van Zant, S. Holland, Edward Clark, Geo. W. Smyth, James Armstrong, Francis W. White, James Davis, Israel Standefer, Jos. L. Hogg, Chas. S. Taylor, David Gage, Henry S. Jewett, Cavitt Armstrong, James Bower, Albert H. Latimer, Wm. C. Young, J. Pinckney Henderson, Nicholas H. Darnell, Emery Rains, A. W. O. Hicks, James M. Burroughs, H. L. Kinney, William L. Cazneau, A. S. Cunningham, Abner S. Lipscomb, John Hemphill, Van R. Irion. (Attest) Adopted July 4th, 1845. JAS. H. RAYMOND, Secretary of the Convention. The first state Legislature of Texas assembled at Austin on Friday, Feb. 20th, 1846. General Burleson was elected President of the Senate, and Mr. Crump, of Austin county, Speaker of the House of Representatives. * On the 21st of July the Mexican minister of foreign affairs addressed a report to the Congress in behalf of the government, strongly recommending war for the recovery of Texas in case the plan of annexation to the United States is consummated. This report closes with submitting the following proposition by the minister: To secure the border inhabitants from the horrors of war, and the country from hostile invasion, the Convention, on the 7th of August, by a resolution of their body, in the name of the people of Texas, had requested the President of the United States to send troops without delay to the western frontier. Under these circumstances, the president, viewing Texas as an integral part of the Union, threatened with foreign invasion, caused a portion of the Federal troops to concentrate near the western frontier of Texas, as an army of observation and occupancy. Before the middle of August, detachments of mounted dragoons, infantry, and field artillery were advancing into Texas in every direction from the Valley of the Mississippi. On the 27th of August, General Taylor, from Fort Jessup, at the head of about two thousand men, including Colonel Twigg's regiment of dragoons, and Major Ringgold's flying artillery, arrived at Corpus Christi, on the west side of the Nueces, where his headquarters were established until the middle of March following, when, in obedience to orders from the government, he advanced toward the Rio del Norte. Meantime, the assent of Texas, as expressed through the existing government and the sovereign people in convention assembled, having been given to the terms proposed by the United States, the president proceeded to take the necessary steps and measures for consummating the annexation for the final ratification of Congress, and the formal admission of Texas into the Union on an equal footing with the original states. In his annual message of December, 1845, President Polk submitted the whole subject to Congress for their consideration. The following is a brief extract from the message: "The terms of annexation which were offered by the United States having been accepted by Texas, the public faith of both parties is solemnly pledged to the compact of their union. "His excellency, the president, at a council of the ministers, and with their full assent, has been pleased to order me to address the chamber in the following terms, as approved by the council: "Article 1. From the moment when the supreme government shall know that the department of Texas has annexed itself to the American Union, or that troops from the Union have invaded it, it shall declare the nation at war with the United States of North America. "Article 2. The object of this war shall be to secure the integrity of the Mexican Territory, according to its ancient limits, acknowledged by the United States in treaties from the year 1828 to 1836, and to insure the independence of the nation. "God and Liberty! "Merico, July 21, 1845." VOL. II.-P P LUIS G. CUEVAS. |