The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 17, July 1913 - April, 1914 Page: 70

The Southwestern Historical Quarterly

ties upon the part of either Government should be given to, the
other through Her Majesty's Representatives in Mexico. and Texas.
It is satisfactory to me to find that your opinions are concurrent
with my own upon the fallacy and impolicy of that part of General
Santa Afia's plan claiming an empty Sovereignty over Texas, and
thinking it possible that your dates from England may not be so
recent as my own, and that it may be convenient to. you at this Con-
juncture to know the impressions of Her Majesty's Government
upon the propositions sent on to this Country by Mr Robinson, I
have herewith the honor to transmit to you the Copy of a despatch
from Lord Aberdeen, received three days since, dated upon the
18th Ultimo.14
I would remark, here, that there has been some misconception as
to any opinion upon my part that a large party in Texas with a
view of doing what they thought best for them at the present
moment, might accept General Santa. Afia's proposition. I re-
marked indeed in a private communication to Mr Packenham that
it would not surprise me to find the project temporarily favored,
and I have heard that was the Case to a limited extent, and for a
brief space of time, but it was not my belief that it would be
countenanced for a moment by the Government of the Republic, or
indeed steadily, by any considerable part of the people. My obser-
vations upon that part of the subject were intended generally to
sustain my own impression that a cessation of hostilities was very
desirable on every ground of consideration, and particularly till
you could learn the views of Her Majesty's Government after
these overtures should become known in that quarter.
It is to be hoped that the wise and becoming conduct of this
Government in refusing to take part in the struggle in Yucatan and
respecting the late unauthorised movement of the two Texian Ves-
sels of War to that Coast from New Orleans, will facilitate an early
and honorable close of this Contest.
In the state of understanding between Her Majesty's Govern-
ment and that of The King of the French concerning the settle-
ment of these differences I considered it suitable to communicate
the subject of Your despatch to my Colleague Monsieur de Cra-
mayel before I addressed this Government in relation to it, and He
4See Aberdeen to Elliot, No. 5, May 18, 1843. THE QUARTERLY, XVI,
307.