Message from the President of the United States to the two houses of Congress at the commencement of the Second Session of the Twenty-Eighth Congress. December 3, 1844. Page: 8 of 129
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[ 1'] 8
The Republic of New Granada still withholds, notwithstanding the most
persevering efforts have been employed by our charge d'affaires, Mr. Blackford,
to produce a different result, indemnity in the case of the brig "'Mor'
ris;" and the Congress of Venezuela, although an arrangement has been
effected between our minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of that.
Government, for the payment of $18,000, in discharge of its liabilities ini
the same case, has altogether neglected to make provision for its payment.
It is to be hoped that a sense of justice will soon induce a settlement
of these claims.
Our late minister to Chili, Mr. Pendleton, has rettirned to the United
States without having effected an adjustment in the second claim of the
Macedonian, which is delayed on grounds altogether frivolous and untenable.
Mr. Pendletorns successor has been directed to urge the claim in the
strongest terms; and, in the event of a failure to obtain a prompt adjustment,
to report the fact to the Executive at as early a day as possible,
so that the whole matter may be communicated to Congress.
At your last session, I submitted to the attention of Congress the convention
with the Republic of Peru of the 17th March, 1841, providing for
the adjustment of the claims of citizens of the United States against that
Republic; but no definitive action was taken upon the subject. I again
invite to it your attention and prompt action.
In my last annual message, I felt it to be my duty to make known to
Congress, in terms both plain and emphatic, my opinion in regard to the
war which has so long existed between Mexico and Texas, which, since
the battle of San Jacinto, has consisted altogether of predatory incursions,
attended by circumstances revolting to humanity. I repeat now, what I
then said, that, after eight years of feeble and ineffectual efforts to re'
conquer Texas, it was time that the war should have ceased. The United
States have a direct interest in the question. The contiguity of the two nations
to our territory was but too well calculated to involve our peace. Unjust
suspicions were engendered in the mind of one or the other of the
belligerents against us; and, as a necessary consequence, American interests
were made to suffer, and' our peace became daily endangered. In addition
to which, it must have been obvious to all, that the exhaustion produced
by the war subjected both Mexico and Texas to the interference of
other Powers, which, without the interposition of this Government, might
eventuate in the most serious injury to the United States. This Government,
from time to tire, exerted its friendly offices to bring about a termination
of hostilities ipon terms honorable alike to both the belligerents.
Its efforts in this behalf proved unavailing., Mexico seemed, almost without
an object, to persevere in the war, and no other alternative was left the
Executive, but to take advantage of the well-known dispositions of Texas,
and to invite her to enter into a treaty for annexing her territory to that of
the United States.
Since your last session, Mexico has threatened to renew the war, and
has either made, or proposes to make, formidable preparations for invading,
Texas. She-has issued decrees and proclamations, preparatory to the
commencement of hostilities, full of threats revolting to humanity, and
which, if carried into effect, would arouse the attention of all Christendom.
This new demonstration of feeling, there is too much reason to believe,
has been produced in consequence of the negotiation of the late treaty of
annexation with Texas. The Executive, therefore, could not be indifferI
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United States. President (1841-1845 : Tyler). Message from the President of the United States to the two houses of Congress at the commencement of the Second Session of the Twenty-Eighth Congress. December 3, 1844., book, 1844; Washington. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5829/m1/8/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .