582
TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
No. 1288
1839 May 21, B. E. BEE TO [G.] VICTORIA, [VERA CRUZ, l\IEXICO] 85
Vera Cruz, May 21st. 1839
To his Excellency
General Victoria
In acknowledging the courtesy with which I have been received at your hai;ids, I cannot but regret that the Government of l\Iexico should have intimated their determination through your Excellency not to allow me as the Agent of Texas to open my views - "if the ultimate separation of that State from the mother country is the object." It would be vain to conceal that such are my instructions - but it is with no rude hand that we would desire the demarkation. Texas utterly valuless to Mexico, in pos- session of hordes of hostile Indians until the American population were permitted to occupy it -and from that time to this, a source of annoyance rather than of aggrandizement, arising from a differ- ence of habits, interests and religion, until by the fortune of arms, a cessation of hostilities took place which in the lapse of three years has scarcely been interrupted. At this stage, Texas daily increasing in population and in wealth - her Independence reeog- •nized by one power - virtually so by the Pope - and commercial arrangements entered into with England and France - having not a hostile feeling to the People of l\Iexico, and prefering Peace to the glory of "\Var, feeling her strength, yet not overvalueing it, decided, that the Olive branch should be tendered the mother coun- try, and that a definite boundary, in a geographical sense, should be assigned to her Territory, while in urbanity, and in all that con-· stitutes the harmony of States, an endless peace might prevail: Nor did Texas presume, valueless as she deemed herself to l\Iexico that a boundary was to be established without making an adequate and a liberal compensation. This I was empowered to tender to your Government, and thus prevent a recurrence to arms, alike detri- mental to the happiness of both People. The ruling Powers of Mexico have in their wisdom decided that such a termination of the question could not be listened to, hut that Mexico should preserve her Territory unimpaired, at the hazard of immediate invasion. I have only to express my deep regret at her determination, and to add that as Texas has tendered her offering in good faith, so she must meet the alternative with all the eneregies the God of Nature has endowed her with.
I am your Excellency's most Obt Svt Bernard E. Bee
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