WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1847
536
desired requirements of Texas had been complied with previous to entering into negotiations. A letter had been written to Mr. Upshur, then Secretary of State, of the date 17th January, 1844, but it remained in the State Department until after the decease of Mr. Upshur, unanswered. It was sent by Mr. Van Zandt, to know what guarantees would be given; for Texas considered that she would be regardless of her own interests, if she entered into negotiations without such guarantees, as it would certainly pro- voke hostilities with Mexico, and expose her to all the hazards of a war. As soon as Mr. Henderson arrived in Washington city, a letter was addressed to Messrs. Henderson and Van Zandt, the Minis- ters of Texas, which he would read: "Washington City, April 11, 1844. "To Messrs. J. Van Zandt and J. P. Henderson, "Ministers from the Republic of Texas. "Gentlemen: The letter addressed by Mr. Van Zandt to the late Secretary of State, Mr. Upshur, to which you have called my attention, dated Washington, the 17th of January, 1844, has been laid before the President of the United States. "In reply to it, I am directed by.the President to say, that the Secretary of the Navy has been instructed to order a strong naval force to concentrate in the Gulf of Mexico, to 1neet any eniergency; and that similar orders have been issued by the Secretary of War to move the disposable military forces on our Southwestern fron- tier for the same purpose. Should the exigency arise to which you refer in your note to Mr. Upshur, I am further directed by the President to say, that during the pendency of the treaty of annexation, he would deem it his duty to use all the means within his power by the Constitution to protect Texas from all foreign invasion. I have the honor to be, &c., "J. C. Calhoun." "To meet any emergency." That emergency was an invasion by Mexico. This was written and signed by the honorable Senator from South Carolina, [Mr. Calhoun,] then in the State Department; but it appeared that it was not entirely satisfactory to those gentlemen. They were desirous that nothing should be left to construction, to explanation, to inference,_ for the situation of Texas was one of peculiar delicacy. If the negotiation should be
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