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PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE L.Ht:AR
ject, he says: "The Executive did not hesitate to meet the proposi- tion, and embrace the policy indicated." That policy (as will be seen by reference to the propositions themselves) was the surrender of the country. The substance and nature of Robinson's propositions had got before the public; and a strong suspicion that the President intended to embrace and act upn them, gave rise to a general clamour against him; which did not however induce him to abandon his object but for the purpose of allaying the storm, he predicated hie Proclamation upon the document" received through Capt. Elliott; the nature of which he refused to make known-a paltry subterfuge which was not detected until the Mexican papers disclosed the fact, that the two despatches, Robinsons and Elliott's were identical, the [latter] being only a copy of the former. The story, however, had the effect intended, and left no stain upon the character of the author. An honest man in an honest cause, needs no prevarication to sustain himself. The Commissioners after a long absence, returned with a docu- ment duly executed between them and the Mexican authorities, in which the Republic (in accordance with Robinson's and Elliotts propo- sitions) is recognized as a "Department of Mexico." The general in- dignation which this transaction aroused in the country, gave rise to a disagreement between Genl. Houston and his Commissioners. Hous- ton declares that he never authorized the commissioners to make such a disgraceful surrender of the nationality of the country. The com- missioners assert that they did not, in their negotiations, transcend their instructions. And so stands the matter between them. That the commissioners, however, did not exceed their authority is plainly in- ferrible from the fact, that Santa Anna in his propositions, expressly declares that all negotiations on the subject of peace, must be based npon the return of Texas into the confederacy. He makes this a riM qua non. And under this fundamental requirement, Genl. Hous- ton despatched his commissioners. The secret instructions given to them- verbal or written- have never been made known to the public, and in all probability, a full developnrent of the truth will never occur; but happen what may, it is sufficient for our present purpose to know, that it was this overture from Mexico, backed and sustained by the British Minister, that induced the President, General Houston, to withdraw the proposition for Annexation. We have this from under his own hand in his late Washington 81 letter. We withdrew the one proposition to carry out the other. In this sense he may indeed, very properly boast that the measure of Annexation originated under his admiwistration; it was, however, not the Annexation of Texas to the American Union, but her annexation to the Mexican Government. Now, Gentlemen, I can perceive in this conduct, nothing but a cold blooded betrayal of the people of Texas, and a most insulting contempt of all official and moral obligation. We behold the Chief Magistrate of the nation, intruguing with the British Minister, for purposes which he dared not avow, and which he endeavoured to conceal by a false- hood. And when it is remembered that these secret negociations with Mexico were going on, at the very time the American Government was,
"'No. 2155. llTSee note 19 under no. 2071.
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