The Development of Friction, I820-I835
2 33
Mexican officials. 29 The persistent warnings and purposely exaggerated accounts of American designs solicitously poured into the ears of Mexi- can authorities by H. G. Ward, British charge d'affaires in Mexico, intensified the effect. 30 Poinsett, realizing the unwillingness of Mexico to discuss moving the line westward, dropped the subject, and negotiated a commercial treaty. Neither Adams nor Clay, however, was ready to abandon the project. They concluded with characteristic Anglo-American practical psychology that Mexico, after the Fredonian Rebellion, might be more inclined to be rid of the province, which had begun to challenge its authority. New instructions were sent by Clay early in 1827 to Poin- sette to reopen the boundary question and to offer half a million dollars for the Colorado boundary and to go as high as one million for the Rio Grande boundary. The minister was to point out that the settlers being admitted into Texas would inevitably "carry with them our prin- ciples of law, liberty, and religion," and that regardless of the ardent hopes of many that they could be assimilated without a clash, "so far as political freedom is concerned, it would be almost too much to expect that all collisions would be avoided." Clay then stated prophetically: "Already some of these collisions have manifested themselves, and others in the progress of time may be anticipated with confidence. These collisions may insensibly enlist the sympathies and feelings of the two republics and lead to misunderstandings."n Poinsette, in compliance with his instructions, sounded out the execu- tive and various members of Congress. .He was curtly told that the matter was not open to discussion, and that even to consider the pro- posal was a subject prohibited by the Constitution. Poinsett, whose activity in Mexican affairs, incidentally, had become questionable, de- cided to sign an agreement calling for a survey of the boundary as fixed by the Florida Treaty of 1819. 32 The diplomatic mission of A11,t/iony Butler. Fear and suspicion might have disappeared had the exchange of ratifications taken place within the time stipulated. But, although both governments ratified 29The relations between the United States and Mexico during this period arc fully covered in Wm. R. Manning, Diplomatic Relations between tlu llniJed States and Afexico; see also Mannning, The First Diplomatic Afission to Mexico. SDJ. Fred Rippey, "British Role in the Early Relations of the United States and Mexico," Tlie Hispanic American Historical Rewew, February, 19:17. SIQuoted in Barker, Mexico and Texas, 18z1-1835, 41. 32 Wm. R. Manning, "Texas and the Boundary Issue, 182:i-1829," Tlie Quar/"/1, XVII, :117-:161. This study gives an excellent summary of Poinsett's negotiations.
Powered by FlippingBook