The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 5, July 1901 - April, 1902 Page: 37
370 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Anncxation of Texas and the 1feican War. 37
the Mexican minister at Washington, he promptly notified the
authorities that "Should the United States commit the unheard of
attempt (inaudite alentado) of appropriating to themselves a por-
tion of Mexican territory he would demand his passport and his
country would declare war."1 In other words, if Texas was
annexed, or attempted to be annexed to the United States, Mexico
would declare war. The resolution to annex Texas did pass both
houses of Congress, and the minister as promptly demanded his
passports and left the country. It is well to note at this juncture
that the United States was the first country to recognize the inde-
pendence of Mexico as a republic, and to establish diplomatic rela-
tions with her; and that Spain did not acknowledge the inde-
pendence of Mexico until sixteen years after independence was
actually won, but chose to regard her as a revolting province. This
was the attitude of Spain and Mexico when San Jacinto was
fought. Following the example of her mother country, Mexico
refused to acknowledge Texas independence and chose to regard her
as a revolting province; hence Almonte's reference to it as a part of
the territory of Mexico. In the mean time, however, Mexico had
solemnly covenanted that she would, and she actually did, recog-
nize the independence of Texas, upon condition that Texas would
annex herself to no other country, and gave Great Britain and
France as security for the permanent autonomy of Texas.
In view of the threatening aspect of affairs, President Polk
(called by H. H. Bancroft, Von Holst, and that numerous class of
historians, "Polk the Mendacious") referred in his message of
December 2, 1845, to the situation in the following clear and suc-
cinct statement: "Texas has declared her independence and main-
tained it by her arms for more than nine years. She has had an
organized government in successful operation during that period.
Her separate existence as an independent state has been recognized
by the United States and the principal powers of Europe. Treat-
ies of commerce and navigation had been concluded by different
nations, and it had become manifest to the whole world that any
further attempt on the part of Mexico to conquer her, or overthrow
her government, would be vain. Even Mexico herself had become
'Bancroft's Hist. of Mexico, Vol. V, p. 342 et seq.; Von Holst, Vol. II, p.
80 et seq.; Niles Register, Vol. LXVIII, pp. 134 and 305, and authorities.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 5, July 1901 - April, 1902, periodical, 1902; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101021/m1/43/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.