WASHINGTON, _February 18, 1843_.
_To the House of Representatives of the United States_:
A resolution has been communicated to me, which was adopted by the House
of Representatives on the 2d instant, in the following terms:
_Resolved_, That the President of the United States be requested to
inform this House by what authority and under whose instructions
Captain Thomas ap Catesby Jones, commander of the squadron of the United
States in the Pacific Ocean, did, on or about the 19th of October last,
invade in warlike array the territories of the Mexican Republic, take
possession of the town of Monterey, and declare himself the commander of
the naval and military expedition for the occupation of the Californias.
_Resolved_, That the President of the United States be requested to
communicate to this House copies of all the instructions given by him
or under his authority to the said Captain Jones from the time of his
appointment to the command of the said squadron; also copies of all
communications received from him relating to his expedition for the
occupation of the Californias; and also to inform this House whether
orders have been dispatched to the said Captain Jones recalling him
from his command.
The proceeding of Captain Jones in taking possession of the town
of Monterey, in the possessions of Mexico, was entirely of his own
authority, and not in consequence of any orders or instructions of
any kind given to him by the Government of the United States. For that
proceeding he has been recalled, and the letter recalling him will be
found among the papers herewith communicated.
The resolution of the House of Representatives asks for "copies of all
the instructions given to Captain Jones from the time of his appointment
to the command of the said squadron, also copies of all communications
received from him relating to his expedition for the occupation of the
Californias," without confining the request to such instructions and
correspondence as relate to the transactions at Monterey, and without
the usual reservation of such portions of the instructions or
correspondence as in the President's judgment could not be made public
without prejudice or danger to the public interests.
It may well be supposed that cases may arise even in time of peace in
which it would be highly injurious to the country to make public at a
particular moment the instructions under which a commander may be acting
on a distant and foreign service. In such a case, should it arise,
and in all similar cases the discretion of the Executive can not
be controlled by the request of either House of Congress for the
communication of papers. The duties which the Constitution and the laws
devolve on the President must be performed by him under his official
responsibility, and he is not at liberty to disregard high interests or
thwart important public objects by untimely publications made against
his own judgment, by whomsoever such publications may be requested.
In the present case, not seeing that any injury is likely to arise
from so doing, I have directed copies of all the papers asked for to be
communicated; and I avail of the opportunity of transmitting also copies
of sundry letters, as noted below.