WASHINGTON, _May 15, 1844_.
_To the Senate of the United States_:
In answer to the resolution of the Senate of the 13th instant,
requesting to be informed "whether, since the commencement of the
negotiations which resulted in the treaty now before the Senate for the
annexation of Texas to the United States, any military preparation has
been made or ordered by the President for or in anticipation of war,
and, if so, for what cause, and with whom was such war apprehended,
and what are the preparations that have been made or ordered; has any
movement or assemblage or disposition of any of the military or naval
forces of the United States been made or ordered with a view to such
hostilities; and to communicate to the Senate copies of all orders or
directions given for any such preparation or for any such movement or
disposition or for the future conduct of such military or naval forces,"
I have to inform the Senate that, in consequence of the declaration of
Mexico communicated to this Government and by me laid before Congress
at the opening of its present session, announcing the determination
of Mexico to regard as a declaration of war against her by the United
States the definitive ratification of any treaty with Texas annexing the
territory of that Republic to the United States, and the hope and belief
entertained by the Executive that the treaty with Texas for that purpose
would be speedily approved and ratified by the Senate, it was regarded
by the Executive to have become emphatically its duty to concentrate
in the Gulf of Mexico and its vicinity, as a precautionary measure,
as large a portion of the home squadron, under the command of Captain
Conner, as could well be drawn together, and at the same time to
assemble at Fort Jesup, on the borders of Texas, as large a military
force as the demands of the service at other encampments would authorize
to be detached. For the number of ships already in the Gulf and the
waters contiguous thereto and such as are placed under orders for that
destination, and of troops now assembled upon the frontier, I refer you
to the accompanying reports from the Secretaries of the War and Navy
Departments. It will also be perceived by the Senate, by referring to
the orders of the Navy Department which are herewith transmitted, that
the naval officer in command of the fleet is directed to cause his ships
to perform all the duties of a fleet of observation and to apprise the
Executive of any indication of a hostile design upon Texas on the part
of any nation pending the deliberations of the Senate upon the treaty,
with a view that the same should promptly be submitted to Congress for
its mature deliberation. At the same time, it is due to myself that
I should declare it as my opinion that the United States having by the
treaty of annexation acquired a title to Texas which requires only the
action of the Senate to perfect it, no other power could be permitted
to invade and by force of arms to possess itself of any portion of the
territory of Texas pending your deliberations upon the treaty without
placing itself in an hostile attitude to the United States and
justifying the employment of any military means at our disposal to drive
back the invasion. At the same time, it is my opinion that Mexico of
any other power will find in your approval of the treaty no just cause
of war against the United States, nor do I believe that there is any
serious hazard of war to be found in the fact of such approval.
Nevertheless, every proper measure will be resorted to by the Executive
to preserve upon an honorable and just basis the public peace by
reconciling Mexico, through a liberal course of policy, to the treaty.