(_Herald_)_Diario_, June 4, 1845. (_Globe_) Charleston _Mercury_, Sept.
8, 1845. Some of the documents quoted above are later than the beginning
of the war, but the opinions must have existed before.
5.13. (Defensive) Requena, note 11. =77=Arrangóiz, no. 129, res., Nov.
29, 1844. _Times_, Apr. 5, 1845. _Britannia_, June 10, 1844. _Times_ in
_Diario_ of June 8, 1845.
5.14. _Herald_, May 3, 1845. =77=Arrangóiz, note 13; no. 101, res.,
July 8, 1845. (Tornel) =47=Wood to Bancroft, July 4, 1846. (Own) _Nat.
Intelligencer_, Sept. 5; Savannah _Republican_, Aug. 25; N. Y. _Herald_,
Aug. 30, 1845. _Times_ of Apr. 5, 1845, in _Diario_ of June 8.
5.15. _Standard_, Aug. 12, 1845. =13=Pakenham, no. 22, Apr. 14, 1844.
(Fig red) Búlnes, Grandes Mentiras, 150.
5.16. (Endured) =73=Bermúdez de Castro, no. 532, res., Sept. 24,
1846; =77=circular, Nov. 27, 1846. (Credit) London _Times_, Apr. 15,
1845; and chap. xxxiii. =77=Arrangóiz, no. 36, res., May 23, 1844.
_Constitutionnel_, Aug. 15, 1845.
5.17. _Benefits._ =77=Cuevas, no. 67, July 13, 1836. _Diario_, Mar. 25,
1845. =52=Green, Apr. 8, 1844. Reflexiones sobre la Memoria. _Times_,
Apr. 15, 1845. =52=Shannon, no. 3, Oct. 28, 1844. =56=W. S. Parrott,
July 5, 1845. _Siglo XIX_, Aug. 1, 1845. (Baptize) La Verdad Desnuda.
(Blockade) =52=Thompson, Oct. 3, 1843; _Macedonian_, Mar. 28, 1845;
=13=Doyle, no. 79, Oct. 30, 1843. (_Voz del P._) Federación y Tejas.
(Crisis) Reflexiones sobre la Memoria.
5.18. _Central and South America._ J. M. L. Mora, pamphlet, 1834.
_Diario_, Sept. 25, 1846. (Press) chap, vi, note 13. =77=Cuevas, no.
67, July 13, 1836. =77=Mex. min., Lima, no. 23, Aug. 15, 1837. (Dorsey)
Savannah _Republican_, Aug. 25, 1842. Adams, Mems., xi, 340, 367.
_Imparcial_, June 13, 1844. _Aurora de la Libertad_, Apr. 6, 1845.
Relaciones, circular, Nov. 27, 1846. =80=Legisl. of Méx. state, address,
Apr. 26, 1847. =76=Gov. Ibarra, Sept. 5, 1846. =312=Basadre to S. Anna,
Apr. 9, 1847. Roa Bárcena, Recuerdos, 243, note.
5.19. _Diario_, Apr. 3, 1845. _Mail_, Aug. 30 in _Diario_, Nov. 1.
London _Times_, Sept. 10, 1845 (War is "clearly the duty" of Mexico).
_Journal des Débats_, Sept. 24, 1845. (The European outlook) Chap xxxv.
5.20. (Jealousy) Mayer, War, 82; _Amer. Review_, Jan., 1846. (Policy) J.
H. Smith in Proceeds. Am. Antiq. Soc, Apr., 1914. _Correspondant_, Jan.
1, 1846. London _Times_, Jan. 1, 1846.
5.21. (Cotton) Smith, Annex. of Texas, 89, 90. (Checked) _Ibid._, 382,
389; Tornel, Tejas, 97; London _Standard_, May 2, 1845; _Times_, Sept.
9; Dec. 15, 1845; Jan. 1, 1846. (Guizot) _Niles_, Mar. 14, 1846, pp.
25-6. (_Journal des Débats_) _National_, Dec. 27, 1845.
5.22. (Texas) Smith, Annex. of Texas, chap, xviii. _Id._ in Mass.
Hist. Soc. Proceeds., June, 1914. _Morning Herald_, Mar. 27, 1845, in
_Diario_, June 4. _Times_, Dec. 15, 1845.
5.23. _Times_, Aug. 6; Sept. 9, 1845. (It was the Mexico correspondent
of the _Times_ who spoke, but evidently the editor allowed him to be
heard.) _Standard_, May 2, 1845. _Journal of Commerce_, Sept. 6, 1845.
_Journal des Débats_, Feb. 4; Sept. 24, 1845. _Constitutionnel_, May
12, 1845. _Monitor Constit._, supplmt., Dec. 21, 1844. _Aurora de la
Libertad_, Apr. 6, 1845.
5.24. _Journal des Débats_, Sept. 24, 1845. =13=Pakenham, no. 22, Apr.
14, 1844. (Blockade) =13=Bankhead, no. 162, Oct. 30, 1846.
5.25. (Fear) _Boletín Oficial_, Apr. 15, 1845. (Guarantee) =13=Bankhead,
no. 117, Nov. 29, 1845.
5.26. =13=Bankhead, nos. 113, Nov. 29, 1845; 125, Dec. 30, 1845; 14,
Jan. 30, 1846; 28, Feb. 27, 1846; =52=McLane, nos. 8, Sept. 26, 1845;
55, June 18, 1846; =52=Shannon, no. 9, Mar. 27, 1845; =52=Slidell, Jan.
14; Feb. 6, 1846; _Correspondant_, May 1, 1846; _Times_, Mar. 13, 1846;
Ho. 2; 29, 1, pp. 139-92; =52=J. Parrott, June 4, 1846. =52=Dimond, no.
332, Apr. 22, 1846: The Mexican thermometer for peace or war is governed
by the prospects of war between us and England. The contemptuous and
abusive tone of the British journals with reference to the United States
encouraged Mexico. Our minister at London reported that the British
press as a whole represented that the United States could not wage war
successfully against Mexico (=297=McLane to Polk, received, June 21,
1846). =77=Murphy, no. 9, Aug. 1, 1845 (Aberdeen would like to see,
etc.).
5.27. =52=Slidell, Jan. 14, 1846. _Times_, Mar. 13, 1846. =52=McLane,
no. 55, June 18, 1846. (Hoped) =13=Bankhead, no. 31, Mar. 10, 1846;
Tornel, Tejas, 97.
5.28. _Diario_, Mar. 25, 1845. (Enthusiasm, veil) Memoria de ...
Relaciones, Jan., 1849. =77=Almonte, no. 72, priv., June 19, 1844.
_Monitor Constit._, supplmt., Dec. 21, 1844. Almonte (who, as recently
minister to the United States, had great influence on the question of
peace or war) held that Mexico ought to fight and protract the war as
long as possible in order to make us so tired of it that we should
never repeat the experiment (=13=Pakenham, no. 119, Sept. 28, 1846).
_Espectador_, Apr. 25, 1846 ("We are profoundly convinced of the triumph
of the Mexican arms"). Reforma, Mar. 9, 1846. =13=Bankhead, nos. 130,
Sept. 7, 1846 ("They cannot be convinced" of their inability to fight
the U. S.); 151, Oct. 10, 1846 (The cry of the government is, "a levy
of 40,000 men and make terms only on the other side of the Nueces").
(Prussian) =256=Memo. (Historians) Roa Bárcena, Recuerdos, 19-20;
Balbontín, Estado Militar, 58. Ramírez, México, 235. S. Anna, proclam.,
Sept. 16, 1847, in _Monitor Repub_., Oct. 2, 1847. Memoria de ...
Relaciones, Jan., 1849. Kenly, Md. Volunteer, 57: After a long stay in
Mexico, I believe the sentiment of the people was "unanimous for war."
Franklin Pierce, speech, Jan. 27, 1848: After conversing with the most
intelligent men in Mexico I was satisfied that the war was unavoidable
(N. Y. _Herald_, Feb. 5, 1848). Other documents, too numerous to be
cited, assisted the author in reaching his conclusions. This condition
of the Mexican mind helps to explain the rejection of Slidell. See also
chap. ix, pp. 221-2.
VI. THE AMERICAN ATTITUDE ON THE EVE OF WAR
6.1. Buchanan in _Cong. Globe_, 28, 1, app., 723. For public sentiment
regarding the Santa Fe prisoners see the New Orleans papers of March,
1842 (_e.g._ _Com. Bulletin_, Mar. 18), and Smith, Annex. of Texas,
31-2. =52=Consul Dimond, Jan. 20, 1843. (Sentmanat) =52=Consul Porter,
July 20, 1844. Sentmanat's party included several Americans. (Reptiles)
=77=Clipping from New Orleans _Bee_. _State Sentinel_, Sept. 27, 1845.
(American prisoners) N. Orl. _Comm. Bull._, Mar. 18, 1844. Ark. Hist.
Comm., Bulletin no. 6, p. 182.
6.2. The statements regarding American feeling appear to be
self-evident. In the daily press the author has found abundant proof of
them, but it would require a great deal of space to prove inductively
the state of public sentiment. =42=Delegates, Feb. 12, 1847.
6.3. These statements also are presented as conclusions based upon an
extended examination of the daily press (see Smith, Annex. of Texas,
472), speeches in Congress, etc. For example, the remarks made in
Congress with reference to Jackson's request for authority to adopt
forcible measures (p. 77 of this volume) contained many kind references
to Mexico. This feeling persisted. In the Richmond _Enquirer_, Dec. 9,
1845, its Washington correspondent stated that he found the Democrats of
both houses of Congress sincerely desired the friendship and confidence
of that country. _Id._, Oct. 17, 1845. Note the first page of chap.
xxxvi. For anti-slavery accusations: J. Q. Adams in Boston _Atlas_,
Oct. 17, 1842 (Smith, Annex. of Texas, 131). For the use of money to
influence the American press: _ibid._, 184.
6.4. (Forbearance) N. Orl. _Bee_, Feb. 19, 1846; _Picayune_, May 5,
1846; _Guard_, May 15, 1846; N. Orl. _Comm. Bull._, Mar. 16, 1846, and
_infra_. =52=Van Buren to Butler, Oct. 16, 1829. =13=Count E. de Lillers
to Gutiérrez [Mar., 1830]. (Jackson) Chap. iii, p. 77. (Imbecility)
_Picayune_, June 23, 1842.
6.5. _Picayune_, Apr. 6, 1842. (Webster) Sen. 320; 27, 2, p. 205. Sen.
411; 27, 2. (Less willing) Chap. iii, p. 80. _Jeff. Repub._, Aug. 7,
1845.
6.6. _Republican_, Feb. 2, 1846._Picayune_, Jan. 28, 1846. _Delta_, Jan.
21, 1846. _Mo. Reporter_, Apr. 18, 1846. _Comm. Bulletin_, Mar. 16, 1846.
6.7. Mex. consul, no. 79, Apr. 1, 1842. (Justly) Smith, Annex. of
Texas, "England" in index. (Influence) _Ibid._, 72, 136, 153; =56=W. S.
Parrott, June 4, 1846 ("Mexico may be said to be completely in the hands
of England"). _Commonwealth_, Feb. 23, 1846. _Times_, Nov. 21, 1845.
6.8. Natchez _Courier and Journal_, Apr. 14, 1846. _Courrier des E. U._
in Memphis _Enquirer_, Feb. 24, 1846. _E.g._ _Picayune_, Feb. 5, 1846.
_Cong. Globe_, 29, 1, p. 256 (Hannegan).
6.9. _Delta_, Mar. 27: the pending difficulties must be settled
effectually. _La. Courier_, Mar. 6: "The time has arrived when the
U. S. must decide to act firmly and put an end to the uncertainty of
our relations with Mexico." _Picayune_, Jan. 24: "While our relations
remain in this miserable condition, our territory is liable to sudden
invasion and our citizens to arbitrary exactions ... the intrigues
of trans-Atlantic states demand to be counteracted, and the hostile
purposes of Mexico need to be met with peremptory measures." St.
Louis _Reporter_, Jan. 31: "Delay on our part to bring to a positive
settlement all existing difficulties with Mexico would be mere madness
and folly." _Picayune_, May 5: "There is no proposition in mathematics
more absolutely demonstrable than the impossibility of having a good
understanding with Mexico before giving her a sound drubbing." (Designs)
_Id._, Dec. 30, 1845; Feb. 5, 1846. =52=Consul Campbell, Jan. 7, 1846.
6.10. (Abolitionists) N. Orl. _Comm. Bulletin_, Mar. 18, 1842. (Calhoun)
Smith, Annex. of Texas, 209, 211, 213-6. Calhoun's remark was given
to the author by Judge Martin of South Carolina, to whom it was made
in the spring of 1847, and is fully in line with Calhoun's action.
(Mississippi) The author thinks he has heard Dr. Wm. E. Dodd of the
University of Chicago express such an opinion.
6.11. _E.g._ Ills. _State Register_, Dec. 27, 1844: "If war shall ensue,
let it not close until the empire of Mexico" is added to the Union;
Baker of Illinois in House, Jan. 29, 1846: "We must have California, and
perhaps all Mexico" (_Cong. Globe_, 29, 1, p. 279). Besides this feeling
there was a general territorial ambition, which looked in an indefinite
way to a rather distant future and a peaceful, natural extension.
6.12. _American Review_, Sept., 1845, 227. No Burr was needed, however,
to plant these seeds.
6.13. (Consul) =13=Salkeld to Crawford, Feb. 25, 1830. (1835) _Journal
des Débats_, May 25, 1848. =13=Elliot to Pakenham, Apr. 14, 1843. (_News
and Tribune_) Nashville _Union_, Aug. 5, 1845. _Plebeian_, Mar. 1, 1845:
"The whole world cannot resist our onward march, until our proud flag
waves over every inch of territory on the continent of North America."
=253=Sanders to McLean, Dec. 29, 1846: "The people if not wicked are
rapacious and Anglo-Saxon-like prefer conquest to principle." The Oregon
discussion revealed clearly the thirst for territory (_Cong. Globe_, 29,
1, app., _e.g._ Smith, Hunter, Pollock, Rockwell, Toombs, pp. 104, 89,
120, 129, 133. W. H. Seward, Mar. 31, 1846: "The popular passion for
territorial aggrandizement is irresistible" (Works, iii, 409). N. Y.
_Herald_, June 15, 1844. Livermore, War, 12.
6.14. _Herald_, Aug. 30, 1845. (Illinois) Everett, Recolls., 194. W.
E. Dodd in Ills. State Hist. Soc. Trans., 1912, p. 17. Indiana _State
Sentinel_, 1845, _passim_. (Debt) Green, Repudiation, 13. _American
Review_, Sept., 1845, p. 227. (Calhoun) Jameson, Calhoun Corresp., 692.
Lyell, Second Visit, ii, 257. Livermore, War, 6, 8, 10. Smith, Annex. of
Texas, 49. (Powerful) _New Englander_, v, 318-9; =206=J. Graham to Gov.
G., Jan. 4, 1846.
6.15. _Herald_, Aug. 30, 1845. _News_ in _Nat. Intelligencer_, Sept. 4,
1845. _Journ. of Comm._, May 21, 1845. Gen. Worth wrote in the autumn
of 1845: "Our people will not rest satisfied without a war with some
power" (N. Y. _Times_, July 16, 1916). Claiborne (Quitman, i, 310): the
people "demanded war and were determined to have it." For information
regarding the state of mind prevailing in western Tennessee and the
adjacent regions the author is greatly indebted to Gov. James D. Porter
of Nashville, who was a young man at the time of the Mexican war. The
fact that hunting occupied the place of work had no little influence.
(Hunting) Rose, McCulloch, 29.
6.16. _Comm. Bulletin_, Mar. 17, 1842. (Wealth) Smith, Annex. of Texas,
49. (Willing) _Tribune_, May 11, 1845. =210=I. E. Holmes to Hammond, May
10, 1846 (The Westerners want to despoil the churches and plantations).
(Letter) _Globe_, Aug. 25, 1845. _News_ in Mobile _Herald and Tribune_,
Sept. 7, 1845. The Whigs were of course inclined on partisan grounds
to denounce the Democratic party and the administration for every sign
of hostility to Mexico, and to maintain that if the Texas policy of
their candidate for the Presidency, Henry Clay, had been followed there
would have been no danger of war. Indeed, it would seem at first sight
as if they could have found no logical escape from this position. But
they were able to say, particularly in the south: We opposed immediate
annexation; we predicted that it would cause trouble with Mexico; but
the country voted that way, and now as patriotic Americans we accept
the consequences. Sentiment in favor of fighting Mexico was by no means
confined to the Democrats.
6.17. ("Slaves") N. Orl. _Comm. Bulletin_ in Savannah _Republican_,
Aug. 15, 1845. The popular American idea of a Mexican was a fat face,
a double chin, a muddy complexion, a bloated body, coarse appetites,
a crude organization generally, and no brains to speak of above the
ears--only enough to talk with. Spanish rule and the mixture of Indian
blood had tended naturally to produce something of this sort, but finer
types were very numerous and sometimes brilliant. (Soldiery) N. Y.
_Tribune_, May 11, 1845; =354=Welles papers. (Picture) _Comm. Bulletin_,
Mar. 17, 1842. "_Who's for Mexico?_" ran Colonel Dakin's advertisement
in the New Orleans _Tropic_; "All who may feel disposed to make a
pleasant excursion to the Frontiers of Mexico (and perhaps to explore
some parts of that country) will find all the means and facilities
requisite by enrolling themselves in the Regiment of Louisiana
Volunteers" (Phila. _No. American_, Aug. 27, 1845).
6.18. _Nat. Intelligencer_, Sept. 4. _Picayune_, Aug. 27. _Enquirer_,
Aug. 10. _Union_, Aug. 21, 1845; Feb. 10, 1847. _Reveille_, Aug. 28.
("Go") _Picayune_, Aug. 17. =297=Buchanan to McLane, Sept. 13.
6.19. (_News_) Mobile _Herald and Tribune_, Sept. 7; Oct. 22, 1845. Less
was said for a time, but probably no less was felt. Of course the New
Englanders did not share the sentiment very fully. The South Atlantic
states--influenced by Calhoun and, as Poinsett admitted (=192=to Lewis,
Jan. 5, 1846), by the dread of privateers--did not feel sure that the
stake was worth the risk. But the total sentiment in favor of war with
Mexico was tremendous. Calhoun himself recognized that the country stood
that way (Jameson, Cal. Corresp., 704 to T. G. C.). _Correspondent_,
Apr. 15, 1846. _Enquirer_, Jan. 20, 1846. _Mo. Reporter_, Apr. 18, 1846.
=210=Hammond to Simms, Mar. 21, 1847.
6.20. (Glory) =345=Poinsett to Van Buren, Mar. 9, 1848. (Power) Jameson,
Calhoun Corresp., 728. (Oregon) Pendleton, Stephens, 76. (Re-elected)
Johnston and Browne, Stephens, 200. (Bancroft) Schouler, U. S., iv, 498;
Howe, Bancroft, i, 288, 290. The subject of California will be discussed
fully in chap. xvi, but in order to allay prejudice it is touched upon
here.]
6.21. See "Office-seekers" in index of Polk's Diary.
6.22. Anson Jones, the last President of the Texas republic, asserted in
his book that Polk was "pre-determined to have a war" with Mexico (p.
46). As evidence he maintained that Donelson, the United States minister
in Texas, under the pretext of defending Texas against an unreal danger
of invasion, brought into that country American troops in order to
ensure a collision with Mexico; but (1) Donelson fully believed that
Texas was in danger of invasion, and (2) there were ample grounds for
that opinion (Smith, Annex. of Texas, 449). Moreover Donelson, instead
of hurrying our troops into Texas, was very anxious that none should
cross her frontier until after her full acceptance of annexation, which
could not occur before July 4, 1845 (_ibid._, 446, 448, 456); and we
have seen how threatening were the language and movements of Mexico at
that stage. As Texas became to all intents and purposes a part of the
United States on accepting our proposition, the duty to protect her
people was then clear.
Jones also asserted that agents of Polk urged him to send the Texas
militia against Mexico in the spring of 1845 in order to bring about
a war;but this is misleading (Smith, Annex. of Texas, 446-8). The
confidential orders given to Conner and Stockton of the navy and the
correspondence between the state department and Donelson prove that
Polk's administration had not the least intention of adopting at this
time an aggressive course toward Mexico.
Finally, Jones stated that he received clear proof of his charge from
Texan agents at Washington. He admitted, however, that (although he does
not appear to have lost any other important documents) he had mislaid
their reports; and his assertion is inconsistent with known facts.
For example, he said (p. 491) that Lee, one of these agents, reported
about September 13 that he found Polk, Marcy, Walker and Ritchie
"excessively angry" with Jones for not consenting, months before, to
an attack upon Mexico; but Lee did in fact report, September 6 and 8,
that he was received "cordially" by Polk, Walker and Ritchie, and that
Polk sent his "sincere regard" to Jones (Jones, Memoranda, 485, 490;
Tex. Dipl. Corres., ii, 398). Again, according to Jones another Texan
agent informed him "of the deep anxiety expressed by Polk for a war
with Mexico." Now of course Polk may have said that a war was needed
to redress American wrongs, but to suppose that a man who kept his own
counsel so closely would have confessed to this comparative stranger a
dishonorable intention concealed from everybody else, and would have
done so knowing that in reality he and Jones were at swords' points on
a vital matter, annexation, is incredible. When Jones wrote his book
he was a ruined man in consequence of the general and well-founded
belief that he had tried to prevent the incorporation of Texas in the
United States, and he was very bitter against Polk. Not long afterward
he committed suicide. His book, apparently prepared as a defence of
himself, is often untrustworthy; and how clear-headed he was at the time
of writing it is shown by his assertion that Texas was in undisputed
possession of the territory to the Rio Grande, yet that by advancing to
that stream Taylor "produced the Mexican war" (p. 68).
Ashbel Smith, in general a much better witness, stated that agents of
Polk endeavored to have the militia sent against Mexico so as to bring
on a war (Remins., 66-7); but as he was in Europe at the time he had
no personal knowledge regarding the matter, and he also was opposed to
annexation.
Evidence of Polk's alleged desire to provoke a war may be seen by some
in the language of the _Union_, his organ at Washington, which declared
blatantly that the Rio Grande was the boundary of the United States,
and that Mexico would invite ruin, should her troops cross it (May 1;
September 11, 13, 1845, etc.). But (1) the government had reason to
believe that we had been too mild toward Mexico, and may have wished
to suggest to her the danger of being rash; (2) the purpose may have
been to satisfy the many Americans who complained that our national
authorities lacked spirit; (3) as Polk was officially offering Mexico
the olive branch at this time, the bellicose utterances of the _Union_,
which was not recognized by the administration as its organ, could not
have been regarded by the Mexican government as evidence that he desired
a war, but only at most as a suggestion of what might follow should
the olive branch be rejected. From this point of view they would seem
to have tended toward peace rather than war (cf. his policy of having
Taylor and Conner assume bold attitudes--chap. vii, p. 152).
6.23. The author's estimate of Polk is based upon a study of his
conduct and all the documents relating to him. One may consult to
advantage the Welles papers; Schouler, Hist. Briefs, 124, 129, 132;
Poore, Perley's Remins., i, 328-9; Howe, Bancroft, i, 294; Claiborne,
Quitman, i, 228; Jenkins, Polk, 330; McLaughlin, Introd. to Polk's
Diary; Meigs, Ingersoll, 273-4; _Id._, Benton, 382; Reeves on Polk's
Diary in _Polit. Science Review_, 1911, 288. =297=H. M. Field to Mrs.
Polk, Mar. 30, 1889 (Bancroft told me yesterday that Polk was abler than
any member of his Cabinet). Benton, View, ii, 680. (Toombs) Phillips,
Toombs, 37. Though Polk seems personally destitute of humor, he had
known how to make an effective use of it on the stump. It must not be
forgotten that he had served fourteen years in the national House and
been Speaker twice. (Fidelity) Polk, Diary, Aug. 14, 1848 (I had not
been three miles from the White House since July, 1847).
6.24. (Discussions) _E.g._ Smith, Annex. of Texas, p. 264, note
(Benton). =351=Webster to son, Mar. 11, 1845. (Writhings) The reference
is to Polk's anxious and unfriendly expressions about Scott and Taylor,
which grew largely out of political considerations. See chap. ix, pp.
199-200.
6.25. =297=Polk to Haywood, Aug. 9, 1845, confid. =297=Buchanan to
McLane, Sept. 13, 1845.
6.26. =48=To Conner, Mar. 29; July 11; Aug. 16. =48=To Sloat, Mar. 21;
June 24. =48=To _Id._, Aug. 30 (orders to "preserve peace if possible").
The despatch of June 24 to Sloat said further: You and every part of
your squadron "should be assiduously careful to avoid any act which
could be construed as an act of aggression." Dec. 5, 1845, Sloat was
notified that "our relations with Mexico are becoming more friendly."
The instructions to Sloat about occupying San Francisco were made
contingent on _Mexican_ action, indicating that an American declaration
of war was not even contemplated. =52=To Donelson, June 3. (Frémont)
Benton, View, ii, 579. Mrs. Frémont, with the approval of her father,
Senator Benton, held back the order (_ibid._). Richardson, Messages, iv,
427-8. The Washington correspondent of the N. Y. _Sun_ wrote: "It is
the opinion of those best qualified to judge, though not my own, that
the President did not seek or wish the war with Mexico" (_Sun_, June 4,
1846).
6.27. _Republican_, Aug. 19. _Picayune_, Aug. 27. _Globe_, Aug. 25.
_Courier_ in _Picayune_, Aug. 27.
6.28. (Scale) Polk, Diary, Sept. 30, 1845. Sen. 1; 29, 1, pp. 209
(Scott); 649 (Bancroft). Howe, Bancroft, i, 289. (Navy unprepared)
Conner, Home Squadron, 9-10.