of a letter from the President, the original of which, with your commission, has been forwarded by this day's mail. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Brevet Major General Z. TAYLOR.

W. L. MARCY,

Secretary of War.

WASHINGTON CITY, May 30, 1846.

SIR: I transmit to you herewith a commission as major general by brevet in the army of the United States, conferred upon you for gallant conduct and distinguished services in the successive victories over superior Mexican forces at Palto Alto and Resaca de la Palma, on the 8th and 9th days of May, 1846.

It gave me sincere pleasure, immediately upon the receipt of official intelligence from the scene of your achievements, to confer upon you, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, this testimonial of the estimate which your government places upon your skill and gallantry. To yourself and the brave officers and soldiers under your command the gratitude of the country is justly due. Our army have fully sustained their deservedly high reputation, and added another bright, page to the history of American valor and patriotism. They have won new laurels for themselves and for their country. My confidence in them never faltered. The battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma rank among our most brilliant victories, and will long be remembered by the American people. When all the details of these battles, and of the noble defence of the camp opposite to Matamoras, shall have been received, it will be my pleasure, as it will be my grateful duty, to render to the officers and men under your command suitable testimonials for their conduct in the brilliant victories which a superintending Providence has enabled them to achieve for their country. In transmitting to you this commission, and in communicating to the officers and soldiers under your command my profound sense of their meritorious services, I but respond to the patriotic enthusiasm manifested by the people in behalf of their brave defenders. Whilst my warmest thanks are tendered to the survivors, the nation mourns the loss of the brave officers and soldiers who fell in defence of their country upon the field of victory. Their names also shall be remembered, and appropriate honors be paid to their memory, by a grateful country.

You will cause this communication to be made known to the army under your command.

Brevet Major General Z. TAYLOR,

JAMES K. POLK.

Commanding U. S. Army on the Rio Grande.

WAR DEPARTMENT, June 4, 1846. SIR: I send herewith a number of copies of a proclamation in the Spanish language, addressed to the people of Mexico, which you are requested to sign and cause to be circulated in the manner and to the extent you may deem proper. You will use your utmost endeavors to have the pledges and promises therein contained carried out to the fullest extent. There are also sent some copies of the proclamation in the English language. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Brevet Maj. Gen. Z. TAYLOR,

W. L. MARCY,
Secretary of War.

Commanding army of occupation, Texas.

PROCLAMACION.

POR EL GENERAL COMANDANTE DEL EXERCITO DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA.

A la nacion Mejicana:

Despues de muchos años de sufrimiento paciente, los Estados Unidos estan al fin forzados de reconocer que hay guerra entre nuestro gobierno y el gobierno de' Mejico. Durante muchos años nuestros ciudadanos han sido espuestos á injurias y perdidas, nuestros buques y cargazones han sido asidos y confiscados, nuestros negociantes robados, mutilados, encarcelados sin causa alguna. Ea conclusion vuestro gobierno reconocio la justicia de nuestras reclamaciones, y agredeció por un tratado de satisfacernos con el pagamiento de unos millones de pesos; pero este tratado lo han violado vuestros caudales, y no se han hecho los pagamientos. Nuestros ultimos esfuerzos para poner fin à todas las difficultades con negociaciones pacificas han sido desechados por el dictator Paredes, y nuestro Ministro de Paz, à quien vuestros gobernadores habian agredecido recibir, se le ha despues rehusado toda comunicacion. Ha sido tratado con indignidad é insu'ta; y anuciò Paredes que hay guerra entre nosotros. Esta, guerra proclamada asi primieramente por él ha sido reconocida con una perfecta unanimidad, y se perseguirá con vigor y energia, contra vuestro exercito y vuestros gobernadores, pero aquellos Mejicanos quienes quedarán neutrales, no se les hará ninguna molestia.

Está vuestro gobierno en las manos de tiranos y usurpadores. Ellos han destruido el gobierno de los Estados, han aniquilado vuestra constitucion federal, os han privado del derecho de eleccion, han destruido la libertad de la imprenta, os han robado vuestras armas, y reducido a un estado de entera sumision al poder de un dictator militar. Vuestro exercito y vuestros maestros sacan del pueblo con injustos impuestos, con forzados prestamos, y asidas militares, aquel mismo dinero el cual soporta el poder de vuestros gobernadores. Estando desarmados quedasteis en preda á los salvages Camanchos, los cuales destruyeron uo solamente vuestras

vidas y propiedades, pero llevaron vuestras mugeres é hijos en una captividad mas horrible qua la misma muerte. Son vuestros gobernadores militares que os han reducido á esta condicion deplorable.. Con estos tiranos y sus satelites corrumpidos y crudeles, enriquecidos con el tesoro del pueblo, por quienes estais oprimidos y empobrecidos de este mode, algunos de ellos han atrevidamente hablado en favor de una Monarquia, y quisieran colocar un Principe Europeo sobre el trono de Méjico. Venimos para obtener reparacion de injurias y perdidas repetidas, venimos para obtener indemnidades por lo pasado y seguridad por lo futuro, venimos para desechar á los tiranos que han destruido vuestras libertades; pero no venimos nosotros para hacer la guerra al pueblo Mejicano ò contra ninguna forma de gobierno que la nacion quisiere eligirse. Nuestro deseo es de veros libertados de los despotas, de expeler á los Camanchos, de impedir que se renueven sus asaltos, y forzarlos á restituir vuestras mugeres y vuestros hijos detenidos despues de tanto tiempo. Se protegeran vuestra religion, vuestros altares è iglesias, las propiedades de vuestras iglesias y de vuestros cuidadanos, las emblemas de vuestra fé sus ministros quedarán inviolados. Cientos de nuestra exercito y cientos mil de nuestra nacion son miembros de la religion Católica. En cada estado, y en casi todas las ciudades y todos los pueblos de nuestra Union hay iglesias Católicas, y los sacerdotes hacen sus santas funciones en paz y seguridad debajo la garantia de nuestra sagrada constitucion. Venimos entre la gente Mejicano como amigos y hermanos republicanos, y todas los que nos recibirán en esta calidad estarán protegidos, pues cuantos, se dejaràn atraer á llevar las armas se tratarán como enemigos. No necesitarémos de vosotros nada sino sustento para nuestro exercito, y esto os serà siempre pagado en dineros y por su valor entera. La politica acostumbrada de vuestros tiranos consista en engañaros tocante à la politica y al caràcter de nuestro gobierno y de nuestra gente. Temien estos tiranos el exemplo de nuestras libres instituciones, y esfuerzanse constantemente de falsificar nuestros designios é inspiraros el odio de vuestros hermanos republicanos de la Union Americana.

Dadnos solo la ocasion de desengañoros, y luego sabreis que todas las representaciones de Paredes son falsas, y hechas solo con la intencion de inducir os en consentir al establecimiento de un gobierno despotico.

En vuestra guerra para la libertad, contra la monarquia Española, millares de nuestros conciudadanos espusieron sus vidas y derramaron su sangre para vuestra defensa. Nuestro commodore, el bravo Porter, sostuvo vuestro pabellon triumfante en el oceano, y nuestro gobierno fuè el primero en reconocer vuestra independencia. Inscribimos con orgulio y placer vuestro nombre en la lista de las republicas independentes, y tuvimos deseo que pudieseis gozar en paz y prosperidad todas las ventajas de los gobiernos libres. Es impossible que tengan buen suceso vuestros tiranos contra el exercito de la Union, pero si ellos sucedieren solo seria para darlos el medio de llenar vuestras ciudades con sus soldados, comer vuestra sustento, y cargaros de impuestos aun mas duros. Ya han abolido

la libertad de la imprenta, siendo este el primer paso ácia la introduccion de aquella monarquia la cual ellos tienen en realidad el designio de proclamar y establecer.

Mejicanos, hembs de tratar como enemigos y destruir á los tiranos quienes, mientras nos han agraviado è insultado, os han privado de vuestra libertad, pero los Mejicanos que quedaran neutrales durante la guerra, serán protegidos contra sus despotas militares por el exercito republicano de la Union.

A PROCLAMATION

BY THE GENERAL COMMANDING THE ARMY OF THE U. S. OF AMERICA.

To the people of Mexico:

After many years of patient endurance, the United States are at length constrained to acknowledge that a war now exists between our government and the government of Mexico. For many years our citizens have been subjected to repeated insults and injuries, our vessels and cargoes have been seized and confiscated, our merchants have been plundered, maimed, imprisoned, without cause and without reparation. At length your government acknowledged the justice of our claims, and agreed by treaty to make satisfaction, by payment of several millions of dollars; but this treaty has been violated by your rulers, and the stipulated payments have been withheld. Our late effort to terminate all difficulties by peaceful negotiation has been rejected by the dictator Paredes, and our minister of peace, whom your rulers had agreed to receive, has been refused a hearing. He has been treated with indignity and insult, and Paredes has announced that war exists between us. This war, thus first proclaimed by him, has been acknowledged as an existing fact by our President and Congress, with perfect unanimity, and will be prosecuted with vigor and energy against your army and rulers; but those of the Mexican people who remain neutral will not be molested.

Your government is in the hands of tyrants and usurpers. They 'have abolished your State governments, they have overthrown your federal constitution, they have deprived you of the right of suffrage, destroyed the liberty of the press, despoiled you of your arms, and reduced you to a state of absolute dependence upon the power of a military dictator. Your army and rulers extort from the people, by grievous taxation, by forced loans, and military seizures, the very money which sustains the usurpers in power. Being disarmed, you are left defenceless, an easy prey to the savage Cumanches, who not only destroy your lives and property, but drive into a captivity, more horrible than death itself, your wives and children. It is your military rulers who have reduced you to this deplorable condition. It is these tyrants, and their corrupt and cruel satellites, gorged with the people's treasure, by whom you are thus oppressed and impoverished, some of whom

have boldly advocated a monarchical government, and would place a European prince on the throne of Mexico. We come to obtain reparation for repeated wrongs and injuries, we come to obtain indemnity for the past and security for the future, we come to overthrow the tyrants who have destroyed your liberties; but, we come to make no war upon the people of Mexico, nor upon any form of free government they may choose to select for themselves. It is our wish to see you liberated from despots, to drive back the savage Cumanches, to prevent the renewal of their assaults, and to compel them to restore to you from captivity your long lost wives and children. Your religion, your altars and churches, the property of your churches and citizens, the emblems of your faith and its ministers, shall be protected and remain inviolate. Hundreds of our ar "y, and hundreds of thousands of our people, are members of the Catholic church. In every State, and in nearly every city and village of our Union, Catholic churches exist, and the priests perform their holy functions in peace and security, under the sacred guarantee of our constitution. We come among the people of Mexico as friends and republican brethren, and all who receive us as such shall be protected, whilst all who are seduced into the army of your dictator shall be treated as enemies. shall want from you nothing but food for our army, and for this you shall always be paid, in cash, the full value. It is the settled policy of your tyrants to deceive you in regard to the policy and character of our government and people. These tyrants fear the example of our free institutions, and constantly endeavor to misrepresent our purposes, and inspire you with hatred for your republican brethren of the American Union. Give us but the opportunity to undeceive you, and you will soon learn that all the representations of Paredes were false, and were only made to induce you to consent to the establishment of a despotic govern

ment.

In your struggle for liberty with the Spanish monarchy, thousands of our countrymen risked their lives and shed their blood in your defence. Our own commodore, the gallant Porter, maintained in triumph your flag upon the ocean, and our government was the first to acknowledge your independence. With pride and pleasure we enrolled your name on the list of independent republics, and sincerely desired that you might in peace and prosperity enjoy all the blessings of free government. Success on the part of your tyrants against the army of the Union is impossible; but if they could succeed, it would only be to enable them to fill your towns with their soldiers, eating out your substance, and harassing you with still more grievous taxation. Already they have abolished the liberty of the press, as the first step towards the introduction of that monarchy which it is their real purpose to proclaim and establish.

Mexicans, we must treat as enemies and overthrow the tyrants who, whilst they have wronged and insulted us, have deprived you of your liberty; but the Mexican people who remain neutral during the contest shall be protected against their military despots, by the republican army of the Union.