partment, and which either House of Congress may, at any time, request, I regard it to be my constitutional right and solemn duty, under the circumstances of this case, to decline a compliance with the request of the House contained in their resolution. JAMES K. POLK.

WASHINGTON, January 12, 1848.

NAVY DEPARTMENT, January 12, 1848.

SIR: In compliance with the direction contained in your endorsement on the resclution of the House of Representatives of the 4th instant, I have the honor to transmit, herewith, copies of all. papers in this department, which it is believed are within the purview of the resolution.

A list of the accompanying papers is hereunto annexed.

I have the honor, to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. Y. MASON.

To the PRESIDENT.

List of papers accompanying the letter of the Secretary of the Navy to the President, dated January 12, 1848.

1. Letter from Mr. Bancroft, Secretary of the Navy to Commodore Connor, dated May 13, 1846.

2. Instructions from the Secretary of the Navy to the commander of the home squadron, dated May 13, 1846, respecting the blockade of the Mexican ports.

3. Letter from Commodore Connor to the Secretary of the Navy, dated at Sacrificios, August 16, 1816.

4. Extract of a letter from Commodore Connor to the Secretary of the Navy, dated off Vera Cruz, August 25, 1846.

5. "Address of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna to his countrymen, upon the subject of the plan proclaimed for the real regeneration of the republic," issued at Vera Cruz, August 16, 1846, and enclosed by Commodore Connor.

6. Letter from Hon. Thomas H. Benton to Mr. Mason, Secretary of the Navy, dated April 5, 1847.

7. Letter from the Secretary of the Navy to Wm. Cary Jones, esq., dated May 3, 1847.

8. Letter from Mr. Jones to the Secretary of the Navy, dated May 4, 1847.

9. Letter from the Secretary of the Navy to the commandant of the navy yard at Norfolk, dated May 4, 1847.

10. Despatch No. 15, from Commodore Perry to the Secretary of the Navy, dated at Anton Lizardo, August 18, 1847, with its enclosures.

11. Duplicate of Commodore Perry's despatch, No. 23, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated at Vera Cruz, 7th September, 1847, with the accompanying papers.

12. Letter from the Secretary of the Navy to Commodore Perry, dated October 20, 1847.

No. 1.

[PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.]

NAVY DEPARTMENT, May 13, 1846.

COMMODORE: If Santa Anna endeavors to enter the Mexican ports, you will allow him to pass freely.

Commodore DAVID CONNOR,

Commanding Home Squadron.

GEORGE BANCROFT.

No. 2.

U. S. NAVY DEPARTMENT,
Washington, May 13, 1846.

COMMODORE: Congress having declared that a state of war exists between the United States and the republic of Mexico, you will exercise all the rights that belong to you as commander-in-chief of a belligerent squadron.

Your own intimate acquaintance with the condition of Mexico. will instruct you best what measures to pursue in the conduct of hostilities, in addition to those suggested by the department.

You will declare and enforce a blockade of as many of the ports of Mexico as your force will enable you to do effectually; and you will inform the department as speedily as possible of those which you blockade. You will duly notify neutrals of your declaration, and give to it all the publicity in your power. It is believed that the ports between Guazacualco, and the Del Norte are those to which your attention should principally be directed. Your blockade must be strict and absolute; and only public armed vessels of neutral powers should be permitted to enter the Mexican ports which you shall place in a state of blockade. To neutrals that are already in the ports, you will allow twenty days to leave them. In your letter to the department of the 19th of March you ask, if the English mail steamers that touch monthly at Vera Cruz and Tampico should be included in any blockade which, in the event of hostilities, may become necessary. You are hereby instructed, until further orders, to follow the precedent set by the French, in their recent blockade of Vera Cruz, with regard to them.

You will seize all the ships and vessels of war belonging to Mexico, that may be accessible.

I your means will permit you to do so, you will approach Tampico, and take, and, if practicable, will hold possession of that

town.

The department does not suppose your forces to be adequate to attempt the capture of San Juan d'Ulloa.

You will keep up a constant communication with our army on the Del Norte, and adopt prompt and energetic measures to render it all assistance that may be in your power.

If any of the Mexican provinces are disposed to hold themselves aloof from the central government in Mexico, and maintain pacific relations with the United States, you will encourge them to do so, and regulate your conduct towards them accordingly.

You are enjoined to maintain a frequent correspondence with the department.

The steamer "Princeton" has sailed to join your squadron, and will be of service, especially as a despatch vessel.

The brig "Perry will sail during the present week, for Chagres; and, on its return, will join your command.

The brig" Porpoise" will rejoin you on its return from St. Domingo.

The brig "Truxton" will follow in a few days. Your force will then consist of the following vessels :

The country relies on you to make such a use of this force as will most effectually blockade the principal Mexican ports, protect our commerce from the depredations of privateers, assist the operations of our army, and lead to the earliest adjustment of our difficulties with Mexico.

You will adopt all proper precaution to preserve the health of your men.

I commend you, and your ships' companies, to the blessings of

Divine Providence.

Very respectfully,

Commodore D. CONNOR,

GEORGE BANCROFT.
RGE

Commanding Home Squadron.

No. 3.

PRINCETON, Sacrificios, August 16, 1846. SIR: The brig-of-war Daring, just about sailing for New Orleans, with despatches from the English minister in Mexico to Mr. Packenham in Washington, allows me an opportunity and sufficient time to inform you that General Santa Anna and his officers have just now arrived at Vera Cruz, in the English merchant steamer Arab, from the Havana. I have allowed him to enter without molestation, or even speaking the vessel, as I was informed by the senior English naval officer here, Captain Lambert; she carried no cargo, and would not be allowed to take any in return. I could easily have boarded the Arab, but I deemed it most proper not to do so, allowing it to appear as if he had entered without my concurrence.

It is now quite certain the whole country-that is, the garrisons of every town and fortress-have declared in his favor. But, unless he has learned something useful in adversity, and become another man, he will only add to the distractions of the country, and be hurled from power in less than three months.

At last the relief is just coming in. No vessels with coal have yet arrived. Vesssels with coal for a supply of the small steamers will be necessary here-without it they would be of little service. Respectfully, your obedient servant,

Extract of a letter from Commodore David Connor, commanding home squadron, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated,

U. S. SHIP CUMBERLAND,

Of Vera Cruz, August 25, 1846.

SIR: I had only time on the 16th instant, before the sailing of H. M. brig Daring for New Orleans, to communicate to the department the arrival of General Santa Anna at Vera Cruz. After issuing the enclosed manifesto, he retired, on the 18th, to his estate of Mango de Claro. Almonte and Rejon, who accompanied him from the Havana, have gone to Mexico to prepare for his reception in that city. It is manifest, from the tone of several of the leading journals, that he will meet with a strong opposition; indeed, it is stated that a reaction was looked for in the capital in favor of Herrera, and that a portion of the troops were in his favor.

General Salas, who at present directs Mexican affairs, has ordered all the force hitherto employed in suppressing the revolt in Jalisco

to repair without delay to the northern frontier. It may amount to fifteen hundred or two thousand men.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. GEORGE BANCROFT,

D. CONNOR,

Commanding Home Squadron.

Secretary of the Navy, Washington.

No. 5.

[Translation.]

Address of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna to his countrymen, upon the subject of the plan proclaimed for the real regeneration of the republic.

[Issued at Vera Cruz, August 16, 1846, and enclosed in Commodore Connor's letter of the 25th of August, 1846.]

MEXICANS: Called by the people and the garrisons of the departments of Jalisco, Vera Cruz, and Sinaloa, south Mexico, and other points of the republic, I quitted Havana, on the 8th instant, at nine in the evening, with the sole object of coming to aid you in saving our country from its enemies, internal and external.

Great has been my joy, when, on arriving at this point, I learned that the former had been overthrown by your own forces, and that I was already proclaimed on all sides as general-in-chief of the liberal army. A proof of so much confidence will be met by me with the utmost loyalty; but on accepting the plan proclaimed, allow me to enter into some explanations, which I consider necessary, in order to dispel any suspicions founded on the past, the recollections of which are so painful to me.

Desiring to consolidate peace in the interior of the republic, in order to make it flourish and prosper, and to assure by that means the integrity of our immense territory, I devoted all my efforts, in consequence of the events of 1834, to establish an administration. endowed with vigor and energy, and capable of keeping down the spirit of turbulence and disorder. Without ever going beyond republican forms, I endeavored for this purpose to support myself on property, on high position, on creeds, and even on the few historical memorials existing in our country; hoping thus to moderate, by the inertia of conservative interests, the vehemence of popular masses. But without ascendency and prestige, as I was, and the elements assembled by me being viewed with distrust, resistance was made on all sides; which I, however, expected to overcome in time. I call God to witness, that in this I acted with patriotism, with sincerity, and with good faith.

After some years of trial, I began to remark that the republic did not advance; that some departments showed tendencies of sep