London on the 8th, two days prior to the assembling of Parliament. We are daily expecting despatches from him. Say Col. Grayson has been appointed Navy Agent for the purchase of a fleet for this Government which will prevent his return. to him that the aspect of things generally is much more favorable than at the time of his departure, and make to him my best compliments. Unfortunately I did not receive his letter of the 7th. inst. till after the adjournment of Congress. I think that body would not hesitate to autho[r]ise the proposed alteration in the Bonds. They convene again on the second Monday in April next. The President's health is yet feeble, but improving. I have the honor to be, Hon. M. HUNT, Minister Plenipotentiary of Republic of Texas. Washington City D. C. R. A. IRION. P. S. The copies of your correspondence with Mr. Forsyth mentioned as having been sent to me, have not been received. LA BRANCHE TO IRION." SIR, LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Having been informed that land offices are about to be opened within the territory under the jurisdiction of the United States on Red River, and that commissioners for that purpose have been duly appointed under authority of the government of Texas, notwithstanding the remonstrances of the Honble John Forsyth, Secretary of State of the United States, it becomes my duty, in the name of the government I have the honor to represent, to protest, as I now do solemnly protest against such encroachment on said territory. Confiding in the high recitude of his Excellency, the President, I trust that upon your communicating this protest to him, he will take such measures as the exigency of the case requires. SIR, LA BRANCHE TO IRION." LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES Having seen published in "the Telegraph" of the 13th Instant, an act to define the boundaries of the County of Red River, which act is not only to define, but organize said county, I have the honor, with due respect, to request you to inform me whether said County to be so organized, does not comprehend the territory or any portion thereof, alluded to by the Honorable John Forsyth in his Remonstrance to the government of Texas. The apprehensions I feel upon this matter, induce me to make the present inquiry, to which, I trust, you will give an immediate and explicit answer. Be pleased, Sir, to accept the assurances of To the hon. R. A. IRION, Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas. ALCÉE LA BRANCHE IRION TO LA BRANCHE. SIR, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, City of Houston, Jany. 16th, 1838. The undersigned Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas, has the honor hereby to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. La Branche's note of yesterday, requesting "immediate and explicit" information relative to an act passed during the late session of the Congress of this Republic, entitled "an act to define the boundaries of Red River County," which was published in the Telegraph on the 13th. instant. In reply, the undersigned, having carefully examined the remonstrance of Mr. Forsyth in reference to the locality of said County, has the honor to inform Mr. La Branche, that the limits designated in the above named act do include the territory indicated in that remonstrance as being in the occupancy, and under the civil jurisdiction of the State of Arkansas. The undersigned embraces this occasion to renew to Mr. La Branche assurances of his distinguished consideration and respect. Hon. ALCÉE LA BRANCHE. Chargé d'Affaires of the U. States R. A. IRION to the R. of Texas. a L. S. LA BRANCHE TO IRION." LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Houston 16th. January 1838. The Undersigned has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a letter from the Honble R. A. Irion, Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas, in reply to a communication, addressed by the Undersigned, upon the subject of an act defining the boundaries and organizing the county of Red River. The Honble Secretary informs the Undersigned that said county includes the territory in the possession and under the jurisdiction of the United States: And whereas, the organization of said county, as set forth by the Honble Secretary of State, under the laws of the Republic of Texas, is in direct violation of the rights of the United States: The Undersigned, Chargé d'Affaires of the United States, in the name and on behalf of said government, does protest, solemnly protest against this and all measures whatever, injurious to the said United States, on the part of the government of Texas; renewing the protest already made by him, against the establishment of land offices in said territory, and solemnly reclaiming against the exercise of any powers over the territory aforesaid, by the government of Texas, incompatible, or conflicting with the just powers and authority of the United States. In making this protest, the Undersigned cannot refrain from expressing surprise at these proceedings on the part of the govnt. of Texas, and that so little regard has been shown for the remonstrance of the government of the United States conveyed with a desire to prevent all difficulty until the settlement of the boundary between the two countries would have determined their respective limits. But so far from complying with the just requisition of the United States, the government of Texas has given further cause of complaint by actually organizing the territory and placing it immediately under her jurisdiction. These encroachments, the govnt of the United States will not allow, and the Honble Secretary must be well aware how eminently calculated they are to produce deplorable results. The Undersigned requests the Honble Secretary to lay this protest and reclamation before the President, feeling convinced that his Excellency will pursue such measures as will comport with the sentiments of amity and perfect harmony betwen the two governments; thus obviating a resort to steps that may devolve upon the United States, should the government of Texas persist in extending her authority over said territory. a A. L. S. The Undersigned assures the Honble Secretary of State of his great consideration and respect, Nothing of very especial moment, relative to the concerns of this Legation, has occurred, since the date of my last despatch, of November the 15th. and I have been deferring this communication from time to time, in order that I might have something definite to communicate to you in regard to the probable success of the negotiation for the annexation of Texas to the United States. Moreover, as Col. Grayson was thoroughly acquainted with the situation of our affairs here, I relied upon his giving you a detailed account of every thing upon which you might wish to be informed, and deemed it unnecessary to trouble you with a communication on paper of matters, which he could so much more satisfactorily communicate to you in person. I think I can now address you with a full understanding of our prospects on the subject of the negotiation. The views of this administration have been thoroughly sifted, and unless I am greatly mistaken, clearly ascertained. The general feeling in Congress too, I shall be able to communicate to you with every confidence in its accuracy. Ardently as I have desired the accomplishment of the measure and unwilling to abandon hope so long as there remained the slightest prospect of success, I can no longer repel the conviction that the measure is utterly impracticable under existing circumstances. In regard to the attitude and disposition of this administration upon the subject of the admission of Texas into this Union, the simple truth of the matter is as follows. That the government of the United States is anxious for the accomplishment of the measure, there does not and cannot exist a shadow of doubt. It has been their settled and uniform policy to get possession of Texas for the last twelve years. See the instructions of no less than four Secretaries of State, Mr. Clay, Mr. Van Buren, Mr. McLane and Mr. Forsyth to their Ministers in Mexico, between the years 1825 and 1835. I will venture Signature (as well as letter) written by Fairfax Catlett. to say, that there is no man personally more anxious for it than Mr. Van Buren himself. Mr. Forsyth, Mr. Poinsett, Mr. Kendall all desire it. But hampered as they are by their party trammels on the one hand, and their treaty obligations with Mexico on the other, by the furious opposition of all the free States, by the fear of incurring the charge of false dealings and injustice, and of involving this country in a war, in which they are now doubtful whether they would even be supported by a majority of their own citizens, and which would be at once branded by their enemies at home and abroad as an unjust war, instigated for the very purpose of gaining possession of Texas and for no other, they dare not and will not come out openly for the measure, so long as the relative position of the three parties continues the same as it is at present. Such is the disposition and such the actual situation of this government in regard to the subject of annexation. So long as the relations of the three parties continued as they were at the time the proposition was made, (and as they still are) the voluntary consent of Mexico was regarded by the United States as a necessary condition precedent to the admission of Texas; and as that consent could not reasonably be hoped for under existing circumstances, it was deemed indispensable that such a material change should be brought about in their relative positions, as would either justify the United States in admitting Texas without the consent of Mexico or reduce the latter into such a situation, that she would no longer hesitate to yield her consent to the measure. Either of which alternatives would have ensured its easy and speedy accomplishment. When I last wrote to you, I was sanguine in my hopes that such a change would be speedily effected by the United States declaring war against Mexico, of which at that time there was a strong probability, and in which event, one of the greatest obstacles in the way of annexation would have been removed, and I entertained a belief that matters might then be so managed as to make the Rio Grande the South-Western boundary of the United States, with a due regard to the rights and claims of Texas. I had every reason at that time to believe that there would be a war, abundantly justified as the United States would have been in declaring it by the repeated injuries and insults, which they had sustained at the hands of Mexico;—nay, imperatively called upon as many of the administration thought they were to vindicate the insulted honor and dignity of their country. Moreover, I had received positive assurances from leading men of that party, that the administration was determined to recommend a peremptory course towards Mexico and, in event of a declaration of war, I did not doubt of their hearty cooperation with me in effecting the object of annexation:-not that the war would have been brought about for the purpose of obtaining Texas, but that peremptory meas |