a slavery in Texas, which was the introduction of African slaves, an evil which Mexico permitted, if she did not also encourage that our constitution forbid the introduction of slaves from any other part of the world except the United States of North America and that by a law of Congress passed at the first session of the first Congress of Texas, the penalty of death was imposed upon any person who should introduce a slave from any other country than the United States, and that in all cases where slaves were brought even from the United States to Texas, they must have been slaves according to the laws of the State from which they were brought, that notwithstanding a few slaves had been taken into Texas from Africa, through Cuba whilst we were under the Mexican Government, yet none had been taken in since the people of Texas had taken the Government into their own hands, that Mexico never had the ability or the disposition to put a stop to the African slave trade in Texas-that even regarding the situation of Texas alone on this subject the philanthropic mind would find more abundant reasons to favour the continuance of the present authorities, than encourage the re-establishment of the dominion of Mexico over us-that we had requested the Government of the United States to guard the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, whilst our navy was otherwise engaged so as to prevent the possibility of the introduction of African slaves into Texas. His Lordship then observed that this would be a serious question to be considered in her Majesty's Cabinet in passing upon the application which I was making to be recognized and that he supposed that I was aware that this question had already been agitated in Parliament. To this I answered that I was informed of that fact and that I hoped if the question was again brought up in either house his Lordship would cause to be laid before the house the above statement of facts. To which he replied " that it would be considered of ". He then stated that Mexico had emancipated all slaves in Texas by a late decree. I replied that I was not aware of that; at least if I had been informed of it, it had escaped my memory and further observed that the Government of Mexico would be doing more for its National Character if it would release, or attempt to release their Citizens who were now in captivity as prisoners of war in Texas. He smilingly rejoined that I appeared to have a great contempt for the Mexicans. I answered that I thought their Character warranted my opinions. He then enquired closely of their habits, physical ability etc etc. His Lordship then remarked that he had within a few days past received a communication from some citizen of London complaining that a • Cf.-Political Science Quarterly, XIII, 408 ff. See Niles' Register, LI, 38-40. For the decree, see Dublán y Lozano, Legislación Mexicana, III, 352. vessel belonging to English citizens, had recently been captured on the coast of Mexico by some Texian Cruisers and asked me if I knew anything of the fact. I replied that I had previous to my departure from New York, seen such a statement in a newspaper of the United States opposed to the cause of Texas, but that I had received no intelligence which I could rely on concerning the same, that I doubted the truth of the publication and that if a vessel claimed by English citizens had been captured, I could only say, that I supposed it had on board contraband goods; but if upon investigation it appeared, that any injustice had been done to the rights of British subjects, I could assure his Lordship from my knowledge of the disposition of the people and Government of Texas to cultivate and secure friendly relations with England that the most ample and speedy reparation would be made either to the individuals interested, or to the Government if it should involve a point of national honor. His Lordship again observed that the application which I had made, was one of importance and one which he could not take upon himself to answer, but that he would as speedily as possible lay it before the Cabinet that such matters required consideration and he must ask me to have patience with him. I then asked his Lordship to say what was the earliest period at which I might expect an answer to my application. He answered that inasmuch as most of the Ministers of State were still absent in different parts of the Kingdom, it would be delayed until the 1st. of November, but that he would in the meantime aquaint them of my arrival and the nature of my business. I then observed that perhaps it was proper at that time to inform his Lordship that I was also the bearer of Credentials from his Excellency the President of Texas, constituting me Minister Plenipotentiary from that Republic to the Court of St. James, which I would at the proper time ask leave to deliver. After some conversation upon the general subjects touching Texas, his Lordship asked me what could be said in favour of the ability of Texas to maintain her declaration of independence when he laid her claims before the Cabinet-that it might be urged against her that notwithstanding she now had the possession of the Government de facto, yet inasmuch as Mexico was so much the most powerful nation, she might reconquer Texas. To which I replied, that in addition to the reasons which I had already given, I would mention, that the people of Texas under their present organization had defeated the whole Mexican Army which had been marched into their Country, consisting of between Eight and Nine thousand men-their choice troops, by capturing their president and commander in chief together with the whole of that division which he commanded in person at the Battle of San • See Irion to Henderson, August 23, 1837. a Jacinto, and driving the balance of their force before them entirely without the limits of Texas-that the whole Army of Texas at that time, under the command of Genl. Houston the commander in chief did not exceed eight hundred men-that in the Battle of San Jacinto the Mexican Genl's. force outnumbered the force under Genl. Houston more than two to one-that there the loss of the former was exceeding seven hundred killed and the balance taken prisoners-that the loss of the latter was seven killed and fourteen wounded-that it was true as stated by his Lordship, that Mexico far exceeded Texas in numerical strength, but that every combat between the two parties proved the entire superiority of the Texians in arms,—that we had fought them in the open field, in the woods, and in their strongest fortifications that on every occasion they had outnumbered us from two to ten to one-that in every engagement we had been successful either in repelling or capturing the enemy except in the single case of the fall of the Alamo and that on this occasion the Texian force was 186 men, who were attacked by between four and six thousand Mexicans and held out against them for near two weeks-that the loss of the Mexicans in that seige was about 1300 men that since the capture of Genl. Santa Anna on the 21st. March 1836 and the retreat of the Balance of the Mexican Army under Genl. Filisola, there had not been a hostile Mexican within the limits of Texasthat the constitutional Government of Texas was and had been in successful operation for twelve months, with every department perfectly organized-that if Texas was able to defeat the whole army of Mexico, consisting of 8000 of her chosen troops, capture and hold as a prisoner of war her President, and commander in chief for more than 6 months, and that too in the neighbourhood of his own dominions, where it might be said that nothing more than an imaginary line seperated the two republics, and with a force of only 800 men, I presumed no one would doubt her ability to defend herself now, when she could call into the field at any moment ten thousand soldiers that the reason why Texas had not again been invaded by Mexico, was not because no efforts had since been made by the authorities of that country to effect that object, but because they could neither command the men nor money-that for more than 12 months, they had been exerting their utmost efforts to concentrate a force at Matamoros sufficient for that purpose, but that they never had been able to collect and keep together more than 3000 men at any one time and that the fear with which they had been stricken by the Texians during the last invasion was spread throughout all Mexico, and operated upon officers as well as men,-that they were aware of our increased and increasing strength, that they were a weak, ignorant, a Cf. figures given by R. M. Potter in Magazine of American History, 11, 15-16. ⚫ Inadvertently written for April. and degraded race, and heretofore had no proper conception of their own weakness, because notwithstanding they had been involved in wars for many years, yet their contests were confined to battling with each other-that the history of that country ever since its separation from Spain proved that it was doomed to perpetual revolutions and that at this moment the contest between the two individuals Santa Anna and Bustamente would involve the country in a revolution for years to come and which would in itself be a sufficient obstacle to prevent another invasion of Texas by that power,-that these were some of the many reasons, which might be urged in favor of the application which I had the honor of making, and which I hoped his Lordship would do the government which I represented the justice of laying before that of her Majesty on the occasion above alluded to, and inform me at the earliest possible period, of the result of the conference; to which he politely consented. The Right Honble. Secretary honoured me with a conference of two hours. The above statement contains all the conversation of importance that passed between us, and I have been thus particular in relating it to your honour, as well to enable you to draw your own conclusions with regard to the prospects of my success here, as to place it in the power of his Excellency the President to judge of the manner in which I discharged the duties of my station, that he may instruct me in whatever he would have me say in addition. During the interview much other conversation passed between his Lordship and myself in relation to Texas, which I thought clearly evinced the interest which had been excited in his mind by an investigation of her situation. Since the meeting of his Lordship and myself, I have concluded to address a letter to him setting forth all the arguments I can bring forward, in favour of the application which I have made and request him to lay it before the Cabinet on the occasion of their meeting, and will in due time despatch to your honor a copy of the same. Having been informed previous to my departure from N. York that by a decree of the Mexican Government of April last, she had proposed to settle the claims of the British Stockholders of the various loans obtained in England by paying a part of the same in Land to be located in Texas and having seen in the newspapers of this city, that these terms had been partly accepted by the persons interested in England, and that the 16th. instant was the day fixed upon for all such as were willing to accept these terms to come forward and make the same known, I asked Lord Palmerston if the Government of England had any direct interest in these claims, or had given her sanction to these proceedings. To which he replied that she had not. I will this day address a letter to F. De Lizardi & Co who are the Agents appointed here on behalf of the Mexican Government informing them of the destruction of the sovereignty of Mexico over Texas and protest on the part of Texas against the proceeding, so far as she is concerned and request them to lay it before the Stockholders; this will I hope at least embarrass the negotiations of Mexico here for a new loan, which I am informed will be attempted shortly upon the faith of this satisfactory Settlement of their former loans. In this communication I will be as mild and conciliatory as possible towards the citizens of England who are concerned, in order to prevent any excitement being raised against Texas at this critical time, and I presume my communication will not be published here out of the circle of those concerned." His Lordship not having mentioned anything of Mr. Crawford or his mission to Texas I deemed it best not to allude to it during the interview; having thought he might regard it as betraying too much intimacy with a matter that was supposed to be a secret I have the honor to subscribe myself with sentiments of the highest consideration Yours etc etc J PINCKNEY HENDERSON HENDERSON TO LIZARDI & Co. HENDERSON TO PALMERSTON.d HENDERSON TO PALMERSTON." PALMERSTON TO HENDERSON. PALMERSTON TO HENDERSON." Cf. Catlett to Henderson May 7 and May 25, 1837, in Correspondence with the United States in Part I. Mr. Crawford reached Texas in April, 1837, presumably for the purpose of investi gating the civil and political conditions in Texas and of reporting upon them to the British Government. See the Telegraph and Texas Register, May 2, 1837. October 16, 1837. d October 26, 1837. October [26], 1837. 1 October 31, 1837. October 31, 1837. See Henderson to Irion, November 5, 1837. See Henderson to Irion, November 5, 1837. |