CHAPTER XIII
CAUSES OF WAR WITH THE UNITED STATES.
1836-1846
Coercive Diplomacy Claims against Mexico Their Remarkable In crease Demands for Adjustment American Hostility and Mexican Forbearance — Diplomatic Relations Suspended and Renewed — Arbitration and its Results — More American Claims and Mexican Counter-claims — Unfairness of the United States Government — Recognition of Texan Independence — Foreign Intrigues — Annexation of Texas — Means of Accomplishment — A Casus Belli — Rupture of Relations — Pressure on Mexico — Warlike Demonstrations — Slidell's Unsuccessful Mission.
It was a premeditated and predetermined affair, the war of the United States on Mexico; it was the result of a deliberately calculated scheme of robbery on the part of the superior power. There were at Washington enough unprincipled men high in office, senators, congressmen, to say nothing about the president and his cabinet, and the vast array of demagogues and politicians, who were only too glad to be able in any way to pander to the tastes of their supporters-there were enough of this class, slaveholders, smugglers, Indian-killers, and foul-mouthed tobacco-spurting swearers upon sacred Fourth-of-July principles to carry spread-eagle supremacy from the Atlantic to the Pacific, who were willing to lay aside all notions of right and wrong in the matter, and unblushingly to take whatever could be secured solely upon the principle of might. Mexico, poor, weak, struggling to secure for herself a place among the nations, is now to be humiliated, kicked, cuffed,
