recognised us, to believe, let us see how far it has been carried out.

Last spring, when General Vascus invaded Texas, the sacking of San Antonio and the plunder of a very large amount of private property was the consequence. The fall following, under General Woll's invasion, not only was private property taken without remuneration to the owners, but fifty-three of our best citizens, who had, in the hurry of the alarm, risen from their beds in defence of their immediate homes, to oppose, as they believed, a band of robbers, were taken and carried into captivity - truly and literally abducted. Those Texians who fought the battle of Mier consisted of some of the most valuable citizen soldiers of our country, who assembled under the laws of that country to repel an invasion thereof, and surrendered prisoners of war under the articles of capitulation herewith enclosed, with the most solemn and repeated verbal [290] promises of their observance and good treatment by the general in command of the Mexican forces. How far these promises have been carried out we will hereafter inquire.

In my note to your excellency, as above referred to, I stated, that if this principle of civilized warfare was to be observed, the Mexican nation was still debtor to Texas, in way of exchange or liberation of prisoners, about five hundred; that Texas had unconditionally liberated about eight hundred Mexican prisoners, and that Mexico had only liberated three hundred Texians; that, therefore, upon every principle of exchange of prisoners, we were entitled to our liberation. Since, however, writing the above-named note, I have reflected, that inasmuch as the Texians had suspended hostilities against Mexico at your excellency's special request, and while at their respective firesides, in the peaceful pursuits of their avocations, some were abducted from their homes by that country who, unlike us, had refused respect to that request, and others who, in obedience to the highest of all laws, had assembled to repel invasion, that there is an obligation of the highest national character upon your government to relieve us from a situation in which an obedience on our part, and a want of respect on the part of our enemy to said request, has placed us. The request I allude to is dated by Mr. Webster, secretary of state of the United States, as well as I now recollect, in July last, to the Honourable Mr. Eves, chargé d'affaires near the Texian government.[291]

I will not stop here to argue, nor do I believe it necessary with one of your national dignity and enlightened wisdom, how far friendly nations may interfere to enforce the observance of those customs which the long practice of civilized nations has made a law, but respectfully solicit of your excellency a full consideration of the Texian and Mexican question. In the absence of all authorities upon the subject, being shut up with my