CHAPTER LIV.

POLK'S ADMINISTRATION.

AMES K. POLK was inaugurated on the 4th of March, 1845. In his inaugural address, assurances were given that the political doctrines of the Democratic party would, as far as possible, be carried into operation. Upon the Oregon boundary question, the President expressed the opinion that the title of the United States to the whole territory was clear and unquestionable. He was known to be in favor of the immediate annexation of Texas. The cabinet was immediately organized as follows-James Buchanan, of Pennsylvania, Secretary of State; Robert J. Walker, of Mississippi, Secretary of the Treasury; William L. Marcy, Secretary of War; George Bancroft of Massachusetts, Secretary of the Navy; Cave Johnson, of Tennessee, Postmaster-General'; John Y. Mason, of Virginia, Attorney-General.

When Congress met on the 1st of December, an active and exciting session was anticipated. The annexation of Texas and the prospect of a war with Great Britain upon the vexed Oregon question, it was expected, would give rise to much discussion. Early in 1846, the bill annexing Texas to the United States was passed by both houses of Congress, and received the signature of the President. Soon after, the Oregon dispute was settled by a treaty between the United States and Great Britain. The 49th parallel of north latitude was agreed upon as the boundary line. The amicable adjustment of this difficulty was a matter of congratulation on both sides of the Atlantic.

Mexico continued unwilling to acknowledge the independence of Texas, and put forth repeated threats of a design to re-conquer it. Occasional attacks upon the frontier settlers of that State, were made by parties of Mexicans, and Indians, who acted under their control. A detachment of United States troops, under the command of General Taylor, was ordered to take a position at Corpus Christi, west of the Neuces, as early as August, 1845-some months before the annexation of Texas to the United States-and to repel any invasion of Texan territory by the Mexicans. This Army of Occupation, as it was called, remained at Corpus Christi until the 11th of March, 1846, when General Taylor was ordered to move westward and take position on the Rio Grande, which was claimed to be the western boundary of Texas. On the 20th of March, the army reached the river Colorado, where some disposition to resist its progress was shown by a Mexican force upon the opposite bank. General Taylor notified the Mexicans that if any attempt was made to check his progress he would cross the river and attack them. General Mejia, aid to the Mexican commander, brought a letter to General Taylor, apprising him that if the American army should cross the Colorado, it would be considered as a declaration of war, and would be the signal for actual hostilities.

Notwithstanding this declaration, the crossing did take place, and that,

too, at a point where the best chance was presented for a successful opposition. On the 22d, the army advanced in the direction of Matamoras, situated upon the west bank of the Rio Grande; but hearing that the Mexicans held Point Isabel, the only point at which stores could be landed from large vessels, General Taylor left the army under the command of General Worth, and, with his dragoons, advanced and took possession of that place. There he received a quantity of supplies for the army. the 28th of March, the "army of occupation" arrived on the east bank On of the Rio Grande, opposite Matamoras. General Worth and his staff were ordered to cross the river to Matamoras, bearing despatches from General Taylor to the Mexican commander. The reception of the despatches was declined by the Mexican general, and an interview with the American consul was demanded and refused. General Worth then

returned.

General Taylor commenced throwing up entrenchments, while the Mexicans were showing signs of hostility. It being known that there were a number of naturalized foreigners in the "army of occupation," a proclamation was circulated among them by General Ampudia, inviting them to join the standard of Mexico. Some few who suffered themselves to be lured by the promises of this proclamation, were detected in the act of deserting, and were shot.

On the 5th of April, a small intrenchment was raised for the reception of the cannon expected from Point Isabel; while the main intrenchment, afterwards called Fort Brown, was in progress of erection. This main intrenchment was large enough to accommodate six regiments of infantry. On the 10th, Colonel Cross, the deputy quartermaster-general, was murdered by the Mexicans while taking a ride near the American camp. His body was not found till the 21st.

On the 11th of April, General Ampudia sent a despatch under a flag to General Taylor, requiring him, in the most pompous language, to break up his camp within twenty-four hours and retire to the east bank of the Neuces River, until the pending dispute between the two governments could be settled. General Taylor replied at once that the instructions. under which he was acting would not permit him to retrograde from his position.

A party of ten men, under Lieutenant Porter, was despatched, on the 17th in pursuit of the murderers of Colonel Cross. On the 18th, they fell in with a party of 150 Mexicans, and firing upon them, put them to flight, and took possession of their camp and horses. On their return, this little band was attacked by a party of Mexicans in the night, and Lieutenant Porter was killed.

On the 19th of April, General Taylor intercepted two vessels bound into Matamoras with supplies for the Mexican army, by sending the United States brig Lawrence and the revenue cutter Santa Anna in pursuit of them. General Ampudia immediately sent a communication to General Taylor, remonstrating against the seizure of the vessels, and declaring them to be the property of the vice-consuls of Spain and Great Britain. He also demanded their immediate return to the owners, on the alternative of active hostilities. General Taylor answered this communication in a despatch, which is generally considered a masterly piece of composition and as giving a clear view of the relative state of the parties up to that period. We quote:

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HEAD-QUARTERS ARMY OF OCCUPATION, Camp near Matamoras, Texas, April 22, 1846. SIR: I have had the honor to receive your communication of this date, in which you complain of certain measures adopted by my orders to close the mouth of the Rio Bravo against vessels bound to Matamoras, and in