ELLIOT TO JONES 282
[Enclosure] Copy. Charles Elliot. Galveston March 22d. 1844
The Undersigned etc. etc. etc, has lately had the honor to acquaint Mr Jones that Her Majesty's Government was engaged in continued efforts to induce the Government of Mexico to acknowledge the Independence of Texas, and he has now the gratification to add that renewed communications have taken place between the Government of Her Majesty and that of The King of the French, and that His Majesty has expressed His concurrence in the purposes of The Queen, and has signified His Pleasure to command the French Minister at Mexico, to join his continued friendly assistance to that of Her Majesty's Representative
But adverting to the proposals of the Government of the United States respecting annexation, to the recent Mission of distinguished Citizens of Texas to Washington on the Potomac, and to the impression so general in Texas that Negotiations having that object in view are either in progress, or in contemplation, the Undersigned finds it his duty to express the hope that the Government of Texas will furnish him with explanations on the subject for transmission to Her Majesty's Government. He is sure that they will be made in that spirit of frank and friendly unreserve which has always characterized the intercourse of the two Governments
It must be unnecessary to say that the Undersigned is perfectly aware of the President's personal opinions upon this subject, and he has not failed, agreeably to the President's wish, to communicate to Her Majesty's Government His Majesty's determination to sustain the Independence of this Republic, and His Excellency's confident hope that the people would uphold him in that course—Indeed referring to the Conferences which the Undersigned had the honor to have with the President and Mr Jones at Galveston during last Autumn, he can suppose that the Mission to Washington of the Gentlemen in question, has been dictated by a wise desire to avoid any cause of offence or irritation to the Government of the United States, and to explain with frankness that the Government of Texas could not entertain the subject at all, even if all other obstacles were removed, after the former rejection of such an arrangement by the Government of the United States, and wholly without reason to know that the Senate of the United States would ratify it now, or in future.
The Congress of Texas, however, has met and separated since the date of the Communications to which the Undersigned has referred, and the President will feel with force that it is is just and necessary in the present appearance of circumstances that there should be no room for the least uncertainty on the part of the Governments engaged on the behalf of Texas at Mexico; for it is not to be supposed that they could continue to press the Government of Mexico to settle upon one basis, whilst there was any reason to surmize that Negotiations were either in actual existence, or in contemplation, proposing a combination of a totally different nature. It is manifest on the other hand, that a distinct disavowal on the part of the Government of Texas of any intention to consent to such a Scheme either now, or prospectively, could not fail to strengthen the hands of the Ministers of Their Majesties The Queen, and The King of the French at Mexico.
Confiding in the steadfastness of the people of Texas to the pledges in the fundamental acts of their National existence, Several of the Great Powers have acknowledged the Independence of this Republic, and entered into treaties with it. Whilst that confidence subsists, it may be depended upon that the Government of Her Majesty will never relax in their friendly efforts to induce the Government of Mexico to adjust on the policy so forcibly pressed upon the attention of Her Majesty's Government by the Government of Texas, not adopted without mature deliberation by Her Majesty's Government, and in their judgment equally necessary for the security of Mexico, and the strength and prosperity of Texas.
Charles Elliot The Honorable Anson Jones [Endorsed.] Inclosure No 1 in Captain Elliot's Secret Despatch to the Earl of Aberdeen. Galveston April 7 1844.
JONES TO ELLIOT 283
[Enclosure] Copy. Charles Elliot Department of State Washington March. 25th. 1844.
The Undersigned Secretary of State of The Republic of Texas has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Note addressed him on the 22d Instant by Captain Elliot II. B. Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires, informing this Government that Her Majesty was engaged in continued efforts to induce the Government of Mexico to acknowledge the Independence of Texas, that renewed communications have taken place between the Governments of Her Majesty and that of the King of the French, who had expressed His concurrence in the purposes of The Queen, and also requesting explanations on the subject of the recent Mission of Citizens of Texas to Washington on the Potomac, and the Negotiations supposed to be in progress between Texas and the United States in reference to annexation.
The friendly interest which Her Majesty's Government have on this as well as many previous occasions expressed for the Welfare, prosperity, and Independence of Texas has been received by the President with the liveliest satisfaction, and it is due to that friendly interest that the request made by Her Majesty's Representative should be answered with frankness and unreserve.
Early in the present summer and just before the propositions for an armistice were received from General Santa Anna instructions were given to our Ministers abroad to inform the friendly Powers whose good offices had been invoked in settling the difficulties between this Country and Mexico, that unless a satisfactory prospect of such a Settlement soon appeared, Texas would assume a new and entirely different attitude, and abandoning the hope of an adjustment of the existing War by their friendly aid, resort to other means for the accomplishment of this object. For a while the hope of the establishment of a satisfactory Armistice was entertained, during which time and while this hope appeared reasonable, this Government omitted any change in it's national policy. In this situation matters remained until the recent meeting of the Congress of the Nation, soon after which time it became very apparent the Government of Mexico were indisposed to any amicable settlement upon reasonable and admissible terms. The Texian Prisoners were detained in captivity, contrary to the pledges given by Santa Anna for their release, the friendly relations between Great Britain and Mexico were suddenly interrupted, by which our hopes from that quarter appeared to be disappointed, intelligence from our Commissioners beyond the Rio Grande engaged in conducting the terms of the Armistice was of a very unfavorable character, and the people of this Country tired of uncertainty and delay naturally turned their attention to annexation, the door to which had just been unexpectedly opened, as the most certain remedy for existing evils. Under these circumstances, the Congress of the Nation met and adjourned.
Their acts in relation to the subject have been committed to to the care of the President under the seal of secrecy. Whatever has been done, therefore, in relation to this subject has been in obedience to the requirements of their acts.
The Mission of General Henderson to the City of Washington is immediately concerned with this subject, and should the Government of the United States yield it's assent to the assurances which the Representatives of this are required to ask of it, the Government of Texas will view the policy of annexation as the most proper one left it, under all existing circumstances, at the present time, to pursue.
In the earnest hope that this statement and explanation may be entirely satisfactory to Her Majesty's Government, . . .
Anson Jones. To Captain Charles Elliot, H. B. M. Chargé d'Affaires. [Endorsed.] Inclosure No 2 in Captain Elliot's Secret Despatch to the Earl of Aberdeen. Galveston April 7th 1844.
ELLIOT TO JONES 284
[Enclosure] Copy. Charles Elliot. Galveston April 3d. 1844.
The Undersigned etc. etc. etc. has had the honor to receive Mr Jones's note of the 25th Ultimo in reply to his own of the 22d idem, and he offers his acknowledgments for this statement of the situation of circumstances which shall be transmitted to Her Majesty's Government without delay.
In the mean time, however, he considers it right to remark that he does not believe Her Majesty's Government have formed the same opinion as this Government upon the indisposition of Mexico to any amicable settlement with Texas upon reasonable and admissible terms. Indeed he is disposed to think that Her Majesty's Government had become more sanguine that a different state of feeling was growing up in that quarter, and he considers any recent appearances to the contrary to [be due to] the indisposition of Mexico to the annexation of Texas to the United States. Thus impressed he believes that Mexico would have consented to terms of armistice more acceptable to this Government, if it had not been thought prudent to avoid a truce of convenient duration for the conduct of Negotiations at another point, having in view a combination naturally so ill liked at Mexico, as the Annexation of Texas to the United States.
He will merely further remakr of the truce agreed upon between the Commissioners of Texas and Mexico, that if it had conformed with the policy of this Government to avail themselves of that opening, he entertains the opinion that it might have been improved into a convenient duration and form.
Of the detention of the Texian prisoners in Mexico which has been noticed by Mr Jones as another proof of the indisposition of the Government of Mexico to amicable settlement, the Undersigned will freely admit, (speaking for himself) that he thinks the Government of Mexico ought to have released those prisoners. But he is bound to confess, with equal frankness that he has reason to think the Mexican Government will be able to adduce motives for their conduct in this particular, which may account for it, without resorting to a general indisposition to adjust with Texas upon peaceful and honorable terms, as the ground of the continued detention of these unhappy men.
The temporary interruption of the Official intercourse between Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Mexico and that Government is noticed by Mr Jones as another event of a discouraging character. The Undersigned can only say upon that point that He is sure Her Majesty's Government would not have delayed to Communicate their apprehensions to the same effect to the Government of Texas if they had participated in them for a moment.
Weighing all the circumstances of the case as carefully as he can, the Undersigned will take the liberty here to express the belief, that at no period of the interposition of Her Majesty's Government for the settlement of the dispute between Texas and Mexico, could it ever have appeared to them that there were better founded hopes of an early and honorable adjustment than at the moment, when, as Mr Jones observes, the door to Annexation was unexpectedly opened to the people of this Country. The approach in that sense was most probably unexpected in Mexico too, for it came when there was a state of known truce between the parties, when Texian Commissioners respectfully received, were actually in the Mexican territory, and whilst Negotiations, first for an armistice, and then for a peace, were known to be in contemplation, and in point of fact in progress.
The intimation of such a proposal to the Government of Texas by the Government of the United States would of course become known in Mexico about the same time, and made under the state of circumstances then existing it can hardly be a source of surprize that it produced the disturbing effect which has followed.
The Undersigned thinks he should not discharge his duty if he omitted to express the earnest hope that the Government and people of Texas will not make the incalculably heavy sacrifice of their separate National existence under the impression that the prospect of amicable settlement with Mexico has passed away. He believes there is no good ground for such an impression, and he is also of opinion that it is still in the power of the Government of Texas to renew the Negotiations with Mexico upon a hopeful basis by reassuring that Government upon a point on which it is entitled to expect complete reassurance before friendly Negotiations with Texas are firmly set on foot.
The Undersigned cannot refrain from observing that there is no want of evidence in the press of the United States that very eminent and practised Statesmen in that Country are firmly opposed to the annexation of Texas to that Union, either at all, or at least under any other condition than the consent of Mexico, peacefully obtained. Neither does it seem to be doubtful, judging from the same sources that these opinions are shared by a large part of the people of that Confederacy. The Undersigned trusts that his own sincere desire for the Independence and prosperity of Texas will be the excuse for alluding to these considerations, on which, however, he has no intention to dwell
He will close this note with the renewed declaration of the desire of Her Majesty's Government to be helpful in the adjustment of this dispute upon terms of honor, justice, and advantage both to Texas, and to Mexico, and with the expression of the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, that the preservation of their Independence is the best security of the people of Texas for their ultimate prosperity, both political and commercial.
The health of the Undersigned is still in a very broken condition (so much so that he writes with difficulty) but he will wait at New Orleans or in it's immediate neighbourhood as long as he safely can, and will be happy to receive any Communication which the Government of Texas may do him the honor to forward to him through the channel he has already indicated to Mr Jones.
Charles Elliot. The Honorable Anson Jones. [Endorsed.] Inclosure No 3 in Captain Elliot's Secret Despatch to the Earl of Aberdeen.Galveston April 7th 1844.
283. F. O., Texas, Vol. 9.
284. F. O., Texas, Vol. 9.
How to cite:
"BRITISH CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING TEXAS XII ", Volume 018, Number 2, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, Page 208 - 214. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v018/n2/article_4.html
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