A^-:3 •11 fLIBEARY OF CONGRESS.? ^ - — ^ ^ # ^ /r^y^ f^.A^O^ t # .=^.<7 :..W(i4> t I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA J ^ > > * "1 -"•St;.""— >>" ->> 1 >::^>V^ 3;^ 'it:>' ::s> ■^Q>^ > ^ :> > -jst.''-;^* > 3" ^ :VI3> i> Z> •> >i> ^^ :> 2> > - ^»"' j> :>' ^ >-:Z> ^ ^ 3v :;»:;;:>, :> ^ 3>- "3v::> ~> 3> 3y '^'^-m^ ■^•r-j 5^^ *.>>>^> 1 71k ^^:^^Srf=^ --x^^isr^ l^.y. Digitized by the Internet Arciiive in 2010 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/annexationofmexiOOwilc .ions' / Tie ADDexatioi of Mexico tlie means of pjinitlieNatiial Detit, __ _ — ^.•.> — — — Letter to President Johnson, Baltimore, Dec. %th, 1865, Mr. President: Having in your Message indicated what may be construed au intention on yoiu' part of opposing the establishment of an Empire under Maximilian in Mexico, of course under and by virtue of the Monroe Doctrine, the question then arises, what benefit would the country derive from tlie enforcement of this doctrine? If in enforcing the Monroe doctrine, the annexation of Mexico is to be secured, (which will strenghten our right to interfere in the internal aifairs of that country,) then the ben- efit will be immeasurable as I shall endeavor to show. For this purpose and to further show that the annexation of Mexico can be secured I herein reiterate my letter of Sept, 13tli, 1865, to the Hon. Hugh McCuUoch, Secretary of tlie Treasury, which you may have seen, and is as follows: Baltimore, Sepfemher loth, 18(t5. Hon. Hugh McCulloch, Secretary of the 'J'rcasury, Washington, Dear Sir: Among the schemes for the payment of the National debt, I desire to present the following, which I believe coidd be made the most successful: On the 23d day of May, 1864, I addressed a letter to the Hon. Wm, H. Seward, then and now Secretary of State, advocating the annexation of Mexico to this country, as the means by which our late civil war could then possibly be ended. I now advocate the annexation of Mexico as the means by which the payment of the National debt can now be secured, which if our own resources be alone depended upon, it will take many years to liquidate with the probability of its repudiation before any considerable amount shall have been paid. That the annexation of Mexico with its undevel- oped millions of wealth would secure the payment of the pres- ent debt, and also of any additional debt that will be incurred in securing it, I do not think there can be any serious doubt. From the acquisition of California, the wealth of the country from mines alone had, I believe up to the year 1860, increased some eight hundred millions of dollars. If this be the fact; what could we expect from the acquisition of Mexico, a country infinitely richer than California, not only in mines, but in many other resources. But leaving out of the question all pecuniary and commer- cial advantages w^hich are innumerable our own. safety demands that we shall secure annexation. Just so long as a Monarchy exists in Mexico, just that long does the danger to our Govern- ment exist, with that danger increasing in proportion to the length of time that Mexico is ruled by a Monarchial form of gnvevnment : for communication with, the Pacific States we shall have to depend for sometime at least, principally upon the route by way of the Isthmus. Let the opposition to Maximil- ian's government cease, and he be firmly established on his throne, there would in case of a rupture between our govern- ment and his, or between our government and France, in either case the one would be tlie ally of the other, with the additional influence of all Monarchial governments against us, as was palpably the casein our war just ended, then our communica- tion with the Pacific States would, if not altogether stopped, be so seriously impeded as to in fact entirely prevent it ; even the overland route if finished with its enormous expenditure of . means for transportation of men and supplies ; would besides the danger already existing from hostile Indians, which would then be increased, would not be safe on account of its proximi- ty to Mexico, and from other apparent causes. Kor is the dan- ger alone to the Pacific States, but to all the States and Territo- ries West of the Mississippi. That the disafi'ection against the government by some of those who were in arms against it is yet harbored, and an opportunity to vent it hoped for, can but be expected. The country will only be relieved of it and the bonds of Union cemented, by turning it into another chan- nel w^here it can spend its force. Against Napoleon whom they believe has by non-recognition assisted in their overthrow it could be profitably turned. Is it not a fact, that in order to maintain Maximilian on his throne, he must weaken our own government by keeping alive this disafi'ection and of turning it to his own account? That he will attempt to do so, his past perfidious policy, both in our late war and this very Mexican business, in officially declaring through Mr. Thouvenel, his minister of foreign afiairs to min- ister Dayton, that "the French troops did not go there to inter- fere with the form of government, nor to acquire an inch of ter- ritory nor to remain indejinilely in the country" (see Minister Dayton's desi)atch of June, 5th 1862 to Sec. iSeward,) well shows. " Had Napoleon not been well satisfied that we would he unable, from our internal difficulties to enforce the Monroe Doctrine, he would not have attempted to ^et up a throne in Mexico. That the Monroe Doctrine should he enforced is the declared policy of all parties, but if it is to be enforced simply because it is the Monroe Doctrine, and for the purpose of restoring the Republi- can government to that country, it would entail a debt which the country with its present debt would not be able to bear, but let annexation bo the consideration for which Maximilian is to be dethroned, and for Avhich lie should be made to realize this truth uttered by Seneca, ^'Alieno in loco hand stabile regnum est," then the case is materially changed both in a pecuniary point of view and also in regard to the questions arising under international law, as to the right of this government to dethrone him. Now the question might have occurred to you, can we secure the annexation of Mexico to this country? Sec. Seward in his despatch of Sept. 26th, 1863, to Minister Dayton, says, that "this government knoios full well that the inherent normal opinion of Mexico, favors a governme«t there repuhlican inform and domestic in its organization in preference to any Monarchial institutions to he imposed from abroad. This government knoius also that this normal opinion of the people of Mexico, results largely from the influence of popular opinion in this country and it is continually invigorated by it." If the inherent normal opinion of Mexico favors a government tbere, republican in form and domestic in its organization, in preference to any Monarchial institutions to be imposed from abroad, would not the inherent normal opinion of Mexico favor annexation to this 'j-epublic in preference to Monarchial insti- tutions already imposed from abroad, and fast becoming a fixed fact ; which the Republic of Mexico is unable "per se" to relieve itself of, and especially when it secures for itself a "govern- ment there, republican in form and domestic in its organiza- tion." I do not think there can be any doubt, for 'Jthis gov- ernment knoios also that this normal opinion of Mexico results largely from the influence of popular opinion in this country and ia continually invigorated by it. Now the question arises, when should we endeavor to secure annexation? I would say, "now is the appointed time and this the accepted day." Already we have the report that the Republican Government has been com- pelled to evacuate Chihuahua, and that it is making prepara- tions to leave the country ; if this be so, we shall not only lose the benefit of the support of the Republican Government, but also tlie benefit of questions arising under international law as to our right to interfere, and further we may and in all proba- bility shall hereafter, (in order to acquire the territory of Mex- ico,) have to assume the foreign debt of Maximilian's govern- ment. Now we would not only get clear of him and his debt, but also of the original Mexican foreign debt, the Jaurez govern- ment having been released from the payment of that debt, and it having been assumed by Maximilian's government; again, our Military establishment is now in a much better condition than it will be hereafter, and by making use of it, we shall eradicate the ill feeling existing between those who were in the army and those who were in arms against the government, and prevent those small collisions which are frequently occurring, and will, not only give employment to the armies, but such employment as is most congenial to their habits and life, and which they now thirst for. Hoping that these views shall receive the careful considera- tion of yourself, and of His Excellency the President, I am. Very Respectfully, Your ob't Servant, ANDREW J. WILCOX. The repl}^ of the Hon. Secretary being marked "private," I am not at liberty to give, but presume it was in accordance with your views. The objection often made on account of the inhab- itants of Mexico, is, I think, fully answered in my letter of May 23d, 1864, to the Hon. Secretary of State, and heretofore published, but this objection and also the objection that it would produce war with France cannot avail anything now, for it is apparent, disguise the fact as we may, that we are fast drifting into war with France on account of Mexico, and unless one or the other of the governments recedes from the position taken, it cannot be long before the collision will occur. Would it not be well, therefore, for the present Congress to so frame its legisla- tion, that if war does come it shall not be for the shadow with- out the substance. On one other point touched on in my letter to Sec. McCulioch in regard to the Southern people, I find that the present Sec. of VVar agrees with me in some respects. In his report he says that ^^a foreign war loould iriiensi/y the Na- tional feeling , and thousands once misled, would rejoice to atone their error, by lallying to the National flag." Asking a consideration of these views, I am, very respectfully. Your ob't servant, ANDREW J. WILCOX. His Excellency, Andeew Johnson. CrU. *Cc^ '^-^T' ^^''^ ^^^