Washington City, 10th May, 1846.
My Dear Wife, .
. . The city has been in great excitement since yesterday evening in
consequence of the news we received from our Army in Texas. It is now settled
that we are at war with Mexico, and on tomorrow the President is to send in to
Congress a war message, and immediately legislation will be had for the prompt
and energetic enforcement of our rights against Mexico. When the Union1
of Monday night reaches you, you may expect to find an account of some pretty
exciting scenes in Congress. At least that is the impression of those with whom
I have talked (principally our own mess). I confess I do not feel so warlike
myself. I prefer a foeman worthy of my steel. The reflection that we are so
eager to avenge ourselves upon this poor, imbecile, self-distracted province,
and at the same time sacrifice rights more “clear and unquestionable” to
appease the threatened anger of her Brittanic Majesty, is to me humiliating in
the extreme. However I will do my duty in both cases honestly and fearlessly,
and trust the result to God and my country. The impression is beginning to be
made upon the public mind here that this war with Mexico will render our
negotiation with England more difficult and more doubtful of a pacific
termination, as it is thought that English policy will be found to unite its
interest with Mexican arms, — and thus we may after all the miserable pandering
of American legislation to British arrogance, find ourselves engaged in war
with England before the twelve months of notice shall have expired. All is
speculation at present, and must continue so until the effect of what we have
done shall be seen.
_______________
1 Thomas Ritchie's newspnper, the Washington
Union.
SOURCE: Ulrich Bonnell Phillips, Editor, The Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1911, Volume 2: The
Correspondence of Robert Toombs, Alexander H. Stephens, and Howell Cobb, p.
76
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