compromitting the neu- trality of the Government, they would render themselves liable to arrest and punishment, " under the laws of the United States, which will be rigidly enforced."
IL thus appears that from 1Y93 to 1838, our Government had acknowledged the duty, and professed the abi- lity, to punish its citizens fot violating the neutral obliga- tions of the nation.
In 1835 and 1836, Texas was at open w^ar with Mexico, part of the time as an insurgent province, and part of the time as a separate Republic. The first ofl&cial act of the government manifesting its sympathy for the insurgents, was the appointment in 1835 oi four consuls to reside among them. The appointment was of itself insulting to the Mexican government, and was undoubtedly made for the purpose of stationing in Texas confidential agents who might facilitate the progress of revolt, independence, and annexation.
The embarrassment and perplexity into which Mexico was thrown by the revolt of Texas, and the aid openly furnished the insurgents from the United States, encour- aged the Cabinet at Washington once more to press their proposal for purchase, and Mr. Butler, the minister in Mexico, was instructed (16th August, 1835), to nego- ciate for a cession of the territory bounded by the Rio Grande from its source to the 37th degree north latitude, and thence to the Pacific including the whole of Texas, Santa Fe, and a large portion of California !* * Ex. Doc. 1st Sess., 25th Congress It may readily be supposed that the Federal adrainis- tration was not very zealous in prohibiting succor to the Texans, who were laboring to secure to the United States a very large portion of this coveted territory.
On the 29th October, 1836, the Mexican Minister in- fonned the Secretary of State that no less than twelve vessels were about to sail from New York and New Or- leans with military stores, and that on the 10th