The distracted and exhausted state of Mexico, the energy and rapidily increasing numbers of the Texans, the vast supplies they were daily receiving from the United States, together with the presence of a friendly array, ready, when necessary, to interpose between them and the enemy, all combined to render the issue of the struggle certain. Texas, it was seen, would become independent of Mexico. But her independence would not necessarily add to the pohtical power of the slave-holding interest in the United States, For this purpose annexation was in- dispensable. But annexation could not be effected at present, without drawing after it a war with Mexico, and this obvious consequence strengthened the objections en- tertained to the measure at the North. It was well as^'crtaincd that no treaty of annexation, especially at the price of a Mexican war, would at present receive the sanction of ConGfress. But, if Mexico could be induced to commence hostilities against the United States, or should her conduct justify a declaration of war against her, then one powerful obstacle to annexation would be removed, and Texas would become ours, by right of conquest, and with the unanimous consent of her inhabitants. Every attempt to purchase Texas had f;;iled, and r.ll hope of ac- quiring it by this means, was abandoned on the termination of Mr. Butler's fruitless mission. From this time, the policy of the administration was to force Mexico into a war. The commencement of this new policy was the ad- vance of American troops into Texas, on the pretence of protecting the frontier against Indians.
On the 5th of August, 1836, the President, in a letter to the Governor of Tennessee, counteriranded a requisi- sition by Gaines for troops, assigning this remarkable rea- son : " There is no information to justify the apprehension of hostilities to any serious extent from the Western In- dians.*^ The victory of San Jacinto had now been won, and the