Page:A series of intercepted letters in Mexico.djvu/16

 It is proper to say that the General-in-Chief had no power confided to him by his government authorizing him to act as a commissioner in concluding a treaty of peace—he was sent to this country as a military man exclusively. He, therefore, is in no manner responsible for the failure of the negotiations, which nevertheless he has all the merit of having brought about, after the events of the 20th August.

It is equally proper to say, injustice to the talented and experienced gentleman selected by the government of the United States, and sent to the headquarters of Major General Scott as the commissioner to treat for peace, was trammelled by the instructions of the government, in so much, that it will remain a problem as to whether more enlarged powers would not have enabled him to have made a treaty "honorable to both nations."

The ultimatum of our Commissioner was handed to the Mexican Commissioners early in September, about the 2d of the month, and very soon afterwards, reports began to reach the general and accumulated very rapidly, that the Mexicans were engaged, in violation of the articles of the armistice, in fortifying the city, especially at night. On the 6th, the Mexican Commissioners, it was expected, would give their answer to the propositions of our Commissioners, and they did so, refusing to accept them. Simultaneously with this, the general sent a paper to general Santa Anna, declaring that as the articles of the armistice had been violated by the Mexican authorities, he felt at liberty to terminate the armistice at his pleasure, but would allow until the next day at noon for explanations. Up to 12 o'clock of the 7th of September, the general had not only made no reconnoissancereconnaissance [sic], but had ordered the engineers to make none, in strict compliance with the armistice.

Soon after 12 M. on the 7th September, the general rode to the heights of Tacubaya over against Chapultepec, where a building was pointed out to him a few hundred yards from the base of the Chapultepec hill, which was said to be a foundry in full operation, casting cannon from bells removed from the churches in the city. As he rode away from the place of observation, he remarked that he would, the next morning, destroy the foundry, so as to prevent the enemy from making any more cannon, and would then at his leisure lay down his plan for a final attack upon the city.

The battle of the 8th of September, called the battle of the Molino del Rey, was the result of this determination, this being the name of the building pointed out as the Foundry. The enemy, anticipating an attack in that