Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/218

184 he could never have regained any part of his former influence, except as the decided supporter of war measures. He was too wise not to understand that the true policy of his country should have been the restoration of peace, but he was also too ambitious not to yield to the current bearing every thing before it. He was not ignorant of the prevailing fondness of the Mexican people for military heroes, and he well knew that his own fame must be rejuvenated, and the laurels which had been withered at San Jacinto, restored to their original freshness, before he could succeed in guiding or controlling them. Had he been able to have achieved one victory, — had he forced his way through the wall of living men who blocked up the narrow pass of Angostura, or maintained his position on the heights of Cerro Gordo, he would have been hailed with loud acclaim as the saviour of his country. At such an hour, and under such circumstances, he might have recommended peace, and his advice would have been followed without hesitation.

As soon as it became known that a new government had been established in Mexico, the olive branch was again tendered to her. Mr. Buchanan addressed a letter to the Mexican minister of foreign relations, on the 27th of July 1846, proposing that negotiations should be opened for the conclusion of a peace. The minister, Mr. Rejon, replied on the 3lst of August, declining any action in the premises, except that of simply laying the proposition before the Congress to assemble in December. The result of this attempt to. open negotiations between the two countries for the adjustment of their difficulties, was not known at