LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE
214
American government from terminating joint occupation, England could depend upon its government to uphold the honor of the country. An amicable settlement was to be preferred,
the
but should
it
be otherwise, "I can only say
we
possess rights
our opinion, are clear and unquestionable; and, by which, the blessing of God, and with your support, those rights we In the United States it are fully prepared to maintain." in
was believed
that the Government's stand
was emphasized by
the report of increased military preparation. On all sides, then, Polk could see that there belief that
war was
scarcely to be escaped.
was a strong Nevertheless not
only did he do nothing which would remove this feeling but he actually added fuel to the flames, although alleging all the time that he believed there would be no war. As we have seen 38 Polk was urging military and naval preparations at the same time he was telling various Senators, confidentially, that
he would submit a reasonable British proposition to the Senate for its advice. By his messages, by his conversations with
members
of both houses, by the activities of his Secretaries and Navy with congressional committees, Congress was not allowed to forget that trouble might come, even when the discussion on the notice had taken a turn so that it was well known it would be passed with some sort of conciliatory
of
War
sentiments.
During the period from the beginning of December until toward the last of April the Mexican question occasionally came before the Cabinet in one form or other, but there was no serious discussion of a possibility of war from that quarter whenever the possibility of war was up it was always connected with the Oregon Question and Great Britain. It was not until the middle of January that it was definitely known that Slidell would not be received in Mexico, thus putting an end to im;
mediate hope of renewing diplomatic intercourse. General Taylor was ordered to take up his position on the north bank
Grande in the strip which Mexico claimed did not and never had formed a part of the province of Texas.
of the Rio
38 See Chapters VIII, IX, and
X
above.
