making his reply, he proceeded to Tacubaya, near the strong castle of Chapultepec. The guns from the castle were silent, and the headquarters of the American army were soon safely established in the palace of the archbishop, a huge pile of buildings, surrounded with beautiful gardens. Before him, in full view, rose the domes and spires of the famed city, environed by beautiful lakes, and the richest natural scenery. He was at the gates of the "Halls of the Montezumas," with an army flushed with victory, and impatient to be led to the assault. But neither the glory of military renown, nor the rich treasures which have been dug from the mines of Mexico, could dazzle the eye of the patriot soldier, or swerve him from the obligations to humanity.

Before the carnage of another battle, he must make one final effort to stay the iron arm of destruction, and reclaim warring nations to the paths of peace. Hence his beautiful letter, expressing the Christian sentiment, "Enough blood has been shed in this unnatural war." When the echoes of the cannon shall have died away, and the clangor of arms shall have ceased-when the steeled warrior shall have gone to his rest, and the conqueror and the vanquished shall lie down together-Christianity will weave her unfading chaplet for the soldier who has ever been true to her highest obligations and benign requirements.1

'The following are the results of the battles of the 20th :American loss-killed, wounded, and missing, 1,053.

Mexican loss-3,500 prisoners; 1,500 killed, wounded, and missing; 37 pieces artillery captured; small-arms, ammunition, and equipments for an army.

Peace Negotiations.-President Polk's Commission.-Mexican Conditions. -American Ultimatum.-Failure of Negotiations.-Scott's Notice to Santa Anna.-Trial and Execution of the Deserters.-Description of Chapultepec.-Of Molino del Rey.-Mexican Defences.-March of Worth.-Strength of his Corps.—Battle of Molino del Rey.—Mexican Loss.-Evacuation of Molino del Rey.-Preparations for the Attack of Chapultepec.-Erection of Batteries.-Storm of Chapultepec.-Action of the 13th.-Capture of Mexico.-Entrance into the City-Scott's Address to the Soldiers.-Insurrection of the Leperos.-Appearance of the City.

In the last chapter we recorded the memorable events of the 20th of August, 1847, in the valley of Mexico,— events unequalled in their extraordinary character and their dramatic interest by any preceding part of the military history of America. Kearney had hardly been recalled from his adventurous charge to the gates of Mexico, when the shades of evening gathered round the bloody field of Churubusco. The battle had passed, and the vale lay as silent as the lonely bodies of the slain. Passed away are all the rolling thunders of the red artillery, and quenched their fires as the silent and quenched volcanoes of the snow-crowned Popocatapetl, rearing its cold head upon the distant horizon. Nature sleeps, and the dead sleep, and the weary soldier sleeps, while the sentry and the stars keep watch together. But though the fires of volcanoes may sleep, and the artillery may cease to flash, the events of time and providence will never sleep.

HISTORY MOVES ON. Its recording pen never ceases to write while man is an actor in the drama of providence, and humanity continues to develop its mighty and mysterious powers.

On the morning of the 21st, Scott, en route to Coyhoacan, was met by commissioners from Santa Anna, proposing an armistice. The time was not then agreed to, but Scott told them he should sleep that night at Tacubaya. The commissioners then told him that if he would delay his march a few hours, they would send an order to the fortress of Chapultepec not to fire on him! The general, however, did not delay his march, but entered Tacubaya early in the afternoon, attended by the dragoons alone; Worth's division did not arrive till late in the evening.1 That night Scott occupied the Archiepiscopal Palace of Mexico. At this time it is unquestionably true that the American general might have entered the plaza of Mexico, or have demolished its splendid edifices by the fire of his bombs. He did not; but, in conformity with the dictates of humanity, on the following morning received the propositions of the Mexican commissioners for This he arranged on his own terms, when the negotiations commenced.

1

a truce.

To understand this negotiation, we must recur to the events in the order of time. In the first place, we must note the commission of President Polk to Mr. N. P. Trist. It seems that on the 15th day of April, 1847, the President gave a formal commission to Mr. Trist, in which he states that he has "invested him, in the fullest and most complete manner, with ample power and authority, in the

1 Letter in the Journal of Commerce.

name of the United States, to meet and confer with any person or persons, who shall have similar authority from the republic of Mexico, and between them to negotiate and conclude an arrangement of the differences which exist between the two countries—a treaty of peace, amity, and lasting boundaries." The President had no power by the Constitution, to constitute a mission to a foreign country, nor would he have power to make a treaty without the advice and consent of the Senate. Mr. Trist, then, notwithstanding his commission, was in fact the mere agent of the President, and no more. Accordingly, he carried out with him from the department of state a "project of a treaty" to be presented to the Mexican government. The inference from this transaction is, that the cabinet at Washington supposed that the Mexican people were anxious for peace, and there was nothing for the President of the United States to do but to say on what terms peace should be made. The opposite of this idea appears to have been the state of the Mexican mind, for they met the American agent with instructions to their commissioners that the treaty should be made on the basis that they had triumphed, and as if the war could be prosecuted by them with advantage.3 In this spirit met the commissioners. Mr. Trist, the agent of President Polk, at two thousand miles from his principal, tied down to the letter and detail of a treaty drawn up by the Secretary of State, without the power to change it; and the Mexican

'See copy of Mr. Trist's commission.

2 See official copy of the "Project of a Treaty.

'See conditions for the Mexican commissioners drawn up by Santa Anna, Pacheco, &c., &c.

commissioners meeting him, as if their country was intact, and their arms invulnerable to conquest.

On the 25th of August, Mr. Trist addressed a note to the Mexican Minister of Foreign Relations, informing him that he is ready to treat with commissioners on the part of Mexico. On the 26th, Mr. Pacheco replies, that he is engaged in appointing commissioners for that purpose, who would assemble the following evening at the village of Atzcopozalco, an intermediate point between the two

armies.

The invitation and appointment Mr. Trist accepted in a note of the same date.

Among the commissioners appointed by the Mexican secretary was General Herrera, formerly president of the republic. This distinguished man promptly declined the appointment. The grounds on which he declined are worthy of note. He was president in 1845, when the mission of Slidell occurred. He was willing to hear Slidell state his terms; but that person, as we have already stated, had neither the patience nor temper to wait and watch events, but impetuously demanded that he should be immediately received. The downfall of Herrera immediately took place; and Herrera now says: "For the single act of being willing to listen to his propositions, my administration was calumniated in the most atrocious manner, this act alone causing the revolution which deprived me of the command; and to take part in the same question, at this day, would cause a renewal of the calumnies which then assailed me." Mr. Pacheco, however, insisted upon his acceptance, and he finally acted on the commission. The Mexican commission was composed of the following persons: