Indeed, the objections to complying with the request of the House
contained in the resolution before me are much stronger than those which
existed in the case of the resolution in 1796. This resolution calls for
the "instructions and orders" to the minister of the United States to
Mexico which relate to negotiations which have not been terminated, and
which may be resumed. The information called for respects negotiations
which the United States offered to open with Mexico immediately
preceding the commencement of the existing war. The instructions given
to the minister of the United States relate to the differences between
the two countries out of which the war grew and the terms of adjustment
which we were prepared to offer to Mexico in our anxiety to prevent the
war. These differences still remain unsettled, and to comply with the
call of the House would be to make public through that channel, and to
communicate to Mexico, now a public enemy engaged in war, information
which could not fail to produce serious embarrassment in any future
negotiation between the two countries.
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