PREFACE The diplomatic relations between the United States and Mexico before 1830 have heretofore been passed over rapidly by students in this field of history in order to dwell more fully on the events leading to the Texas Revolution, the admission of Texas into the Union, and the war between the United States and Mexico. Partial explanations have been made of the attempts of the Adams administration in 1827 and the Jackson administration in 1829 to acquire peaceably by purchase the whole or a part of Texas. Hostility to Poinsett because of his relations with Mexican officials and his connection with the organization of lodges of York Masons has been frequently mentioned, to be bitterly condemned by many, enthusiastically praised by others, and mildly excused by a few, but adequately explained by none. Practically no attention has been paid to the difficulties and consequent delays in the establishment of a permanent representation of Mexico in Washington, or the much longer and much less excusable delays in the selection and sending of a United States minister to Mexico. While the political schemers in Washington were delaying this important appointment in order to use it as a political pawn, the English cabinet under the astute leadership of Canning with his violent antip athy to the "Yankee" government was making good use of its advantage to establish, by means of semiofficial agents and flattering assurances, a powerful British influence over the Mexican government and to elicit the deep gratitude of the Mexican people for British promises of favor and protection which made the earlier recognition of Mexico's independence by the United States seem of trifling importance and made the declarations of Monroe's famous message appear to be of little value and to have been dictated by selfish interests. [Poinsett's efforts to recover for his government the prestige which he felt had been lost by this delay led him to adopt methods which he considered necessary for the preservation of liberty and the prevention of monarchy in Mexico, but which involved him in charges of having meddled in the internal affairs of that country. The suspicions thus engendered of the motives of Poinsett and his government made it next to impossible for him to carry to a successful conclusion any of the negotiations with which he was charged. The motive for his effort to ward off the impending Mexican attack on Cuba was suspected. His attempt to open easy trade intercourse by way of the Santa Fé Trail was distrusted. > His insertion in the commercial treaty of provisions which were distasteful to Mexico but which he considered liberal or absolutely necessary was resisted until his persuasion induced the Mexican negotiators to yield; and then because of these provi-, sions the Mexican Congress delayed ratification or 3 |