LESTER BURRELL SHIPPER

82

rather than to serve as a means for reopening negotiations and thus further complicate the situation which had been "wretch38 edly managed, and ought to have been settled long ago." The President lost no time in acting on the authority conferred by the resolutions; the notice was given in the simplest

Aberdeen as Secretary of State for ForQueen herself, a peculiarity which was 39 commented on by the British press. satirically Among the motives which made the conciliatory attitude prevail in Congress was concern about the Mexican situation. In January, when it was definitely known that the Mexican government would not renew diplomatic relations by receiving Slidell, General Taylor had been ordered to the Rio

form directed not

to

eign Affairs, but to the

Grande.

On

the twelfth of April General

Ampudia ordered commander to withdraw his forces beyond the This challenge was not known officially in Washing-

the American

Nueces.

May but earlier rumors of the general had come, causing Cabinet discussions of the Mexican Polk had spoken to some congressmen of his thought affair. of outlining the whole situation in a message to Congress, but the peace men, Calhoun especially, urged him to wait until On May the Oregon matter should have been settled. communication had when General eleventh, however, Taylor's a been received, Polk sent to Congress message announcing that hostilities had begun, and the Oregon Question retired from the center of the stage. ton until the ninth of situation

38 Calhoun to J. E. Calhoun, i April, Ibid., 688. 39 Polk, Diary, I, 355, 360. Niks' Register, 12 Sept, 1846.