History of the War Between Mexico and The United States by Brantz Mayer

Character of Mexican diplomacy -- Genius of the Spanish language -- Paredes's proclamation -- Hostilities authorized by him -- Taylor goes to Isabel -- Description of the Brasos St. Jago and Point Isabel -- burning of the custom-house -- Made a depot and fortified -- Taylor and Worth unite and plant the American flag opposite Matamoros -- Worth's interview with La Vega and Cesares -- Fruitless efforts of our generals to establish amity -- Description of the country round Matamoros -- appearance of the town.

The qualities which characterize the Mexican soldier, as described in the last chapter, mark also the statesman of that country. Their loud and vain-glorious professions of resolve; their bombastic proclamations; their short, passionate and revolutionary governments; their personal rivalries and universal anarchy, denote impulsive tempers utterly incapable of sustained self-rule or resistance. To those who are familiar with Mexican history, this is not a novel fact, yet it has been astonishingly manifested in the war between our countries. It would be a tedious task to recount the various manifestos and despatches that were written to control and satisfy public sentiment in regard to the pending difficulties. Diplomacy is the weapon of weak powers, and the pen is a most important implement when defeat, inaction or incompetency are to be excused to the Mexicans.