Mexico's reaction to John Slidell's offer to buy California and resolve the border dispute was hostile and vehemently rejected. Slidell was sent to Mexico City in 1845 by President James K. Polk with a proposal to buy California and settle the boundary dispute along the Rio Grande. However, the Mexican government, which had already been wary of American intentions, firmly refused to negotiate.
The Mexican government considered Slidell's offer an insult and a threat to its sovereignty. They saw the proposal as an attempt by the United States to take advantage of Mexico's weakened state and acquire valuable territories. Mexican officials were also aware of American expansionist desires and feared losing vast portions of their territory.
Mexico's President José Joaquín de Herrera and his cabinet rejected Slidell's proposal outright, stating that it would be unconstitutional and unacceptable to negotiate the sale of Mexican territory. The Mexican government reiterated their claims to Texas, disputed the border along the Rio Grande, and refused any form of negotiations until the United States withdrew its troops from the disputed area.
The rejection of Slidell's offer further strained relations between the two countries and ultimately led to the outbreak of the Mexican-American War in 1846.
How did Mexico react to John Slidell's offer to buy California and resolve the border dispute?
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