The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-31 00:00:00

WAR.

I am persuaded that the best means of vindicating
the national honour and interest, and of bringing the
war to an honourable close, will be to prosecute it
with increased energy and power in the vital parts of
the enemy's country.
In my annual message to Congress of December
last, I declared that "the war has not been waged
with a view to conquest ; but having been commenced
by Mexico, it has been carried into the enemy's
country, and will be vigorously prosecuted there,
with a view to obtain an honourable peace, and thereby
secure ample indemnity for the expenses of the
war, as well as to our much-injured citizens, who
hold large pecuniary demands against Mexico."
Sucb, in my judgment, continues to be our true
policy—indeed, the only policy which will probably
secure a permanent peace.
contemplated by me, as an
object
haets never been
make a
of
the
e war,to
permanent conquest
of the republic of Mexico, or to annihilate her
separate existence as an independent nation. On
the contrary, it has ever been my desire that she
should maintain her nationality, and, under a good
Government, adapted to her condition, be a free, in-
dependent, and prosperous republic. The United
States were the first among the nations to recognise
her independence, and have always desired to be on
terms of amity and good neighbourhood with her.
This she would not suffer. By her own conduct we
have been compelled to engage in the present war. In
its prosecution, we seek not her overthrow as a nation;
but, in vindicating our national honour, we seek to
obtain redress for the wrongs she has done us, and
indemnity for our just demands against her. We
demand an honourable peace; and that peace must
bring with it indemnity for the past, and security
for the future. Hitherto Mexico has refused all
accommodation by which such a peace could be ob-
tained.

Whilst our armies have advanced from victory to
victory, from the commencement of the war, it has
always been with the olive branch of peace in their
hands ; and it has been in the power of Mexico, at
every step, to arrest hostilities by accepting it.
One great obstacle to the attainment of peace has
undoubtedly arisen from the fact, that Mexico has
been so long held in subjection by one faction or
military usurper after another, and such has been the
condition of insecurity in which their successive
Governments have been placed, that each has been
deterred from making peace, lest, for this very cause,
a rival faction might expel it from power. Such was
the fate of President Herrera's Administration in
1845 for being disposed even to listen to the overtures
of the United States to prevent the war, as is fully
confirmed by an official correspondence which took
place in the month of August last, between him and
his Government, a copy of which is herewith commu-
nicated. For this cause alone the revolution which
displaced him from power was set on foot by General
Paredes. Such may be the condition of insecurity of
the present Government.
There can be no doubt that the peaceable and
well-disposed inhabitants of Mexico are convinced
that it is the true interest of their country to conclude
an honourable peace with the United States, but the
becoming the victims of some mili
t ary apprehensionfaction
orof
usurper may have prevented them
from manifesting their feelings by any public act.
The removal of any such apprehension would pro-
bably cause them to speak their sentiments free;y,
and to adopt the measures necessary for the restora-
tion of peace. 'With a people distracted and divided
by contending factions, and a Government subject to
constant ehaiigts, by successive revulution.i, Lh3 coo-
tinued successes of our arms may fail to secure a sa-
tisfactory peace. In ouch event it may become pro-

per for our commanding generals in the field to give
encouragement and assurances of protection to the
friends of peace in Mexico in the establishment and
maintenance of a free republican Government of their
own choice, able and willing to conclude a peace which
would be just to them, and secure to us the indemnity
we demand. This may become the only mode of obtain-
ing such a peace. Should such be the result, the war
which Mexico has forced upon us would thus be con-
verted into an enduring blessing to herself. After
finding her torn and distressed by factions, and ruled
by military usurpers, we should then leave her with a
Republican Government, in the enjoyment of real inde-
pendence and domestic peace and prosperity, perform-
ing all her relative duties in the great family of nations,
and promoting her own happiness by wise laws and
their faithful execution.

If, after affording this encouragement and protec-
tion, and after all the perseverance and sincere efforts
we have made, from the moment Mexico commenced
this war, and prior to that time, to adjust our differ-
ences with her, we shall ultimately fail, then we shall
have exhausted all honourable means in pursuit of
peace, and must continue to occupy her country with
our troops, taking the full measure of indemnity into
our own hands, and must enforce the terms which our
honour demands.

To act otherwise in the existing state of things in
Mexico, and to withdraw our army without a peace,
would not only leave all the wrongs of which we com-
plain unredressed, but would be the signal for new
and fierce civil dissensions and new revolutions—all
alike hostile to peaceful relations with the United
States.

Besides, there is danger, if our troops were with-
drawn before a peace was concluded, that the Mexi-
can people, wearied with successive revolutions, and
deprived of protection for their persons and property,
might at length be inclined to yield to foreign influ-
ence, and to cast themselves into the arms of some
European monarch for protection from the anarchy
and suffering which would ensue. This, for our own
safety, and in pursuance cf our established policy, we
should be compelled to resist. We could never con-
sent that Mexico should be thus converted into a
monarchy governed by a foreign prince.
Mexico is our near neighbour, and her boundaries
are co- terminous with our own through the whole
extent across the North American continent, from
ocean to ocean. Both politically and commercially
we have the deepest interest in her regeneration and
prosperity. Indeed, it is impossible that, with any
just regard to our own safety, we can ever become in-
different to her fate.

It may be that the Mexican Government and people
have misconstrued or misunderstood our forbearance,
and our objects, in desiring to conclude an amicable
adjustment of the existing differences between the two
countries. They may have supposed that we would
submit to terms degrading to the natian ; or they may
'have drawn false inferences from the supposed division
of opinion in the United States on the subject of the
war, and may have calculated to gain much by pro-
tracting it ; and, indeed, that we might ultimately
abandon it altogether, without insisting on any in-
demnity, territorial or otherwise. Whatever may be
the falsi impressions under which they have acted,
the adoption and prosecution of the energetic policy
proposed must soon undeceive them.

In the future prosecution of the war, the enemy
must be made to feel its pressure more than they
have heretofore done. At its commencement, it was
deemed proper to conduct it in a spirit of forbearance
and liberality. With this end in view, early measures
were adopted to conciliate, as far as a state of war would
permit, the mass of the Mexican population; to con-
vince them that the war was waged not against the
peaceful inhabitants of Mexico, but against their faith-
less Government, which had commenced hostilities; to
remove from their minds the false impressions which
their designing and interested rulers had artfully at-
tempted to make that the war on our part was one of
co-lquest : that it was a war against their religion and
their churches, which were to be desecrated and over-
thrown ; and that their rights of person and private
property would be violated. To remove these false
impressions our commanders in the field were directed
scrupulously to respect their religion, their churches,
and their church property, which were in no manner
to be violated; they were directed also to respect the
rights of the persons and property of all who should
not take up arms against us.
Assurances to this effect were given to the Mexican
people by Major-General Taylor, in a proclamation
issued in pursuance of instructions from the Secre-
tary -of-War, in the month of June, 1846, and again
by Major-General Scott, who acted upon his own
convictions of the propriety of issuing it in a pro-
clamation of the 11th of May, 1847.
In this spirit of liberality and conciliation, and with
a view to prevent the body of the Mexican population
from taking up arms against us, was the war con -
ducted on our part. Provisions and other supplies
furnished to our army by Mexican citizens were paid
for at fair and liberal prices agreed upon by the
parties. After the lapse of a few months it became
apparent that these assurances and this mild treat •
went had failed to produce the desired effect upon
the Mexican population. While the war .had been
conducted in our part according to the most humane
and liberal principles observed by civilized nations,
it was waged in a far different spirit on the part of
Mexico. Not appreciating our forbearance, the
Mexican people generally became hostile to the
United States, and availed themselves of every oppor-
tunity to commit the most savage excesses upon our
troops. Large numbers of the population tcok up
arms, and, engaging in guerilla warfare, robbed and
murdered in the most cruel manner individual sol-
diers, or small parties, whom accident or other causes
had separated from the main body of our army ;
bands of guerilleros and robbers infested the roads,
harassed our trains, and, whenever it was in their
power, cut off our supplies.
The Mexicans having thus shown themselves to be
wholly incapable of appreciating our forbearance and
liberality, it was deemed proper to change the manner
of conducting the war, by making them feel its pres-
sure according to the usages observed under similar
circumstances by. all other civilized nations.
Accordingly, as early as the 22d of September,
1846, instructions were given by the Secretary of
War to Major-General Taylor to "draw supplies"
for our army " from the enemy, without paying for
them, and to require contributions for its support," if
in that way he was satisfied he could " get abundant
supplies for his forces." In directing the execution
of these instruction, much was necessarily left to the
discretion of the commanding officer, who was best
acquainted with the circumstances by which he was
surrounded, the wants of the army, and the practica-
bility of enforcing the measure.
General Taylor, on the 25th of October, 1846, re
plied, from Monterey, that " It would have been im-
possible hitherto, and is so now, to sustain the army
to any extent by forced contributions of money or
supplies," For the reasons assigned by him, he did
not adopt the policy of his instructions, but declared
his readiness to do so, " should the army, in its future
operations, reach a portion of the country which may
be made to supply the troops with advantage." He
continued to pay for the articles of supply which were
drawn from the enemy's country.
Similar instructions were forwarded to Major-Gen.
Scott on the 3d of April, 1847, who replied from
Jalapa, on the 20th of May, 1847, that if it be ex-
pected that " the army is to support itself by forced
contributions levied upon the country, we may ruin
and exasperate the inhabitants and starve ourselves."
The same discretion was given to him that had been
to General Taylor in this respect. General Scott,
for the reason assigned by him, also continued to pay
for the articles of supply for the army which were
drawn from the enemy.
After the army had reached the heart of the most
wealthy portion of Mexico, it was supposed that the
obstacles which had before that time prevented it
would not be such as to render impracticable the levy
of forced contributions for its support; and on the Ist
of September, and again on the 6th of October, 1847,
the order was repeated in dispatches addressed by the
Secretary of War to General Scott, and his attention
was again called to the importance of making the
enemy bear the burdens of the war by requiring them
to furnish the means of supporting our army ; and
he was directed to adopt this policy, unless by doing
so there was danger of depriving the army of the ne-
cessary supplies. Copies of these dispatches were
forwarded to General Taylor for his government.

On the 31st of March last I caused an order to be
issued to our military and naval commanders to levy
and collect a military contribution upon all vessels
and merchandise which might enter any of the ports
of Mexico in our military occupation, and to apply
such contributions towards defraying the expenses of
the war. By virtue of the right of conquest and the
laws of war, the conqueror, consulting his own safety
and convenience, may either exclude foreign commerce
altogether from all such ports, or permit it upon
such terms and conditions as he may prescribe.
Before the principal ports of Mexico were blockaded
by our navy, the revenue derived from import duties,
under the laws of Mexico, was paid into the Mexican
treasury. After these ports had fallen into our mili-
tary possession, the blockade was raised, and commerce
with them permitted upon prescribed terms and con-
ditions. They were opened to the trade of all nations
upon the payment of duties more moderate in their
amount than those which had been previously levied
by Mexico; and the revenue, which was formerly
paid into the Mexican treasury, was directed to be
collected by our military and naval officers, and ap-
plied to the use of our army and navy. Care was
taken that the officers, soldiers, and sailors of our
army and navy should be exempted from the opera-
tions of the order; and as the merchandise imported
upon which the order operated must be consumed by
Mexican citizens, the contributions exacted were, in
effect, the seizure of the public revenues of 2,lexico,
and the application of them to our own use. In
directing this measure, the object was to compel the

DECEMBER 31, 6847.