The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-26 00:00:00

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LONDON, MONDAY, OCTOBET 26, 1846.

Mexico is now fighting for its existence. For no
infraction of the international laws, for no intolerable
attempt to encroach upon the territories of a neigh.
bouring state, for no actual infringement of the re-
gulations of political economy in its traffic with any
othcr of the American princedoms or republics,
Mexico is threatened with the loss of its independence.
It is impossible not to sympathise with a hitherto
free people under such perilous and disastrous cir-
cumstances ; and our sympathy is only increased
with the reflection that the existence of this Mexican
republie is endangered solely through the lust of
empire and the passion for domination, whether it
be over negro slaves or subsidiary provinces, inherent
in the constitution of the citizens of the central portion
of the northern continent.

California has already followed Texas in the dis-
disgraceful and wholesale system of annexation which

is regarded with so much favourin the United States. •
New Mexico has just been seized with a similar
rapacity, and incorporated with the dominions of the
States with the same shameless pecipitation. Other
portions of Mexico must inevitably enrich the exche-
quer and extend the influence of the American Go-
vernment, unless the patriotism of the fello w•country-
men of President SANTA ANNA shall evince itself in
some unprecedented act of heroism. Unless Mon-
terey or some other quarter be made the Marathon of.
Mexico, Vera Cruz will soon be as much subservient
to the authority of Mr. POLK and his colleagues as
Boston or Washington. No neutral power has as yet
interposed for the settlement of this melancholy and
disgraceful warfare ; indeed, the proposed interfer-
ence of Great Britain was eagerly rejected, and the
offensive and defensive forces have been consequently
allowed hitherto to fight it out together " like dacent
Christians." Very speedily the existing maps of the
western hemisphere will be entirely useless ; the old
lines of demarcation will be, in many instances, obli-
terated ; a nation will be blotted out from its surface ;
and this metamorphosis will have been accomplished
by a race of Liberalists, who, under the
banners of freedom, and under a constitu-
tion framed by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN and GEORGE
WASHINGTON, had marched forth, not so much for
the spread of civilisation, as upon a career of mi.
litary devastation, and who had changed from peace-
Able citizens into conquering despots. Those will
inevitably be the reflections of posterity in reviewing
the occurrences which are now transpiring in North
America, unless a more generous policy be infused
into the councils of President Poi.x, or unless the
warlike counsels of President SANTA ANNA be re-
sponded to by the Mexican civilians. For the sake
of humanity, for the sake of all liberal institutions,
for the sake of the stability and independence of every
lesser nation, we deplore the recent proceedings of
the American forces and the principles latterly
adopted by the American Legislature. They are
subversive of the kindlier and nobler impulses of
government ; and beyond this they associate the
sword of justice with the sword of a pillaging cap-
tain, the cap of liberty with the crown of tyranny.
The intelligence just received by the packet-ship
Washington Irving and the steam-ship Great
Western is corroborative of all our previous anticipa-
tions. It tends to illustrate the resolute refusal of
the new Mexican President to accede to the rapacious
advances of his opponents ; it shows, moreover, in a
stronger light than ever the thirst for conquest in
which this expedition has originated. General KEAR-
NEY captures Santa Fe, and by so doing takes forcible
possession of the surrounding countries called New
Mexico. Immediately upon the retreat of General
ARMIJO to Chihuahua the American invader formally
annexes the entire province to the United States,
and by a pleasant effort of political legerdemain
transformed himself from simple General into Go-
vernor of New Mexico ! There is no mincing hypo-
crisy in these proceedings ; they are done in the full
glare of public observation, and in open defiance of
all the dictates of municipal decorum. Resolved, if
possible, to weary out the patriotism of the invaded
?opulation, the Americans are now quartering their
armies upon the conquered districts. By foraging
excursions they are striving to undermine the in-
fluence of SANTA ANNA. Not satisfied with
inciting General TAYLOR to march for-
ward on the Rio Grande in spite of
every opposition, the Legislature of the States endea-
vours to worry the Mexicans into some immediate
concession by defraying none of the expenses of pro-
visions, but by feeding their soldiers by contributions
from all the larders encountered in their progress.
This is in perfect keeping with all the preceding
arrangements of the assailants. The consequence
continues to be, of course, of the same dubious cha-
racter. A battle was seriously anticipated, but the
effects of such an encounter were variously estimated
by those who placed reliance on the ambition by
which the American bosoms are fired, and the •
desperate anxiety for self-preservation by which the
Mexicans would be animated. We cannot consider
thesse"facts without entertaining an earnest sympathy '
for an unfortunate race and an almost powerless
patriot.

A representative of the people should enter the
Imperial Parliament free and unfettered. He should
not be a mere delegate, to give a fixed vote on par-
ticular questions to be ever regarded in the
same point of view, no matter what intervening
circumstances might have occurred to justify or
demand an alteration in his opinion. If every
senator was so firmly pledged and bound there would
be little occasion for the debates that take place during
the continuance of the session; the result would be
well known in every instance, and the sitting of Par-
liament might be terminated, and the business dis-
posed of in a less number of weeks than it.,requires
months under the present system. There are higher
duties and far greater qualifications required from
the legislator selected to represent the wants and
wishes of any constituency. He should be a man of
profound and varied information, of sound judgment,
and good common sense. He should be competent to
arrive at a just decision on the several measures that
may from time to time be submitted for his ac-
ceptance, and to maturely weigh the various reasons
and arguments by which they are supported. He
should have formed his opinions on the great and
leading questions of the day, and be prepared when
coming before his constituents manfully to declare
them, and also the reasons by which he was actuated
in coming to these conclusions ; and, if by any change
either in himself or those by whom he was elected, he
should at any time find that a great variance exists
between them, he should at once surrender into the
hands of the electors the trust reposed in him.
A custom has for some time been adopted by some
Members of the House of Commons of meeting their
constituents at the end of every session, of explaining
their Parliamentary conduct, and ascertaining how
far they have merited and received the approbation of
the people. From the time when he was first
honoured with the suffrages of the electors, the lion.
and Learned Member for Bolton, Dr. Bowan's°, has
had recourse to this expedient, and has annually ap-
peared at Bolton to state the views he had formed, the
votes he had given, and to inquire of the people
whether, in their judgment, he had adequately ful-
filled the promises he had made, and whether they
had to complain of any act of his, whether of omis-
.sion or commission.
Few senators could appear with cleaner hands or
a better conscience before any public body than the
Learned Doctor. He had not altered any of his
preconceived opinions. A thorough acquaint-
ance with the doctrines of political eoonomy,
with the 'principles of government, enabled him
to take an advanced position amongst the intelligence
of the age, when few legislators could be found suf-
ficiently bold to announce themselves as the unflinch-
ing advocates of free trade, as the uncompromising
opponents of that monopoly which taxed a nations
food, restricted its trade, and cramped its energies
The Learned Doctor was to be found in the centre of
that small, but zealous body, who disregarded the
sneers and ridicule with which they were greeted,
and who unflinchingly demanded that the people
should not be ground down and oppressed by
class legislation, but that the true principle,
" the greatest good to the greatest number,
should be recognised and adopted. He has had the
happiness of seeing his views gaining daily adherents
—the despised and slighted minority adding to their
numbers, and attaining additional strength, until
at length truth was triumphant, and those
free-frade doctrines received the sanction of
that very Parliament which at its first as-

sembling together was most strongly opposed

:o them, and measures of the most comprehensive

character became the law of the land, and the ini

quitous and unjust corn-laws were irrevocably re-
pealed. True it is, and deeply do we regret the

fact, that that repeal was not total or immediate. Far

better would it have been had it been so ; but still

,he grand principle of free trade was brought into

operation, and a time was fixed when there should no

longer be a tax on bread. Iho public mind was
tranquillised, and they bore the present burden with
patience, because they knew a time would come
when they would no longer be subjected thereto.
Circumstances have, however, arisen since the meet-
ing of Parliament, that have occasioned the necessity
of :an immediate opening of the ports for the free ad-
mission of food from every part of the known
world. The mysterious dispensation of PROVIDENCE
has permitted a blight to fall upon a portion of our