Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-09-12
THE ENQUIRER.
Richmond, September IL.
BRITISH DESIGNS.

II will be recollected that we put lished few
DAYS since, a statement of Mexican journal
lmigo del Fuclio, that Mexico 10 secure The TO-
reign debt of fifty millions due By her, had given
mortgage upon one hundred millions Of acres
Of land in California, &c. A large portion of
his debt is due TO England-anl it is scarcely
probable that The latter power will be willing 10
increase that debt BY negotiating The Mexican
loan of fifteen millions >pecially as the avow-
ed obiec, Of that loan is 10 carry on war against
the Uncd Sates-ihe natural elect of which
will be TO attach California 10 The United States
and nullly the real security for her debt, now
held by England. For these reasons, We are pet
" sure, that England will do all in her pow
err 10 prevent war. She must b convinced,
thai, if hoslli,ies take place, it will lie the duty
and policy OF The United States 10 take possession
of California or some other province Of Mexico,
TO indemnify Us for The expenses Of war most
wanlonly forced upon us.
That England has such designs upon Califor-
mia, we have too many proofs. An able cores
pondent Of The London Times, writing from
intelligence, concerning Mexican and British
designs and operations in California:
GAS 10 California and the Western coast of The
Pacific, The views of the United States cannot
for momei.l, be doubted, and gladly do we see
that our Government has deerniind not To We
way on the Oregon question. But We must not
forget ihat the States arc pcopling Upper Cailur-
MIA as they dill Texas, and that regular plan
ot emsfaIion is going on through he recently dis.
covered passages in the Rocky mountains Nu-
merous settlers are already hanging on The skins
of The Bay of San Francisco. one of the finest
harbors in The world, whence large steamer can
20 10 Canton in from 30 iOdays; and even the
lori oflhe BodeSa, laicly abandoned by Russia, a
short distance from that bay, has not escaped
them The Mexican Government, is well aware
OF these designs, and Il rs koiaing onk cscou,Ggc-
mcat 10 cwieraniS foM ms qGa,tsr 10 nitic IN i.p-
pc. Cal,fo-nio; but there IS no surplus population
here, ana The United States must he check.i! BIZ
e isialion into California iTcal S,,sc nticr pnar-
Ter. unders AMI tina; an iiish Roman Catholic
clergyman. who is Ie>iding in Mexico al present,
has submitted "A plan 10 his Government Tor cs-
i0LLSiir. On jsii cO'OnU on the farther coast oi
The BAY of San Francisco. The Mexican Co
vcrnmerl iavors The project large grant Of
productive land Is 10 be assignee; him, peculiar
privileges are PROMISED, anu understand, Inc
gentleman alluded 10 calculates on locating 5000
OF bis counirymcn in that district. Tie treaty is
nearly complete ard if The plan succeeds, q s'roas
j9dy n Hist pcas'ury mW Lc NJ in.GTcie"t all
IN helping onf British pol'cg IN ti"i qDari,f.'
Does not this show, that John Bull himself
locks with greedy eye 10 the fair plains and
spacious harbors of California, and seeks 10
plan, his heavy foot upon her soil, By the prior
introduction OF on,y 5000 Of his subeclsl The
Washington Union says:
"We had heard OF this scheme before; and we
could name The person 10 whom Tic Governor OF
the Hudson Bay Company communicated The
same design, and attempted to eni>, him in lis
accomplishment. Unite these statements with
The acl Of the lien which The British creditors
have already acquired in large tracts Of land in
California. and we need not be astonishcd that
nron the country, shcdd susp ect Us 81 a Similar
design"
However graspins orr views, we cannot con-
pete with the magnificent operations Of Great
Britain, and il is for Us 10 watch her movements
closely Fooled in Texas, she seems resolved 10
have ioolhold on The Southern extremity OF our
Continent, and it is our pol;cy 10 keep her away