The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-09-11
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
THURSDAY NIGHT, SEPT. Ii, ls45
MEXICO AGAIN.


;,.,a;cient to satisfy the vanity of presumptuous
a,or,,ls In vain has the Spanish ccrvantes ridi-
,.d ali needless gallantry for bootless ends for adj
,.n,urous Quxoes continue to enter the lists, and
;. .os,,er the arena with their doughty blood And
...llv they would spater no blood but their own,
,h.;r daring folly might be safely allowed; but when
,..seless vanity and loud-mouthed imPudence be-
came essential to the acquisition power all virtue
n.,r;oti.m, and merit are deeply concerned in the
p,,gvIe. From such sorry conductors of national
AIRS the lessons of experience pass heedlessly
.,ov Doomed and sinister beings will listen to
aaioo however conducive to the public good
,h;eb does not promise the promotion of their sor-
ala aims In the passes Of San Jacinto, the gallant
T.xans. with feeble force in fair fight, defended
Twas capmred an army of Mexieans, and spared
a.. life Of their cruel and degraded commander
No matter-experience is cheat; fact liar and
Charge, .4risa, charge" is still the warlike word
;, that wre,ched republic. To give to the present
o,;xotic expedition of their heroes the air of super
,.,;,. cb;valry, they undertake alone to march
against the whole power of the United States, with
Twas to assist us in the batile-van A brave pro-
ceeding, truly, and worthy of all praise, if there was
,nv sense of propriety TO support it, But il is so
ayerse to every dictate of discretion, that It makes
even desperation ridiculous. Monsieur Rabelais,
the French wit, mentions giant who swallowed
whole windmills with the utmost ease, but was at
Las, choked with lump of fresh butter Perhaps
the Mexican philosophers, well pleased with the
discovery, are preparing for us their choking bo-
lusses of fresh butter. But they should remember
,ba, this oiIy article however mischievous in other
countries. is harmless here, and rather lubricates
,ban obs,ructs the throat II is possible that these
;mpulsye worthless have INDUCED too freely in the
extrayagances of romance, and aim TO surpass the
nrodioies thew 80 much admire In "The Pirate
ofWalter Scott, Mrs. Yelowby dreamed that she
was safely delivered Of a Yorkshire plough, with
oxen hitched to that useful implement at the peril
GUS moment Such wonderful exploits raise the
Imagination, and stimulate sanguine nations, like
the republic of Mexico, to indulge rapacious and
prolific dreams. But before the Mexicans yield too
paiply to the dominion of such fancies It might
crr TO them that the Frenchman was hardly serious,
and that the pariurton of the Scotch lady was only
imaginary Let us indulge the hope that they will
dismiss such fantasies retrace their steps, and free
themselves from the reributve justice of this cour-
ageous republic. The giant who can swallow wind
mills will scarce fear Instructions from butter,
mattef what M. Rabelais declares.
We desire pacific relations with Mexico, and, by
every honorable means, would avoid her strife. Her
wanton injustice can alone provoke us to injure her
government and humble her pride. As ample evil
dence of our sincerity, we offer long and steady
endurance of the numerous and unatoned wrongs
which she has piled upon our government, through
the persons and property of our citizens. But she
must perceive in the promptitude and determination
of our government, that we know our rights, and
mean to maintain Enthusiastically, if we cam
forcibly, if we must" Honor is our aim. Power
is our security Courage our panoply. And even
insigni6cance shall not shelter her injuries from
insued justice. Mexico may declare war; or, she
may distrust the policy of that open and decisive
step, and prefer to aim her in the dark. But
she cannot conceal the character Of her aggressions
from public observation and punishment Whatever
hostile she may prefer, will be seen and treat
ed by our government as public war; and if Mexico
shall thenceforh continue to exist she will owe her
existence as an independent nation to that mercy
and forgiveness which feebleness mplores from the
msgnanmity of power.
We repeat tive desire peace with Mexico; but it
must be an honorable, a permanent peace. lfshe
strikes us, she is gone IfArsta dares to carry out
his braggart threatsif he ventures to cross the Rio
Grande with reinforcements to any little armed
post which Mexico may now occupy on the east
side of the river General Taylor will attempt to
prevent hm;--blood must fow--war must en-
sue. Those armed posts we may not disturb
for the present; for our government acts strictly
on the defensive. But let not Arista, or Pa
redes, or Filasola, or any of the Mexican COM
manders, affect to cross the river, under the
pretence Of reinforcing the post which is in no dan
ger, but really for the purpose Of occupying ter
ritory which the wandering commissioner of Great
Britain is said have estimated 1--WE speak ofthe mere
temporary occupancy at ten millions of dollars.
Still more: if he that river for the purpose Of
striking at our own military force on rs banks,
we warn Mexico of the consequences. She must
then expect immediate resistance and open wars
We desire peace with Mexico, if it can now be
honorably preserved. We desire peace for her
sake We desire it for our own. But if we are TO
have peace, it must be lasting honorable peace.
We must seize this opportunity of settling all the
points in controversy between the two nations. We
must lay deep the foundation of peace. We should
suffer no question about boundary--no question
about the just claims Of our fellow-citizens--no
complaint upon unpaid nstaments or violated en-
gagements, TO rise up again TO disturb the tranquil
NY OF the two republics Let us make peace, if
she pleases. 1t is much more to her interest to
make 1t, than is to ours for what can she expect
from her miserable resources in war with the
young giant Of the United States' But LET us make
such peace as we may be able to preserve. Let us
not wrap up, in the articles of the treaty. the fatal
torch that may soon be destined TO consume it.
IL however, she be so infatuated as to send her
miserable troops into Texas-Texas, whose boun-
dairy is The Rio Grandfather we tell Herrera
and his cabinet, Arista and his soldiers, they will
curse the day on which thew proyoked the ven