Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-09-05
ENLIsTING coLoNIsTs.

ing men than TO witness the slight attention which
the country at large n)w pays TO Governmental
proceedings, the mere rumor of which would once
have raised a commotion from one end of the land
to the other On the one side, accustomed blindly
to adopt all behests that come to them in the name
Of PARTY, the so-called Democracy are content
with nearly all acts Of its leaders in power because
they are told that those acts are necessary to
the ascendency of their "prnciples = and that end
has gradually come to be one which justi6es, Ia
their view, any means said to be requisite to it,.
On the other side, men have grown accustomed
to the violent and unscrupuous measures which
almost without intermsson, that they too regard
them almost with indifference, because without the
expectation Of any thing more moderate or right
But for this state Of things; II would be imposs-
BILE that certain acts, which have been Witnessed
during the last eighteen months, should have passed
off without exciting popular indignation. What
could be tfiote startling for example, than to see
Chief Magistrate breach, III his Inaugural ques-
ton of Foreign Relations the most delicate fit only
to be by him mentioned within the earless walls of
his Cabinet council chamber, and on that to COM
nit the public honor and peace entrusted to his
charge, by an official declaration to pretension as
extrayagant contrary to ali previous public acts
from which, pursuing for several months a course
exactly suited to plunge in war, the Administra-
ton has been compelled unreseryedy to recede This
was spectacle Of Presidential delinquency entire
ly new nothing at all like II had eyer before oc-
Cured under this Government and its eAcuse--
that it was so set down in certain resolutions, hard
ly known to the electioneering Convention which
passed them, when half its members had gone away
and half the rest were probably not out of bed
was shocking as Tie thing itself was monstrous.
In this Oregon business, no conduct could have
been filter to call down the apprehension of all men
capable Of reflection, or to prefgure the subsequent
errors Of that business, up to the last moment.
Next in order came those strange and illegal pro-
ceedngs, directly contrary not only to the Consti-
tuition, but to the positive instructions of the
pact for the annexation Of Texas, by which the
Executive has plunged us into war with Mexico.
That compact assumed none of the old and merely
nominal claims of Texas to the country beyond the
Nueces-a country neUer brought under the pos
session of thai State--to which it could set up no
original title-and OF which we found the Mexi-
cans exercising the entire and peaceful Jurisdiction.
The compact was so drawn as in no manner
its claim (hardy meriting even that weak name) to
one foot Of ground beyond the Nueces it merely
bound lis to open q negotiation with Mexico, in
order to her an advantageous Boundary there,
If we could do il BY that means. The President
was ordered, then, by the compact, to set on foot
that negotiation: nothing more. He had not
shadow of authority for going one step further.
Yet, without Beginning with that with which he
was bound to end, attempt at pearefd negota-
tion our army sent, in June, ls45, TO the Dor
der of the disputed territory, with instructions to its
commander to enter it and proceed, if he fit, to
the Rio Grande, its utmost limit; and IN Nouem-
Der Envoy was dispatched to treat for the boun-
dairy which the Executive had thus assumed and
seized upon! Had the Executive even gone right
end-ioremost, and begun by amicable negotiations
and had Mexico rejected the overture, that refusal
to treat for boundary would not have given him the
slightest authority for any thing but quietly to come
back and report to Congress- that Mexico had re-
fused his offers, or even refused his invitation to
treat. Instead of all this, without going further
Into particulars, we all know that we were rashy
and heedlessly plunged into war with Mexico
These Presidential acts, against law, against
peace, against that policy of justice and modera-
ton which should ever be our guide with ALL but
especially with our neghbofs of the republican
family, were openly going for six months, with
out any thought of consulting Congress, and for
six months in its face, without single question
from any public authority. Against them part
of the press alone raised its voice. The people
sat still amidst all these more than kingy ourages
upon our institutions, one-haf of them in stupor
at the excuses to which Democracy" in power
was at last carrying us, and the other half appa-
reny content with any usurpation, provided it adds
to that which alone we seem now to regard-our
extent of unoccupied territory.
Along with these high-handed proceedings we
have had system of domestic measures in known
and open disregard Of public policy, dreaded by the
body Of both parties alike and carried into execu-
ton las all know by Locofocoism itself only be-
cause such were the hard terms on which alone il
could satisfy and keep certain section of its fol-
lowers. Who want the Subtreasury! Who want
Free Trade! Who do not want River and Har-
Dor Bills, except that mere party section An Adj
minisration which can thus trample as il likes on
oil tbot ia 1aual or sofe drowps IN tho dryel IF