The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-15
WAR WITH MEXICO.

Vasion of territory and the slaughter of deach
ment Of our regular army within our own borders
In less than thrty-three hours after the official an
nouncement of the actual existence Of war by the
President to Congress, both Legislative bodies, with
| unexampled unanimity, determined To prosecute il
with the utmost vigor and placed at the disposal o.
the Executive the militia naval, and military forces
Of the United States and fifty thousand volunteers
with an immediate appropriation of ten millions Of
dollars to meet this extraordinary emergency. Such
patriotic DESPATCH supported it ID by the unsni
nous sanction of the whole people, is the best evil
dence TO the world that on all questions Of
national honor a united nation and that we will
never lay down our arms in so righteous a cause
until we receive full and ample PREPARATION for this
unproyoked invasion of the soil Of free and hap.
py republic.
The only example to the civilized world of reg
ular and systematic form of republican government,
It became US TO bear with the insults and contume-
" of a neighborng people torn by intestine divs-
ions and the prey of successive military desPots,
until the blow accompanied the word, and then for
bearance ceased TO be virtue. No strong nation
| ever bore much without a resort to the Ultima
ratio gsrltiumj and we appeal with safety to the
whole course Of the administration towards Mexico,
| as showing that nothing but actual war and blood
shed could induce it finally to dissolve those ties Of
amity which we had solemnly contracted with our
| nominal sister republic.
The whole has been the deliberate act of Mexico,
and the United States stand before all nations absoved
from all blame, and offering bright example of the
exercise Of those Christian virtues which great COM
munities usually profess and so seldom practise
This is not, on our part, war Of aggression; but
to hasten its conclusion and to limit the loss Of life
and property, the territory of Mexico must be
reached by American army, as to dictate those
terms which will secure US from future injustice
and injury The temporary possession Of the soil of
Mexico must decide the fate Of the country, and
our views should therefore be turned not only to
| the chastisement of the army Of Arista, and the
| blockade of her ports, but to the bold and speedy
occupation of her strongholds.
The Mexican population can offer but a slight re-
sistanoe to the North American race. Its motley
character, and physical structure are the surest in
dcations of defeat--for out Of seven millions Of
souls four millions Indians, and of the remain
Ing lHlluuHs, pul tWlcNt dlt
whites.
Whilst thus asserting our rights and yet strictly
maintaining our treaty sdpulations with Mexico,
which survive the commencement Of hostilites, we
are bound to protect our citizens on the ocean from
the wanton grant of letters of marque and repri-
sails to foreigners and foreign vessels sailing under
the Mexican flag.
Mav;oo haa ltarallu nj marina and
her navy is a merely nominal one. She has but two
or three ports on the gulf and no Mexican vessels
which can be egitimately converted into privaeers
The treaty with Spain itself, as was shown in the
last evenings Union ali such vessels pirat
ical and condemns the offending Spanish seaman to
be hung up at the yard-arm as a pirate.
Mr.. Berrien has shown the proper degree Of vi
GLANCE, by moving yesterday resolution instruct
ing the Judiciary Committee to inquire whether
any, and what, legsaton is necessary to give effect
to the 18th article of the treaty of 9th October,
1895, between the United States and Spain, ("by
which the subjects of Spain prohibited from Ia
king out letters-of-marque against the United States
under the penalty of being treated pirates,) and
that they report by bill or otherwise. Mr. Berrien
explained the necessity Of looking into this matter
in consequence of the passage Of the bill recognising
the existence of war with Mexico, and the proba-
by that prvateers might be fitted out in the island
of Cuba"
Another consideration also deserves to be noted
A vessel purportng to sail under Mexican flag
can scarcely pass into Mexican port, because it
may be blockaded. What, then, will she do with
| any prize she may make1 She cannot carry the
captured vessel into any other port for condemna-
tom and if she undertakes to condemn the prize at
sea, without going into admiralty court for adu-
dcaton she acts like pirate, and would be treated
as such.
We regret deeply that our country has been actu-
ally forced into war by the unwearied hostility of
the Mexican military aristocracy, but we have I'M
limited confidence in the rectitude Of our cause and
in the energy patriotism, and valor Of brave free,
and virtuous people.
a little OpsrSipI aDpears n have hammered i'm the