The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-09-18

Il
Of suPposing the discipllr cd soldier 10 10 FIVE times
as efficient as the undlseiplined Whether this odd:
rxlsts or not depends upon the kind Of militia ia
question. Between American regulars and Mex
can militia there may be that difference, but cor
AMY not that, OF any, between Mexican regulars
ana American militia,
Instead OF having no regular army, we ought IN
my opinion, TO have one Of at least twenty thousand
rank and file, and this if not already proven by oui
present Mexican war, will be proven by the time il
10 finished. Ii Gen. Taylor had had force Of
twelve or fifteen thousand regulars when he fret
marched TO the Rio Grandei he might now be in the
city OF Mexico, had II been necessary 20 that HT
10 "conqper peace;" and the war would not then
| have cost one-fourth Of what 1t will under the mill
/ ia system, for niiHaing, Horace Walpole calls
Il, is a most expensive kind Of warfare Mitis
| eau well be relied upon for defensive purposes bur
| are not equally efficient for offensive war though
with such a commander Gen. Jackson they
would he equal 10 any achievement almost.
One objection with US 10 a large standing army,
Is one OF twenty thousand would be called, is the
Spehsei but this Is a mscOncephon; for upon an
'etage OF twenty years, the regular system would
'e found TO he the eheapest-that is II would cost
less money, saying nothing Of It's superior effective
ness. Economy pleads, therefore, Tor the regular
force. There is another objection to IT,, though
sometimes made, which | will notice; it is, that
standing armies are dangerous TO the liberties of
country. This, 10 my mind, is but phantom in
The United States. That we should have anything
10 apprehend from an srmy Of twenty thousand
seems to me ridiculous, or from hundred thousand
Who could corrupt that army, if we had il. and
prevail upon It 10 declare against the country Gen
Jackson exercised as much influence over the pub
nc mind as any other man ever has-as much as
General WashIDgton-aHd the time never was
IN my opinion, that he would have engaged
one hundred men 10 unite with him in a war upon
our liberties, had 1t been possible for that noble pa
rlot to make such an attempt; nor could General
washington, or any other general past, present, or
10 come, provided we maintain our present inslitu.
ions unimpaIred, for the plain reason that ours is
what 1t Is called, government of the people, in
which the humblest citizen knows and feels that he
mas All interest, and Of which he is a constituent.
You say II want no more territory, for we have
already too much. II | were to make an exception
10 this remark, It would be to acquire California"
In thus sentiment we do not differ, except that |
do not think we have too much territory, though
with California we should have enough. That /
hope will be acquired, either by purchase in peace
or by conquest IN war, If the war must continue
II Is OF no use 10 Mexieo never will be- never can
be. IL Is too remote from the centre for a country
where the federal principle can never be practsed
or understood probably; and as the population vii
soon be mostly American, II must, in the course Of
human events, separate from Mexico; and il will
form either an Independent State will Join the Uni
ted States, will fall into the hands Of Great Brit
ain, the last OF which il Communication the least
deyOuty TO be wished I"
Fcannot subscribe though to the opinion you ex.
press when you sayi 81 know no great people who
have not been crowded into small space-the
Egyptians, the Romans, the Greeks, the Jews, and
the English"
This has somewhat the appearance of a post hoe
ergo pTopIer hoe hrgumsni-that the people YOU
name have been great because their territories were
small-a strange conclusion TO arrive at think, and
one not authorized by facts. The people you name
bPcauge NJ -
inherent in their races and their geograph zeal posi-
IONS were favorable to their development The
Jews, however, ought Ia be omitted their govern.
ment being theocracy, God himself directed and
superintendent their national affairs, whereas iudg.
ing from the manner in which governments in the
Old World are conducted generally, we might sup
pose them to be under The influence and guidance Of
a very different kind ola ruler. For the Jews you
might substitute the Csrthagenans--a great people
crowded into small space. But cannot subscribe
10 your theory There are so many small States
mat are not great and so many large ones that are
that your rule cannot be received either as universal
or general one. Rome was great before she was
large, and great afterwards. China was both large
and great before Rumulus and Remus sucked the she
wolf at Rome, then a forest, and will be probably
when the site even Of the "eterna city" will be a
matter OF dispute among aniquares.
Time doubts of Troy, and time will doubt of Rome"
Then, there is Russia with her sixty millions
VI ihhooi'au's, anu ColOsSdl power greater dnO
more powerful than ever Rome was And
France, IN the time of Napoleon, when
her territory, including Italy, &C., comprised
nearly half a million of square miles--was she not
great Is she not yeti And still she is not by any
means small State in point of size. England Is
great, but without doubt she owes portion of her
greatness to her foreign possessions. Take India
from her, and she would soon be reduced to second
,ate power. And ourselves, the ''model republic y
have we not some pretensions 10 greatnessi Which
surely We could not have, if national deterioration
were consequence of great territorial extent or OF
territorial acquisition. Ia some respects, we are
lnchaengeabiy ahead of all the world, as regards
form of government, civil institutions freedom of
&c, DC. To the example of the United
States Europe is indebted for somewhat human |
zed criminal code, and for ameliorated institutions
IN general; and, above all, the United States took |
The first step towards aboishng the slave-trade no.
the cant at Exeter Hail. and the still
worse cant of our own furious abolitlonsts whom |
nothing can content except instantaneous and un-
conditional abolition, and but for whose fanaticaI
and unjusuhable interference have no doubt that
some of the slave States would have adopted before
now system ofgradua emancipation
IL we cannot be a great people without being |
crowded into small space" the acquisition Of CALI
ornia, which you and are in favor of, would Re |
sad oversight; for It is of itself extensive coun-
ny. But have fears either of its preventing or
mpaIring our greatness.
III small states were great because they are small
hat wonderful people the good citizens of San
Marine ought to be That vast republic in Italy
hat has twenty-five square miles Of territory and
sight thousand inhabitants. Or some of the Ger
nan princpalltIes, too dimnutve to find place on
any map, and whose names would be unreliable
if they could, being wholly unpronouncable.
am now going to close this long letter. So far,
have differed with you; but have word to say
10 show you that, although have been welding
the pen of critic, in my heart there is nothing to-
wards you but respect and good will. have to
say, then, that for the manner in which you dis
charged your duties when minister to Mexico, and
for your kind and hospitabe conduct towards your
and the Texans--not then your
country nen-whom you found prisoners and in
distress and danger, you are entitled, in my opin
ionion, to great credit. But for your humane and
fesolute interference in their behalf many of them
would have been put to death without doubt. You
saved them. You give the credit to Santa Ana
give it TO you, to whom 1t is due.
You say: 81 have no words to express the scorn
that feel for one who, in foreign couL'ry or in
his intercourse with one, could for a moment re-
member party dissensions." This is spoken
like an American and like a patriot. The senti-