Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-10-01
FROM MEXICO.
NEGOTIATIONS WITH MEXICO.

ne WasutBStuu 9bt1u VI Satufuoy
evening contains the following important
article relative TO the state Of affairs be.
tween The United States and Mexico:
a ave can state. upon competent au
thori,y. that the report is not true, thai
Mexico has refused 10 negotiate With the
government Of the United States uEtil we
shall withdraw our armies from her terri.
tory and our fleets from her coasts. This
report is ABSOLUTELY destitute OF foundation.
| The government Of thai republic has de-
Itermined TO refer the Presidents overture
to open negotiations for peace, to the con-
stituent Congress of Mexico. which will
assemble in the beginning Of December,
1--WE believe the 9th.
ave are able to put an end, in more
explicit manner than we have hitherto
been able TO do, to all mystery and all
doubt abou, the dispatches by the Prince
ton. The preceding paragraph gives the
true version Of the transaction; the pre-
else form Of the correspondence which has
taken place between the two republics, we
presume will be made known al no dis
tant day. The gist Of the matter is, that
the Mexican government has not positive
ly declined our overture--nor has she ac-
cepted it upon conditions--she has neither
refused nor accepted il; but has referred
our proposition 10 the constituent Congress
Of December, to decide the whole question.
We are unable to say how far Santa
Ana participated in this answer. We IN.
derstand this reply was transmitted by
General Rejon, the secretary Of foreign
affairs, and that only four days elapsed be.
tween the receipt Of the letter Of our Sec
rotary Of State and the reply Of the Mexi-
can minister. But though Santa Ana
might not have been consulted about the
form Of the reply, yet the character Of il
seems to correspond to the general princi-
Pile which he processes TO have laid down
for himself-of throwing himself upon the
wishes ofthe people and Of the constituent
Congress.
| We had right to expect frank and
prompt answer TO our liberal and gratuitous
proposition for negotiation. But the acting
Mexican government declines to act with
out the advice and concurrence ofthe Con-
gress of December. Thus three months
will elapse between their letter and the
meeting Of Congress. How long they
may spin out their decisions. before they
advise the executive government, no man
can conjecture. Another month perhaps
might pass by. And thus We should have
four months consumed in idle and una
vailng procrastination. This is surely in
the usual dilatory style Of Mexican nego-
tiation. But. in the meantime. what sa-
gacious politician caa hesitate as to the
course which We ought TO pursue.
We are aware, in the first place. that
though Santa Ana may defer negotiation,
he will not fold his arms, and adopt a
system Of inactivity. So far from this, We
see him declaring 10 General Salas and his
countrymen thathe is determined to throw
succors into California, and to despatch
troops to meet our advancing armies. He
even promises TO gather laurels on The Sa-
bine-that is TO say. to drive General Tay-
lor and his associate generals out OF Mexi-
CO, beyond the Rio Grande, and then To
pursue them through the whole territory
Of Texas, until his advancing arms can
gather their victorious laurels on the banks
Of the Sabine. We ought TO thank him
for stopping at these confines, and not
pushing on TO Washington, as he is said TO
have threatened some years since!
Santa Ana had better boast less and act
more. This staggering has been too
long the characteristic Of his countrymen
TO impose even upon them. In his long
manifesto of the 10th August. proclaimed
at Vera Cruz, he speaks with unusual
moderation ofthe United States. But in a
few days after; in his interview with Gen.
Salas, he drops the character ofthe man of
sense, and resumes the rhodomontade Of
the boaster. He promises TO lay the lau-
rels which he is to reap on the banks Of
the Sabine, at the feet of his countrymen.
One would have supposed that the laurels
which he had lost at San Jacinto would
have been sufficient TO subdue any wild
hopes Of reaping aurels on the banks Of
the Sabine. Texas, single handed, de-
fed all his chivalry. He knows the catas-
trophe which befel him. Why, then.
does he boast Of gathering military honors
in opposition TO Texas combined with the
United States'
All this. Of course. is ridiculous bombast.
Yet We have no wish TO disparage or abuse
the character Of the present ruler of Mexi-
CO. But We take it for granted that he
will employ all the means he can COM
mand in carrying on the war against US.
Shall We ask, then, wha. is our own
duty? Can any man Of sense hesitate to
advise the most spirited and vigorous pro.
secntion Of the war on our part, We
stand in this predicameni: We have in.
CURED great expenses in sending our troops
into Mexico. They are advancing west.
wardly in three lines. There is every
reason to believe that General Kearney is
already in possession Of Santa Fee; that
General Tayloris now. or will be in few
days, at Monterey, and perhaps at Saliillo;
and that General Wool will be al Chhua-
hua by the 10th or 18th of October. Shall
we then fold our arms, and relinquish one
OF the advantages which we may have OBJ.
tanned? On the contrary, shall we not
prosecute our victories, and make addi-
tional conquests-towards California, and
towards the capital of Mexico itselfs By
| the time that this dilatorv diplouSacy can