Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-10-13
THE ENQUIRER.
So,oTday Morning, october 10, 1916.
IA TENpEsT IN A TEAPOT"
RICH MOND, Va.

I IL
session of New Mexico by United States Army
under General Kearney. An Editor must have
something 10 write aboul--lhe people VIII MOI
relish long and elaborate disquisItlons upon n'o'
raj or noli:ical themes They require some
hing more palpable better calculated 10 "slir Inc
blood" The old texts OF the Wing papers nave
become "obsolele ideas" The 'panic," which al
one time was set in motion with tremendous
blast, has suddenly collapsed in The general pros
peri,y of the old and se,c manufacturing estao-
lishments The "home market" has become
lhreadbare, under the Unprecedented expectation
| of produce 10 foreign ports, and the consequent
rise of prices. The attempts oil the STOCKHOLDERS
| 10 destroy The credit OF the Government, IN oroer
TO make capital for Memsslres has tailed-and IN
the teeth OF the "grindng" Sub-Treasury' the
Government is mol yet bankrupt, but pays as II
goes, with handsome surplus on hand. In
word, the country will not consent 10 be ruineu,
merely 10 crafty The Wing politicians, who ionc-
" hopcd. in the financial and polica storm they
meant 10 evoke, 10 blow Henry Clay or some
more available Wing candidate into the Presiden-
tiaI Chair in 1913. All this elaborate and cum
ninsly con,rived machinery has been put Out oil
gear by a series OF obstinate iacts, which, however
graceful to the people a, large, have falsted all
the predictions oil the Wing prophets on these
subjects their occupations gone"
But says the Wing, our ammunition ls not
all gone. We have one strong card yet TO play;
the Mexican war is not over, il draws lis
slow length along-and will yet furnish materials
for many paragraphs in The Wing press. Fired
with The thought, the editor Of the Wing dashes
on more boldly than ever. He aims blow al
the "exlraordinary assumption oil power, OF
which either General Kearney or The President il
guilty, in the famous Proclamation Of The former
a, Santa Fe In melancholy tones. he deplores
thu apathy Of the public mind, which has been
stunned and ensaved by the incessan violations OF
the Constitution and laws by the President. In
an asonz spirit he exclaims, "bul noe, so cal
lous has the public mind become under The re-
pealed usurpaions OF the Executive, that The most
elarins violations OF the Constitution seem 10
have no power 10 "s,ir the blood" of The peo-
pie, or to awaken their apprehensions."
And, after long catalogue OF charges against
the President, which we notice further on, ne
winds up with the ioo ,ing jerelniad
"Yet all this has the President done, in open
and fragrant violation of the constitution and
laws: and. strange 10 say, the press [wllh the ex
cepion OF the National Intellisencer and ST. Lou
is Republican alone, and the people are a. dumb
as il he had acted in strict conformity with his
oath To protect defend and maintain The one,
and faithfully 10 execute the other"
This. Of itself, is strong rebuuing evidence
against the existence of such fragrant violations
of the Constitution" for, il there is any plausible
ground upon which 10 assail The President, The
Wing press is not usually chary in its denuncia-
tons-but, now alas they are dumb" Though
deserted by its associates, The Wing mounts upon
the rampans Of The Constitution, and, single
handed, aims its heavy blows al The "invaders
and usurpers."
|, goes back 10 the annexation OF Texas by
which The Constitution was tortured from lis true
intent and meaning" but il most properly does not
dwell upon an argument, which has been relu-
ted by The decision of The whole country, save the
gfnmblns Wings here and there. |, brings on,
once more the ''usurpaton" Of The President, in
"making war" by ordering Gen. Taylor TO march
tho army TO the Rio Grande-np 10 which limit
Texas claimed her territory. and which territory,
when annexed 10 orr Union, We were bound 10
protect II assals The President for dcspatching
tn California regimen; OF men raised in New
York. "undcr all the forms Of military organi2a-
ton, as a mask TO its true character" these men,
really being sent ''not to fight the Mexicans, but
as emigyants, 10 occupy the country. True, they
are supplied with arms and ammunition; butthey
also carry with them the implements OF agrieul.
ure and The mechanic arls."
In other words, the President has perfect
right TO send these armed men TO California TO
fight the Mexicans; but, should they carry with
them few spades and pick-axes and carpenters
tools, in addition 10 their arms, TO cultivate The
soil for their subsistence, while they defend the
territory seized, thai, says this Wing paper is a
monstrous usurpalion They may slaughter and
cut TO pieces the Meycans with their arms, they
may seize the territory and hold it subject 10 the
United States; but, if they build single log ca
bin, plough one acre of the conquered territory
and raise blade Of corn, it is fragrant violation
Of the Constitution. The argument Of the Wing
DESTROYS ITSELF It's admissions give up The whole
question.
The Wing next comes TO the grandest usurpa-
ton OF them ALTO Gen. KeaEney's Proclama.
,ion-which, it says, "annexes territory to the
Union" absolves Mexican citizens from allesi'
ance 10 their Government, or Furnishes them as
ORATORS" "if they Prove faithful 10 the first in.
stincl OF all good citizens" and creates the new
| Office Of Governor Of New Mexico, &c. We
shall say word upon these points.
We are in a slate OF war with Mexico Con
sress has pu, al the disposal ofihe President mer
!. and money 10 conduct that war to favorable
termination. Cancellation has been tried, but Il
no purpose. Peace has been magnanimously
held ont 10 Mexico; bu. she has put oil aclior
upon j, until period. fatal 10 the objects we have
in view. Most wisely has the President deter
mined 10 proceed with more vigor and energy
against Mexico, and compel her 10 make peace
The true policy has been adopted, of no, onl,
LAYING her people under contribution 10 supper
our advancing army, but OF capturing her pro
vinces and territory rs a guarantee OF our Jus
demands against her. 1t is not, as the Wing
say, war OF conquest and annexation. W.
seize and hold her territory as means OF fore
ing her 10 do u, justice. And here we exlrac
some important admissions Of the Wing, in ii
article OF yesterday:
1--WE do no, complain that MEXICO has beef
invaded, or tina, her provinces have been conquer
ed This was one OF The toreseen and iheviIa
Bile events OF the war, should il be long protract
ed" THE conquest and occupation OF Caliior
MIA by Com Sioat, and Of New Mexico By Gen
Kearney, we are willing, 10 concede, were wisely
determined upon and gloriously achieved. We
intend 10 impeach neither The saeacny OF the Ex-
eculive in directing these movements nor the
galantrv OF lis officers in executing them. They
are the legitimate and necessary results Of a stat
of ncr---Issl as much 50 as The conquest and oc
cupaon Of portion Of the Stale OF Tamaulpa:
by Gen. Taylor. Neither do we controvert lh'
right, nor shall we now attempt to discuss the ex
pe,'iency OF incorporating The conquered terrific
~ into the ccquerins Stale, as province, or a
a coordinate State with equal sovereign rights