Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-12-26

they deest; but it will be only forced and al
feigned submission, not peace. For what peace
shall we have made with them but such as is steep
ed in humiliation And what peace will they re-
turn, but such hate is laid up in Spanish bosoms
only to make it deader and, meantime, until the
hour of revenge, soothes its unslaked animosity
with studying how the conqueror may least reap
good from his conquest
In word, if any terms of submission be made
with us by Mexico, il is doubtful at least, whether
any will be kept We may wrest province after
province from her; we may even strike, as now
seems the design, at her capital surely we, whose
great towns were, during the Revolution, almost
constantly in the hands of the enemy, should know
that over-running country only implies, for the
greater part rush of its whole population to arms,
redoubed national fury, and war Of desoa-
ton. The possession of Vienna, or Moscow, or
Madrid was no conquest of the States whose CEN
tire they were and, as for Mexico, it has often and
often yielded to domestic revolutions, that were
scarcely heard of beyond its walls AS a country,
New Spain is too wide too broken, too full OF ma
tural delences, too little connected, too discordant
for its fate to be seriously affected by an invaders
reaching its capital. And this, from the very con-
diton and character of the people and Government,
might always have been foretold of it. thatto pene-
trate, and in appearance to master large extent OF
its territories, is easy enough; but to hold them quiz
city afterwards, impossible. ~
We have shown in what temper to receive, and
in what capacity to understand, our laws and sway
those Mexican regions will be, which we may, for
time, reduce to submission. Govern them, we
will soon find that we cannot, except just SO far as
our sword reaches. How much Mexican soil have
we really subdued? As much our troops stand
upon. In New Mexico our real conquest is the
town of Santa Fe; in California Monterey and a
few like points; in Chihuahua, just the place where
terey and the forts around it. As for the route
over which our forces have advanced, and by which
they communicate with their supplies, it is clearly
debatable ground.
How, them are our supposed conquests to be
brought within a settled and legal authority |!
Only by the presence all over the country of troops
enough to hold the inhabitants in awe, and be a
must be administered by their native officers, whom
you never trust until all wish or hope of ven
geance or revolt has died away Rnt FIVE hundred
years did not efface, among the Greeks, the recol
lection of ancient independence and the resentment OF
Turkish injuries near seven centuries have not
suliced to pacify Ireland Italy herself so long the
eteminate victim of foreign sway still clings to the
dream of Roman glory, and shakes with plans OF
rebellion the Austrian domination. The Mexicans
/. IL Al. a. ~ lie,
able than the Irish, so unwarlike or so divided as
the Italians, nor we stronger than the English OF
more relentless than the Austrians and the Turks
to break conquered peoples spirit to servitude.
We say, then, that our laws and our authorize.
must at once be substituted for the Mexican ant
that they must be administered by the bayonet
The force which has acquired must maintain our do
mnon and its severe exercise, rendered necessary
by national hate, will prolong and deepen it. Wha
is this but the history of all conquests? And why
should ours, if resisted like all others, follow
new law?
Such is that curse, that calamity, worse than any
thing that failure can possibly bring, which the
most complete success must entail upon us. But
even this is but part. We have shown that the
sort of government which has been already so
strangely and so inadequately erected in what Of
Mexico we hold, must not only be continued there,
but rendered far more intimate and present where
there is much population. Revolt, encouraged by
the distance of our troops from succor, and foment-
ed from the unsubdued parts of Mexico, will burst
out. Wherever we are weak or unguarded, Sici-
liam Vesper may be sounded, and our people be
massacred at the dead of night. To check all this,
forces must be spread all acquisitions.
The people, hating our yoke must be tanned into
bondage; and our Executive, the supreme command
er Of the armies through which all government is
dispensed TO our Spanish provinces, becomes omni-
potent there, and thus grows the sole beneficiary OF
the entire conquest Nor will he be slow TO turn
back upon ourselves the sweeping powers with
which we have invested him over others. An army
constantly entertained abroad to make or TO keep
conquess, soon ceases to look TO any thing but the
imperial will and the imperial favor of him who di-
reefs il and realms reduced to vassalage turn sure
instruments of despotism, of backward conquest,
finding vengeance for their own loss of freedom in
assisting the Chief Magistrate to subdue those who
enabled him TO subdue them. 1t was with the
legons employed in conquering Africa and the East
until they had lost all attachment but TO the person
of their commander, that MARrUs and SyLLA return
ed TO be dictaors and execu,ioners in Rome; and
with like army, grown veteran under his victo-
rous banner in Gaul, Germany, and Britain, julius