Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-11-03
THE ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND, VA.
Monday Morning, November =. 1916.
Far be it from our intention, We assure the Re

engaged in war, and that il is OF vital importance
10 its successful prosecution and 10 speedy and
permanent peace, that the whole public mird
should be cordially united, and thai the whole ma
ton should have but one heart and soul for its
glorious termination, We contend, That these lercc
assaults upon The justice and policy Of Inc wal,
these charges OF weakness and wickedness" upon
those who are by the Constitution clothed with its
management ere ll-limed and mischirvous, and,
in The strong language Of The able and philosophic
"Pike," in the Union, are IA blow al the nation
ITSELF while graphing in deadly strife with lis Toe.
II is decided encouragement 10 that foe Tor pro-
longing the conflict and going on with his efforts
for siaushtsring our people By hundreds, and max
ing families deso!a,e The one course cannot be
pursued without endangsling The other. The Sc
paralon is impossible and il this be The liberty Of
the pross, it only shows how an engine OF great
good may be turned 10 public evil"
1t is not now, for the first time, that The causes
of this war have been denounced by the Wing
rrsss. All remember the violent struggle that
occurred upon the passage OF the war bll-how
the Wings assailed the President as having him.
sell produced the war, for The most miserable per-
sonal or political objecls-how il was siSmali2ed
as the "Prcsidenl's war" Still, the law was
passed, BY majority Of Democrats and Wings,
recognizing The c1isencc OF the war, not as pro-
duced BY the President, but as having been begun
by Mexico herself The whole country acknow-
lodged the justice and wisdom OF The measure, and
volunteers focked BY thousands 10 The standard
oil their country. This in ITSELF is The strongest
proof that The Administration had mol brought on
the war in The opinion Of the American people.
But, says The Republican, twill the Enquirer
deny that il was the march 10 that point the Rio
Grandsl which provoked hoslililes, the invasion
oil territory which The Mexicans considered their
own, and which, al the best, must be admitted 10
be debatable ground7 II the American forces had
remained at Corpus Christi, it is probable that
not single hostile gun would have been fired,
tina, millions Of treasure would have been saved,
and hundreds oil valuable lives more precious
than gold, been preserved TO their country and
their homes. Was The order TO leave that point,
and plant our banners on the Rio Grande, doing
every thing 10 ward oil the evil day?"
We dissent entirely from such conclusions
We are satisfied that The Mexican rulers had re-
solved upon The re-conquest of Texas, long before
the march OF our troops to the Rio Grande, and
that Mexico crossed the Rio Grande and common
ced the war, not because we occupied whatthe Re-
publican calls Sat best debatable ground but be-
cause We had dared 10 form n union with Texas
"a republic which had exhibited, in the Ian
guaged OF Mr.. Webster, Gan authority not 10 be
condemned by he Republican, "lrom Ike time OF
The battle Of San Jacinlo, in April, 1886. TO The
present moment, The same external signs OF ma
quite as much stability OF government-Pracli-
ealy free and independent, acknowledged as a
political sovereignty by The principal powers OF
the world no hostile loot finding rest within her
territory for six or seven years, and Mexico her.
selfrefranng for all that period from any TURNER
atlempr to re-eslablish her own authority over
that territory"
We know ,ha, the Wing press looked upon the
annexation OF Texas as a "gross usurpaIion oil
the Constitution" and as giving sufcen: justin
cation to Mexico to make war, and The result
shows tina, Mexico followed the advice. But
whether Texas was rightfully or wrongfully an
nexed, the great measure was achieved by The
American people, and The young Slate came
under the wing of the A mercan Eagle We re-
ceiyed her "for better, for worse J" she consent
ing TO share with us The blessings and the dangers
of The Union, and we giving 10 her solemn
pledge, that we should preserve and protect her.
in her full power and extent, against "a world IN
arms" Even putting aside the historical iac
that Texas originally extended tothe Rio Grande,
the circumstance that she had solemnly fixed her
limits by legislation al that river and that she had
beeu recognized with those mees and boundaries,
as free and independent State, ny the grca! ma
lions of Europe and ourselves, impcraliyely de
manded of ms that we should throw our protection
over her whole soil and citizens, as claimed BY
herself. Most reacherons and cowardly would
il have been for US TO have violated the conditions
"non,inaled in The bond" o.. union, and suffered
her territory TO be overinn and her citizens and
properly TO be murdered and iesolaled ny her Bit
ter foe. The Mexican rulers had vowed ven
geance against us-had declared their intention
10 regain by conquest the whole OF Texas up 10
The Sabine-had refused 10 negotiate a peace
with The United States, and had marched an ar
nv 10 The Rio Grande. Would il not have been
absurd and crim;nally neg'ectul IN our Govern
meut TO have suffered that army 10 cross over
into Texas, Selling our soil and numbering
our citizens, without The Ieas, resistance on our
par2 Opposed as we are 10 war, we cannot see
how our Government could have acted different
", and not justly incurIhe charge Of dshonorabe
and guilty apathy.
Blu, admi, the truth Of all The Wing press say
in regard to the causes OF this "hagranlly UT.
lust, unreasonable and destructive war"-admi
tina, the President has himself wased war for hi.
own wicked purposes admit that il is an sun.
holy, damnabe, abhorred, accused and infamou:
war" in The chase and patriotic words Of the
Wing Ohio Congressman Delano, and the Wing
New YORK Tribune; or, in the language of The
National Inleligencer, ha, our gallan, officers ARD
soldiers are "lawless men" engaged in "rapine"-
admit all this, and we ask what good purpose car
be attained by the constant iteration Of assault,
upon The Administration, and upon the justice ant
n pUlCS VI uC wan AIai1 'AS 1toidSut Huo a
ready been abused roundly enough, and the wal
itself sligmatized in sufficiently violent terms
Let US first fight it out, gain our just demands
and an honorable and substantial peace and lher
the Wing press may, with some show cfpropre'y
LEI loose their analhemas. Then will be the tim,
10 scruinize the conduct and motives Of the Ad
minislration-then the Representatives of;he poo
ole may order a searching investigation of tn,
whole subject and we mistake The Presiden, if HI
does not manfnlly meet The ordeal, and lay before
the world the reasons and motives for all that h'
has been called upon to do, in obedience 10 hi
sworn obligations 10 The Constitution and The PEG
pie.
Can any one doubt the impolicy ard mischie
of the daily assaults upon The justice Of the wal
and, what The Wings call, the "imbecili.y, weak
ness and wickedness" of The EXecuIive7 Cal
any one fail 10 see that such proceedings are cal
culated 10 arouse in the Mexican rulers hopes o
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