The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-12-19

aitory can nj tne Bntne lllne NC M ihtos'o'
portion oloar State Of Texas and ofthe MeXi-
can province tor department)ofNew Mexico!
Nay, Sir, how dare you trent portion OF the
State Of Texns as 'clptErsd' territory, and au-
thorize one ofyour Military satraps 10 APP
poiIt all its Judges, District Attorneys, &c.
Sc? What AN astounding usurpnIion was
here To send an armed force into apart of
ile State ofTeXus and not merely 10 drive
-iuit the invading! Mexicans, bur actually treat
il ny captured territory, and subject TO the
most despotic government conceivable! Not
IN word whispered by anybody about its re-
aiation 10 TcXas--no (re) extension ofMexfcaii
authority over tho opportunity Afforded us
citizens TO vote for Texan Members of our
Congress, though these lave just been chos-
.en! IL not the whole web ofmngled audnc-
ity and fraud covering the preteNt Of EXTEND
ing Texas to the Rio Graude here exposed
by its very contryers?
4 few words mus,aOswer long paragraphs
"of pettiloggery about that same western
boundary Of Texns, That the Nueces ,Das
that Western boundary while Texas formed
I, part OF the Mexican State of Coahuila and
Texas, no nun has ever had the hnrdhood
10 DENY The facts arc too recent, too notori-
uIIs. Texas (n0t TO inquire how separated
lIerselffrom Mexico; Coahula adhered TO the
Mexican nation. Where now was the boun-
diary of Texas? The map of Texas prepar-
Ell 10y Stephen +. Austin, one of her lending
Insurgents, aud published in 1887, agrees
with common sense in placing it ut the Nue.
ces,where it had previously How wns il
moved westward, if a; all? Surely not by Treat
y:there has been none but SanaAnnas agree
'lnent while n prisoner&J that was void by the
Law ofNntions, repudiatcd by Mexico, vio-
lated by Texas. None but Il man thorough
w conscious of the badness ofhis case would
even refer to il rs any sort ofauihorlty. Has
Texnr, them ever conquered the Territory
westward ofthe NueceS To the Rio Grande?
Never! Never! She has attempted it once or
nl1re, hut always with disastrous result
The little village ofCorpus Christi, barely n
cross the Nueces ut IT'S mouth, was the west
crilmost limit ofacLuaL Texas down To the day
;lpt Cen. Taylor pitched his tents there.
When ordered to march farther, he march
ed on Mexican soil, encountered Mexican
troops, caused, the Mexicaus to burn their
custom house, &c. ut San Isabel, on the East
Jbank of the Rio Grande, where they had al
ways had custom house; Texas never.
When Gen. Taylor, acting under orders, sat
down opposite Matanoras, he encamped n
, midst Mexican population, interrupting
their industry, and breaking up their fields
and grounds. ns the letters of our officers a.
testify, expressing amazement that
Whe Mexicans in Matamoras bore 1t so tame
". Tho Presidents talk of Mexico's 'com-
ursacing mn oppressive war; latter we had
hlockuded the month ofthe Rio Grande, sub
iecting her army aud people to famine and
shedding the bleed of our citizens on our ONn
soh,n is an untruth of the grossest character
There il nothing to palliate it. That very
s'sol" had never been Overshadowed by our
hav -inr even by that of TeXas-until With
ii the month preceding; while 1t haG neen
familiar to Mexican troops ever since there
were MeXicans. No American, no Texan
writ had ever been served within sight of Pa
10 Alto when the battle was fought there.
I'VE can butcher the Mexicans, but History
will not be so mingled.
We cannot find room 70 pursue farther
the poor EXCUSES with which the President
palates the war ofhis own mnking nor can
it be necessary. There is very little oft with
which tho public is not already familiar. That
Mexico had wrongeti our citizens, and been
tArdy in making reparation, is most true; true
also that we had grievoWSay wrenged her,
bv fitting ont military expeditions in open
dav in our South Western cities to foment re-
helion in her provinces and rob her of her
territory Orr very Army was moved into
Texas in 1886, VIGOROUSLY to awe her troops
and encourage her adversaries. She has her
tale of grievances, at least as real and aS for
IllltlaDle us QUITS. IluVC we uOt SuC't biooNi
enough? How many more women and chill
1ron must we rend and mangle, before the
fell spirit OF Carnage can be satiated? Why
does not Mr. Polk state plainly OH what terms
he is ready to make Peace? Why does he not
0ffer 10 arbitrate, 10 accept impartial Media
ton: Why does he talk of compelling Mex
leo to pay the enormous expenses OF MS war
when he kHews she cannet do II, except ny
tearing reluctant Departments from her sides,
and making herself second Poland? Why,
o why is he Polk and nota man? Years of
National misery and probable bankruptcy,
IA people debauched by slaughter and demon
lac glory Republic corrupted by conquest
., snd gold won by the rcd hand, shall sadly an
= swer these questions!
The facts that the Government is now only
Twenty Four Millions in debt, and that the
increase is only Six and Half Millions since
Mr'asoik was inaugurated, and that only Twcn
~ Three Millions more need be borrowed TO
: prosecute the War year and half longer,
ARE paraded in the Message i'm manner cal
cuated to deceive aud perlously mislead
. the People. The Six and a half Millions in
crease and Twenty Four and n Quarter Mill
ions present Indebtedness tuke no account of
the large sums inevitably due TO Contractors
=: Officers; Seiiiers and Sailors for unpaid ar
rearages; for Provisions, Horses and Mules,
hire of STEAMBOATS,, Transportation, &c. Mel
iher do they take into account the circum-
stance that MTPolk found the Revenue great
ly redundant, heavy balance in the Treasu-
w andtheDeht in rapid process ofextinction
Nor yet do theWtake into account the Arms,
Munitions aud Public Stores expended or
rendered useless IN the prosecution of the
War hitherto, nor the heavy burthens impos-
ed on the Nation in the shape of Pensions to
those who have braved peril and privation in
the Country's service, especially to the woun-
tied and disabied-who have earned just
claim, IN suhsiSte zee (which cannnf he d;cra-