Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-09-29


duties at Washington faithfully"
Thus writes from the Fauquier Springs TIT
gentle and elegant and accurate ilinerant cores
pondent of the Wing, "John Smith" It's upol
a par with his numerous misrepresenta,lons.-
Mr.. Barton was at the Springs in bad health, ant
vet we know thai h. devoted much OF his time Il
the law papers which he had with him, and des
patched his opinions 10 Washington, after study
ing the important cases in which The Government
was concerned John Smiths" etiuSions viii
however, hurt nobody. In justice 10 Mr. Barton
we thought proper 10 state what we knew 10 be
true. The Wings can never excuse "Seih Bar
ton" for the heavy and efficient blows he gave IL
their party in The campaign of iSl4.
OUR MEXICAN AFFAIRS.
Aware OF the feverish curiosity Of The public
mind as 10 The true position OF The Mexican qnes
ton, we make no apology Tor laying teiore oui
readers the interesting facts and appropriate com
menls sc, forth in the following article from lhe
Union. In full view of all The circumstances
we cannot doubt that the whole country will cor
daily assent TO the spirit OF the Unions editorial
From what we know Of the Mexican character
il would be madness and folly 10 rely longer upon
the diplomatic excuses Of Mexico. We have
been deceived loo often into an exercise Of mag
nanimily and forbearance. The time has ar.
rived Tor us 10 strike promptly and with all ouI
power II her usurping Government have mol
the hlmneSs 10 meet The question Of peace OF war
the energy of our blows must arouse the peo'
pie OF Mexico 10 sense of their position towards
us. We can no longer make distinction be.
tween the people and lis rulers upon every pfin-
ciple The former are responsible ior lis TO-
vernmeni, and must bear the consequences Of
their action We are glad 10 sec that the Union
endorses the opinions Of an officer writing 10 a
New Orleans paper, that The system oi concilia
lion has been tried and evil no, answer the pur
pose lor which il is intended. Ii does not make
II, any friends among The Mexicans; il only en-
riches them al our expense; and h's because
instead of concerning themselves with The fai
value OF their property, they charge US The mos
exorblanl prices Tor every thing we obtain Iron
them"
The officer advises his Government 10 change
the plan altogether, and visit upon them The con
sequences OF war, and "make the enemy supper
rs. and find us in supplies" This is in accord
ance with hasty suggestion which we threw Gu
a few days since, and we rejoice that it is abou
10 be put into practice. 1t will we trust, ensui'
short war, and prompt and permanent peace
The Union says:
We can stale, upon competent authority, tina
the report is not true that Mexico has refused Il
negotiate with the Government OF the Unlle'
States until we shall withdraw our armies iron
her territory and our fleets from her coasts. Thi
report is absolutely destitute OF foundation. Tn
| Government OF that Republic has determined L
| refer the Presidents overture, 10 open negotia
| tons Tor peace 10 the constituent Congress o
| Mexico. which will assemble in the beginning 0
December, 1--WE believe The 6lh.)
NEGOTIATION WITH MEXICO.
| We are able 10 put an end in more explIci
| manner than we have hitherto been able IL do I
all mystery and all doubl about the dispatches b.
| The Princeton. The preceding paragraph give
The true version of The transaction; The precis
| form OF the correspondence which has taken plac
| between the two republics, We presume, will b
made known al no distant day. The gist OF tn
| mauer is, that the Mexican government has nc
| positively declined our oveIure-nor has she &C
copied il upon conditions-she has neither refused
nor accepted il; but has referred our proposition
| 10 the constituent Congress OF December, TO DC
eide the whole question.
We are unable 10 say how far Santa Anna par
ricipated in this answer. We understand this re
DIV was transmitted by General Rejon, the secrc
tary of foreign affairs, and that only four day
ELAPSED between the receipt OF the letter oil OH
Secretary Of Stale and the reply OF The MeSica
minister. But though Santa Anna might NJ
have been consulted about The form OF The reply
vet the character OF ii seems TO correspond TO tn
general principle which he processes TO have lal
down Tor himself-ot throwing himself upon In
wishes oil The people and OF the constituent Cor
gress.
We had right to expect frank and promT
answer 10 our liberal and gTaluitous proposilio
Tor negotiation. But the acting Mexican COY
eminent declines to act without The advice an
concurrence of the Congress OF December
Thus three months will elapse between their lie
ter and the meeting Of Congress How Ion
they may spin out their decisions, before they AZ
wise the executive government no man cah col
lecture Another month perhaps may pass bv.-
And thus We should have four months consume
in idle and unavaiing procrasllnalion. This
surely in the usual dilaiory style Of Mexican nj
so,iaion. But, in the mean time, what sagaciou
politician can hesitate as 10 The course which "
ought 10 pursne2
We are aware, in the first place, that thong
Santa Anna may defer negotiation, he will nj
told his arms, and adopt system OF inaclivit,
So far from this, We see him declaring 10 Gene
raj Salas and his conntrymen that he is deermiT
ed To throw succors into California, and 10 de!
patch troops 10 meet our advancing armies Ii
even promises to gather laureis on The Sabine
that is 10 say, to drive General Taylor and b
associate generals out of Mexico, beyond The Ri
Grande, and then 10 pursue them through N
whole territory OF Texas until his advancln
arms can gather their victorious laurels on III
banks Of the Sabine We ough, TO thank hiI
for stopping at these confines and not pushin
on 10 Washington, as he is said TO have threaten
ed some years since
Santa Anna had better boast less and act NOR
This staggering has been too long the character
isiic of his counrymen TO impose even upon then
In his long manifesto OF the 10th August, prC
claimed al Vera Cruz, he speaks with unusu;
moderation of the United States. But in a te'
days after, in his interview with General Sala
he drops the character OF the man Of sense, an
resumes the rhodomonade OF the boaser II
promises 10 Law the lanrels which he is 10 reap 0
the banks of the Sabine, al the feet of his cour
rymen One would have supposed that the LAT
rels which he had los, al San Jacinto would hay
been sufficient TO subdue any wild hopes OF reaE
ing laurels on the hanks oil me Sabine. lexa
sinsle-handed. de6ed all his cbivalry. He know
the catastrophe which befel him. Why, thel
does he boast OF gathering military honors in OF
position TO Texas combined with the Unite
Stales1