Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-09-29
DAILY WING.
Negotiation with Mexico.

q los TO comprehend. the Administration had thought pro-
per 10 throw over the recently received response Of the Mexi-
can authorize. to the proposition of Mr.. Polk for a renew.
nl Of diplomatic intercourse between the two governments,
has been OF length removed. The Washington Union Of
Saturday night sta,es. /" upon competent, authority. that the
report IL not true. that Mexico has refused to negotiate with
the government Of the United States until we shall with
draw our army from her territory and our fleet from her
coasts. The government OF that Republic has determined
to refer the Pre.idonts overture, to open negotiations for
peace. to the constituent Congress Of Mexico, which will
assemble IN the beginning OF December, 1--WE believe the
6ui)"
Tho Union adds: awe arc unable to say how far Santa
Ana participated in this answer. We understand this re-
ply wa. transmitted by General Rejon, the Secretary ofFO.
reign Affairs. aud that only four days elapsed between the
receipt Of the letter Of our Secretary Of State, and the re-
ply OF the Mexican Minister. But though Santa Ana might
not have been consulted about the form OF the reply, yet the
character Of il seems TO correspond with the general prin-
ciple which he Processes to have laid down for himseli-of
throwing himself upon the wishes of the people and the
constituent Congress-" The Union then expresses the OPT
mon, based upon Santa Anais manifesto and proclamation
since his return to Mexico, that, in the meanwhile, he will
not fold his arms and adopt a system Of inactivity and
castigates him, in terms not less Just than severe, for the
swsggering tone in which he talks Of rcpelling the invader,
and even of gathering lsurels on the banks Of the Sabine"
the seeds Of which he probably deposited on the memora-
bic day Of San Jaein,o, Yet is ii not somewhat strange
mat no eHol was made by our olockadlng squadron 10
prevent the entrance into Vera Cruz of this staggering"
herol Will it not be still more remarkable il this ablest
OF the Mexican Generals was permitted thus TO return to
Mexico by he express instructions Of the President him.
self We do not, OF course, assert that such instructions
were given TO Com. Conner, or that the Commodore did not
himself assume the high responsibility Of allowing Santa
Ana to pass the ~blockadiug squadron. Wedo no, know that
either is ihefact. Yet, the former is certainly n fair prcsump
ton from all the circumstances of the case,-beginnng with
Cant Sltdel Mrkengtet.a ~ mission sn Hayann uhare IL
Is alleged he held numerous interviews with Santa Ana, and
terminating with his unobsructed passage TO Vera Cruz
We shall look with no little curiosity tor the explanation
that must be hereafter, If II be now withheld, given to the
country, in rega.d to occurrences which, unexplained, re-
fleet severely both upon the wisdom and prudence of the
Administration. The general impression now is-and 1t is
justified by all the facts known to the county-ihai the
President has been urfully duped by Santa Ana and by his
friends, AlmOnte and Reion-the two latter of whom had
heretofore, in their respective official stations, the one rs
Minister to the United States and the other as Secretary Of
Foreign Relations in Mexico, cvinced the most bitter and
determined hostility to this country. They doubtless
promised fairly, in the event Of their restoration to power by
the connivanee OF our government. Butthe President ought
TO have known enough, if not of the Mexican character, al
least Of the personal history OF Santa Ana and his friends,
TO lead him 10 suspect their good faith, even II, on their re-
sumption Of the reins Of power, they should be able TO re.
deem their promises. Grossly mismanaged Us this MeIi-
can war has been from its commencement, we doubt wheih.
or, IN It's progress, a more serious blunder, or one more un.
pardonable, has been committed than this supposed secret
arrangement with the blood-stained murderer OF Goliad
aud the Alamo, by which, if it was made, he and his suite
were enabled to re-enter Mexico, instead OF now being
prisoners OF war.
Under existing circumstances, the question is asked,
what ought to be the course OF our own government We
Imagine tina. there can be but one answer. Prosecute Wig
orously the war, both by sea and land. Abandon that ridi-
culous "ooScILiAToRT" policy, which seems TO have been
based upon the not less ridiculous prciexi that the pEoPLE OF
Mexico arc not identified with their GOVERNMENT in its nos.
tile feeling towards the United States. Renounce the alb
surd idea OF making war upon the Rulers, while we are at
peace with the cilzens of Mexico-and the equally absurd
policy TO which it has led, Of scattering with a lavish hand
among them the gold Of our soldiers, instead Of making them
feel the seventies OF war, and Of thus acting through their
suiierinRs upon the government itself. Humanity, indeed.
may rejoice over the lenient course pursued by the conquer
os towards tho people whose territory they occupy, but
whom they have neither subJugated nor won over 10 our
support by the largesses distributed among them. But what
has Humanity TO do with War; We should have been
stl more humane had our guas at Palo Alto and Resaca de
la Palma contained only blank cartridges, and had our sharp
swords been sheathed in their ~scabbards. In all the wars
oi invasion that we have ever heard or read Of, it has been
the policy q the invaders TO "qGarter upon the enemy,"
instead Of paying them double and treble prices for SUD
plies furnished TO the invading army. But Mr.. Polk seems
To have hitupon the novel ~expedieni Of first buying up the
PSUP't aHnt luAHhs III Wat, - ne mas most slgnally done,
Of intriguing with an exned and faithless Dictator. and pur.
chasing from him the peace which we were told, in NAV
last, we we've in a brief space TO dictate to Mexico in the
fabulous Halls OF The Montezumas!
We repeat, therefore, that the only course left for the
government now to pursue is the vigorous and effective
prosecution Of the War. When the President informed
tAe county, few weeks since, that he had rendered Inc
olive branch to Mexico, but accompanied by the distinct
avowal that the war was to be carried on while NEGOTIATIONS
were pending, and even until the treaty VI peace, If one
were concluded, should be ratified, we could see no pro.
ptioty in the course recommended. The idea VI cannona-
ding towns and cutting the throais Of her soldiers at the
very moment that the ministers Of the two countries wsre
discussing the terms Of a treaty Of peace, struck u. as sin
gularly anomalous. We were, therefore, in favor Of an or.
mistice, but not Of Withdrawing our armies from the field
or our navy from the coast, should Mexico accede to the
proposition for a renewal Of negotiations, with an eyiden,
intention Of acting in good faith, and OF bringing The nego-
uation TO a speedy close. But the state OF facts, as now
presented, wears n very different aspect. She virtually re-.
fuses to enter into negotiations, by delaying q decisive an.
swer ul December. She cannot expect the American for.
cs will rest upon their arms until that answer shall be piy.
en-. and II bchooves us to undoccivo her II she does. We
are therefore glad TO hear, from The official paper, that hos.
uiues are 10 be cnergouoally carried on-snd we hope that
they will be attended with better consequences than have
resulted from the operations on the frontier, since the flight
Of Ampudu from Matamoras, and the occupation Of tba,
city by the American forces.
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