Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-06-09
General Gaines.

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Others entirely too hot. We do not know how
this evil is to be remedied, unless there be sort
of Political Thermometer suspended in the White
House, to mark the variations in the Presidents
pulse which shall be daily announced by the
Union, in order that all the good people may reg
ulste theirs accordingly; and so escape the nm
pulation of "modied treason" on the one hand,
and of impairment presumption the other. This
indeed, would have been a very desirable eIped
cnt during the progress of the Oregon debate in
Congress, when IT seemed impossible 10 ascer-
tain-and the "organs, great and small were
consequently greatly at loss to know their exact
geographical position-whether the President
stood erect upon "a 40, or had retreated to 10
Messrs. Allen and Cass insisting that he went
liam up" TO the former line, and MIR. Haywood
denying il, and affirming that he had never even
crossed the latter lf the expedient we have sug
gesied had then been resorted TO, these gentCmen
instead of being obfuscated, as they evidently
were, by the Delphc responses Of His E1celency
TO their anxious enquiries, would have been ac-
curately informed by glance at the thermometer
whether the mercury pointed to the one line or
the other And now, in reference 10 the Mexi-
can question: it is very desirable that the faithful
patriotic fervor they are to dispay-whether they
are to go for restoration OF peace whenever
Mexico shall cry enough ;" whether we shall
insist upon converting the war into one OF con-
quest to terminate only with the annexation" OF
the whole Mexican empire, whether we shall
be content with the Rio Bravo from its mouth to
Its source boundary, with the CALIFORNIA;
thrown in land perhaps Iucatan) as receipt in
full for all past injuries and insults. But let us
return to Gen. Gaines.
This venerable and gallant officer, it will be
seen, has fallen under the displeasure OF MIR. Polk.
He has been too active and ofhcious, IN making
reauisitons in issuing orders, in appointing off,
GERS, in organizing troops, and in supplying them
with food and raiment. We shall not undertake
the old Generals defence certainly; believing,
as we do, that he has not been circumspect
and cautious as he ought to have been, and that
he has greatly transcribed the limits of his
,hority as Commanding General of the Western
Division Yet is not the Administration itself in
part censurable for this state OF things! Gen.
Gaines was the recognized Commander-in.Ch Chief
of the Western Military Division of the United
States Is it not unprecedented, then, that an. |
other officer should icithin the limits OF that dir!
sion, he assigned to an independent command and
instructed to call for troops, and 10 make his Off
cal reports not through his superior in rank, but
directly and in his own name, TO the State and |
Federal authorities 1t may be said that the Gov
eminent made Gen. Taylor Independent Of Gen.
Gaines, although operating within the limits ofhis
Division, because II had no confidence in the Judg-
Inent and discretion of the veteran But this de-
fence will not avail for, in that case, Gen. G..
ought TO have been removed from a post, the du.
ties Of which be was deemed incapable of dis.
charging. Particularly ought he to have been
removed, in view OF past transactions for the
very conduct which is now so severely condemn.
ed ought to have been. anticipated by the Admin
istration, and if anticipated, ought to have been
prevented. The Government may he right, there.
fore, in consuming Gen. Gaines; but the country,
IN turn, will not fail to condemn the Administra.
lion.
Another suggestion presents itself Just here |
Why is Gen. Gaines to be censured at all OF |
what does tho Government, through its Organ, |
complaint What portion Of the Generals con-
duct do they hold up to public reprobationl lii |
that, in collecting and organizing troops, he has
acted without orders from the President, and con-
sequently in violation Of the Constitution. grave
offence, It must be admitted, and one for which he |
ought unquestionably to be held answerable.-
But do his assailants forget that he was induced to
transcend the limits Of his authority by LOVE o.
COUNTRY, and an ardent desire to repe its enc.
mics, who, at the time Of his thus acting, were
threatening, with largely superior force, our lit
ale army with annhilationl And Is not this plen
"a ample shield for him as it is for The Presideni
who, in the opinion Of not a few, has been guilty
Of a similar offence, and whose friends offer the
same plea in viDdication When one complains
of the course pursued by the Administration
IN ordering the army to occupy disputed
territory which was claimed both by Texas
aud MeIico and which was occupied by Mex.
cans exclusively, who fled at the approach of
General Taylor, abandoning their business and
their homes, az an exercise Of power withheld from
she President by the Constitution, he is treated
as an enemy Of the country; and we are grayely
told that Go discuss this matter while the lasts
i closely akin 10 treasonl The President and the
country are one--ust rs LOUIS XIV. claimed to
be tho State" and Napoleon "the Empire" to
question the edcis and acts Of whom, subjected
cue offender to condgn punishment-Iust as II is
now said that Santa Ana, when, being in duress
the Texans ertored from him, as the price Of his
life and liberty, an acknowledgment that the Rio
Bravo constituted the eastern boundary Of Mex.
70, bound the government of his country by that
sItorted concession. Surely those who defend the
Presidents violation Of the Constitution IN usurP
ng the warmaking power, cannot with any grace
Omplain that Gen. Gaines followed so illustriOus
n example, in order TO carry out the designs Of
bat funotionary.
We shall await the publication Of the dOcu.
tents called Tor by the Senate, before express
de6ni,ive opinion upon the conduct Of General
James. Prima Caoie, the case Is agains, him;
ut there may he eS,enuaiing circumstances con.
,cted With II which may constitute full JUST
ration. Bui Il he shall be condemned, ultimate