Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-05-14
49, "a,
M;&zzlW'I
THE DEBATE.

Taking il for granted that the debate on Mexi-
,.al. affairs will possess more interest than any
o''o matter at present, we devote to it as much
space AZ possible this morning.
The Presidents Message assumes, what remains
20 bc proved, that the territory lying between the
Neuces and the Rio del Nortc is american soil =
and upon that assumption he rests, as we antici-
pated, the vindication OF his course, in ordering
Gen. Taylor TO occupy position opposite the
town of Matamoros. And yet he informs us, that,
after having obtained assurance from the Mex
ican authorities that they would receive Minis
ter FROM the United States, for the purpose of ad.
usting the questions i'm controversy between the
two governments, he abstained from taking this
step, because, among those questions, that of boun
dairy occupied prominent position. The Anne
Tcan army, he tells US, "was concentrated at Cor
pus Christi, aud remained there until after had
/" received such information rs rendered il proba
a. bic that the Mexican Government would not
"ceive our Envoy Why was not the lett bank
o tho Rio Grande selected at first, instead of the
Neuces, as the position of our arnyl twas pre-
csey because that which is now assumed to be
an nnquestionable fact, then conceded to be
n disputed and doubtful assertion of right, to be
determined. not ny tue suOug out ny tHS
usual process OF negotiation. The Neuces was
then, by the act of the Administration ITSELF ad-
United to be the dsceriained and undispped from
tier of Texas; and claim TO its extension
westwardly was deferred, it ought to have been,
for future adjustment IL our troops had remain
ell at Corpus Christi, however, we are told, the
suit would have been the same-since the Mexi-
cans would have marched their forces to that
point, in hostile array, us they have done to the
Rio Grande, and attempted the expulsion of the
American forces whom they would have looken
upon as invaders of the Mexican territory not less
when occupying that position, than when alter
wards they were pushed farther on to the Rio del
Norte. This is ping assumption upon assumP-
ton" Pelion upon Ossa." But admit that the
result would have been the same-the effect
would have been essentially different. The Po-
sition of the two parties would have been reVer-
SD. They, and not we. would, in that event,
have invited the commencement OF hostlties;
and although war might have ensued, the Admi-
nistration would have been free from all ground
OF censure. 1t is our firm conviction, however,
that, if the American forces had continued al Cor
plis Christi, the MeXoans would have remained
Oh the western side &C the river, with tho eNcep-
ton perhaps of that small number of them, who
already occupied settlements It's eastern banks,
AS at Point Isabel, for example, selected by
Gen. Taylor as his depot, at which, when he
reached il, there a Mexican village, and
Mexican custom. house, under the Jurisdiction Of
Mexican laws. and under the protection of the
Mexican fag-a fact which, Of itself, strongly
implies their right to the territory; for, although
Texas in 1885 claimed it, yet not one foot Of it
had ever for an instant been in the possession of
the Texan forces. IL is manifest, if mere de-
claIation of the Texan Revolutionary COhveD-
ton is TO settle arbitrarily aud concusiyey the
question of boundary, that if those who framed her
original Constitution had thought proper to en-
brace within her paper limits The city of Mexico
itself, although no Texan had ever reached that
city but as prisoner, we, in virtue of The treaty
OF annexation, should he bound TO make that pre-
tension good by force of arms-And then, instead
OF regarding the Rio del NOrte AS tine frontier of
- new State, we should not have reached that
point until our flag had hoated the palace,
&C.,. s.r soldiers 'reyeled in the halls of the Mon
tozumas.'
We repeat, however, that we do not mean to
pieudge the question of right to the disputed ter
ritory. All we say is, that so long as It was in
dispute, OF until Mexico had minated her pur.
pose seize upon it, it should not have been &C.
cuped by an armed force, entrenching itself oppo-
Rile a Mexican city, and bringing its Cannon, as
,f with hostile intent, TO bear upon the dwellings
of IFS citizens. This is The ground upon which
condemn the Admnistration--as we do also
for sending upon so Perilous an errand force so
utterly incompetent, events have shown, to
maintain IFS position. la determination TO
support this or any other Administration in the
most vigorous efforts 10 meet and repe an enemy,
we hold it to be no less duty toinvestigate fear
lessly the injudicious conduct by which those ef
forts have been rendered necessary just if at
zen an ignorant head strong pilot had run the
ship amid rocks and breakers, each man on board
would feel impelled to exert every nerve to rescue
her from her perilous condition, but with deter.
mnntion nevertheless freely TO criticise and con-.
denim the individual by whose incompetency or
ra.hncss the, danger had been incurred.