The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-12-14
TUESDAY AFTERNOON, deer "A, Ie47.
For President III aH
GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR.
Subject to the decision Of the WING National Convention

The two Houses of Congress do not APP
pear disposed to trife away the time and
money Of their constituents. They have
been in session only five days, and they are
already organized and prepared for their le-
gislative duties. This promptitude argues
well for the public interests.
The composition, too, of the committees
of the House and the Senate is generally Of
a character favorable to prompt action, and
to an enlarged consideration Of the many
questions about to come up before them for
their investigation. This, evidence Of the
disposition Of Congress to march up to their
duties in the catholic spirit Of forbearance to-
wards the individual and party opinions o.
the members is gratifying in the extreme.
Let us only hope that they will continue and
end as they have begun, and good will sure
" spring out of the evil which abounds.
Great questions are before Congress and
before the country. The opinions Of the
country upon these questions must necessa-
rily act upon Congress, and react upon the
country. New men are in the conduct OF
the Administration, and new things are the
objects Of their attention and conduct I'm
purity Of purpose to great degree animates
these nopos homines This is difficult ele-
ment to deal with. And Congress cannot
boast Of being free from the presence Of the
same element The conflict between it and
its opposite in the breasts Of conscientious
members will be great. II will be we'll if
the public interests do not suffer
Never, at any time, in the history Of the
republic, under the Constitution, did there
meet Congress which had more to do with
questions affecting the life of our institutions
than this Congress will be called on to de-
eide. Momentous as the questions Of the
were, they are as ripples upon the beach
compared with the angry waves which now
roll heavily on and lash the shore. Scarcely
one Of the old issues that used to agitate the
bosoms Of our statesmen exits. Every issue
is new--alarmingly new. And It is not one
new issue alone which presents itself, but a
host of new issues which crowds upon and
engrosses the legislators attention. Nor is
there any escape for them. They must be
passed upon-must be decided--must be
disposed Of, Oh, for the outpouring upon
Congress and the President of that spirit
which animated our fathers when they gave
form and being to our constitutional govern
ment
The Mexican question is the great ques-
ton: il overshadows all others, though it
does not remove them from view. 1t is not
mere question Of peace or war II is a
question Of the pacifcation Of a su6jugated
people, The ripened fruit has fallen into
our lap ere we dreamed of the possibility of
its falling. What we shall do with it, is now
the difficulty. What counsels shall prevail 7
II is evident that retrograde or stand-still
counsels cannot prevail for the probabilities
are much less that the country will retrace
its steps than that it will go forward Rep
luiions neper 90 backwards. What is the
Mexican war but revolution Of public SEN
timent at home II is surely so among
Mexicans. Is there any one who seriously
believes that the status in quo of our Mexi-
can relations can be restored We hold
that this Mexican question is not to be APP
preached and handled upon any abstract
principle Of right and wrong 1t is living
question--one present and ever pressing for
action. It is full Of evil, full of good. It
must be dealt with in consideration of exist
ing and surrounding circumstances. As Mr..
Clay Justly remarked in regard to the insti-
tuition Of slavery and the annexation Of Tex
as, these wrongs cannot be righted now
without inficting still greater wrongs"--so
we have made too rapid progress in the con-
quest of Mexico to get back with impunity
to the point whence we started There is,
too, public sentiment that bears unceasing-