Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-02-02


have been no, altogether an inatenlive o.
server OF The progress OF things since The com
mencement OF the Mexican war; and as there
are some matters connected with The conduct oi
portion a, least oil the Wing party, which are
TO me inexpicable, have thought proper TO ask
yon for an explanation.
And, first, in relation 10 The commencement OF
the war / he Congress of the United States 70.
ted that the commencement Of The war was BY
"the act OF Mexico" Such was The fact, and
the contrary has never been shown by any speak,
or or writer that have heard or read. IL IS true,
that Mr. Benlon's speech against the Tyler treaty
OF r.-aanexalion has been relied on as an argu-
ment against the Texan title 10 the territory occn-
pied by The American Army in the battles Of May
iasl; bu. even that fails 10 prove what II appears
some gentlemen 50 araenty desire that our l. oops
were occupying McSicaa territory. Indeed, Mr..
Benton (if / read .i,aly) does mol even place
thar potion OF territory i'll dispute. IL is true he
find, aul, with The rlA,m Of boundary sci up hy
Texas and makes ai!usion 10 The "Rio Del
N,,tr' or "Grande del Nortc," and ridicules ihs
ilca ol their claiming territory in the "hyperho.
rean ATTITUDES of Marblehead and Cape Cod; !
bu, the valley OF the Rio Gfanae, the land OF sun
shine and of fIwers-ot perpetual Summertime
apfoynce Of Texas" The cessIon OF which 10
Spain he had been the frs, 10 candemn--lhe Tex
an lille tothis he nowhere controveIts. when u
s rccollecled that the "Rio Grande" Gas IL is now
generally called) is a river 1900 miles in length
and is known from rs source The greater part OF
is length as the ''Rio del Nor,e," or River Of the
North. land does mol take the name now almost
universally given 10 il until within comparative
~ short distance of lis mouth, the authority Of
Mr. Benton does not aid the Wings at all in their
asnersions OF the Administration for ordering
Gen. Taylor 10 the position which he occupied
when attacked by the Mer'can troops
As the intent in all warfare is 10 be successful,
il is. 10 say The least, strange that any person
should object 10 any honorable course which
would make our arms victorious 10 the fullest
extent. II is not doubted, presume, that The
Aicy;cans intended an auack. II it is, | would
refer such as doubt 10 President Paroles dec.a-
ration on assuming the rule OF Mexico; likewise
the accounts from Mexico up 10 the time Of
he battle o! Palo Alto, which will show that The
Mexican Dictator was not slow IN making his
preparations 10 carry out the threats 10 ann'hlale
he "h,tbarians of The North" To be sure, his
success was no; commensurate with ms sascon-
ado hu, what i, might have been, II The course
which the Wings say was wrong, hao not neen
pursued, have no, The power 10 decide. Sufhce
il that we licked" them well on two occasions
on Tie ground winch we Hdu SeieStSa, " ln'ts'
The ground 10 which our President had ordered
Gen. Taylor and his forces, while, in all pToba-
bility, il they had been permitted 10 invade The
settlements OF the State OF Texas il would have
required all our forces 10 The present day 10 have
terre,,ed on, band Of maiaudng vagabond,
thieyius wre,chcs, whose despatch in moving
from one portion OF the country to another is said
"a he so great as 10 battle all pursuit. and has
caused them TO be likened 10 the descendants Of
him whose and was against every man, and
every mans hand against him. II may be con-
sitercd right by some 10 lake a o~iioa in which
mos, harm can accrue 10 yourself, but my no.
lions Of propriely would justify me. when contl
dent Of auack, 10 place myself in such position,
as Il MOTTO do most harm 10 nv adversary, atleasl
10 preserve myselfas much rs possible. IL may
be The part OF 'patroism" 10 he regardless OF con-
seaaences but do not reco'leot that either
Washington Or Greene acted on This principle
Certainly Hannibal and Scipio did not aci so,
and different principle NAV have governed 'hem.
The Mexicans claimed The territory and some
Of their people lived ON il And so The Mexcans
claimed all The territory 10 the Sabine. and per
hans some OF the "nalives" may be found in thai
region sill; but even this does col give them
tile, nor afford prelcnce 10 its claim.
How much OF The hostility towards everything
doue ny ,hs Administration may have been ad-
,ourned from The settlement OF The Texas ques-
lion, and the part which that ueslion had IN the