The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-12-25
THE G ALE ONIA

will toward him. The profession ofkindnes
with that sword in his hand aud that denau'
Of surrender, is one of the most provoking
acts Of his hostility"
Can the President so little conceive how
mere mockery of peace and fraternity il
this invading II country with declarations OF
love, this sweeping Off It's provinces with
bosom made Of olive branches, as TO eXpec
that Mexico will not be fired with double
resentment by the imperious aud degrading
form of negotiation TO which he would have
her submit: he does expect it, then is lie q
stranger not only TO all the natural and be-
coming passions ofmen defending their coun
try, its honor, and It's independence, but to all
the examples of history aud all the sugges-
tons of prudence. War has never thus been
made, except by conquerors the most AFRO
CANT and nerciless. The rule ofthe Romans,
not less wise than magnanimous, was neUe,
10 negotiate after defeat.
Can the President intend that zoe are TO
treat in the face of disaster, should it ever
come? Dare he declare that the pretended
solve branch" would not then he Instantly
withdrawn? What, then, is the inevitable
effect but 10 require that they whom we are
invading, destroying, and Remembering,
should,a AT every calamitous and bloody defeat
come forward 10 embrace terms necessarily
made harder and more humilialing by utter
discontinue, the rou to and dispersion oftheir
armies, or the capture of their forces aud
cities? Ofnegotiaton under such circunl-
stances, the UG riciis of Brennus aud his
Gauls, the "Wo TO the Conquered!' is the no
torious and inevitable law, Tie sword
stands ever ready, in all such cnses, TO be
cast into the scale of ransom; and none bnt
nation Ofcraveus aud fools ever resigns itself
to making terms at such moment. On the
contrary, every brave and every patriotic
heart only summons up, at such an instant Il
more unconqucrablc courage; aud tho reso-
luton Never TO despair Of the Republic be-
comes the only thought which the cilZen
will consent TO entertain.
Left almost at our mercy rs she is by fac
tons which not even the extremity OF public
distress seems able TO quiet;her Government
aud her armies in the hands ofthose who APP
pear equally inefficient for either peace or
war; her troops everywhere driven from the
field or lying slaughtered; her ports, her cap
ital, and several of her large provinces in our
hands; her treasury as empty us was our own
in the gioomiest day of Our Revolutionary
siruggle--stil, in the pertinucity of her rciu-
sails 10 treat, Mexico has shown some CLEANS
ofthat old Numnntinc spirit which preferred
deathto Observation-Disclosures obstinacy, which
the Moor could nevcrquell, nor even the ir
resistible armies ofNupoleon tame. Wheth
er she has caught il from her race, or whether
the growing fierceness ofu universal nation
al haste such us always springs up III coun-
try oyerrun by invaders inspires, we should
respect it. 1t is honorable; il will be found
formidable, Such n spirit, once fairly nwak-
ened, has ever proved invincible; and so we
shall find il TO our cost, If, by prolonged and
cruel warfare, such as President Polk would
have,we stir ii up throughout Mexico. Mean
time, we say, without hesitation, hat she has,
4
ness nationality which goes far 10 redeem
all the disgraces Other arms. We speak of
her answer, with General Scott aud his glo-
rious little army at the gates of her capital, TO
Mr. Trisi's demand of the cession of New
Mexico. That answer was in the following
terms:
"That this proposition, uader the recognize
ed right of Mexico TO deliberate, should be
modified; and that, in the prctensIons Of the
United States and the character of his nego-
tations, its Commissioner leaves no other
choice to Mexico than the loss of honor; and
il is that which shuts the door 10 all possibility
OF making peace.
"1'o restore this great benefit to the nation,
the Government agreed to cedc Texas and a
part of Upper California far the frontier
Of Oregon, on the terms which were stated in
the instructions; but not even with the reser-
walton that Congress should approve it would
the Government consent to cede more-espec-
tally not New Mexico, whose inhabitants have
manifested their desire TO make part of the
Mexican family with more enthusiasm than
any other part of the Republic.
"These meritorious Mexicans, abandoned
to their fate during some administrations, Of
ten without protection even TO preserve them
from the incursions OF the savages, have been
the most truly patriotic of MeXicans, because,
forgetting their domestic complaints, they have
remembered nothing but their desire to be of
the Me xican family; and mary, exposing ana
sacrificing themselves to the vengeance oil the
invaders, have rebelled against them and
when their plans were discovered or dlscon-
certed and their conspiracies frustrated, have
again conspired; and would any Government
sell such Me xicans as a herd of cattle? New
err. Let the nationality of the rest OF the Re
public perish for them! Let us perish togeth-
err"
Here is n sentiment and here a conduct
that are worthy ofthe most magnnnlmous Re
public. They say plainly, "Slaughter us; IT
is in your power: overrun us; for you can;-
but not even to save part of our country
will we ever consentto sell or give 10 you
brave citizens who hate you and love Mexico.
And il is these New MeXcans, thus faithful TO
their Government and thus repaid by lis at
! fiction and fidelity, that President Polk in
tends 10 drag into our Union, whether they
will or not, by way Of making them into Il
kind Of human indemnity. corporal CAPT
Ia, IAN animated scrip,out of which are to be re
paid the old losses ofcertain of our citizens!
A great sympathy with love of country must
our President have, and marvelously precise
notions about the right of Il Province, a good
deal more populous Than was Texas in 1887.
to choose under what Government it shall
live!
1, East Boston, May %, Is47.
MIR S. w .Fowle-Sir:-l have seen mucl
l-ra Al. -r l.