Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-10
THE. ENQUIRER.
THE WAY.TO MAKE PEACE.
RICHMOND, VA
Morning, December 8, ls47

A
THE WAY.TO MAKE PEACE. ~"
While we have uniformly defended The justice
oflhe war with Mexico, which nopolicy onthe par
| Of onr Government could have aVoidet, ant
" hich The madness and insolsnce OF that miscait
! ed Republic lorcedupoB US ssahe ahtrnaWeofdfs'
honorable deseriion Of our own fellow citizens and
! territory We have always commented IN
the warmest terms that the poverty OF our Ian,
guase would admit, the immortal achevments Of
our officers and meH, their lion-courage in The
hour oil baule their patient endurance and noble
set-sacrice in the tedious march or encampmen'
their forbearancc, humanity, and respect Tor the
rights OF life, properly and religion, in The n''st
Of temptation and in resistance 10 the natural die
! tates of jusi relaiiaton-ina wott while we have
eIuitef over the Mexican campaign, which has
covered our nation with glory, nnd, in spite OF
the. croasers has given 10 it moral force IN The
eyes Of the world which il never possessed before
our readers will bear us GU, when we declare,
that our great desire has been 10 see tho gates OF
war closed and an honorable and satisfactory
peace constmmated THIS war has NOT been
commenced or conducted, rs the Wings assert,
10 crafty a "merelricious lust Of conquest
The first blow was s,ruck By Mexico, ard
tine highest motives impelled the United States
TO enter upon the work OF violence. Insult
and gross injuries we had borne 100 long
for our own self.respect-and when The height OF
Mexican folly and insolence was reached, we
would have been lecreant TO the proud associa-
lions OF the past, the moral greatness and com.
manding power Of The present, and the brilliant
des,ines OF the future, had we tamely submitted
10 the renewed asgressions of Mexico. The war
| has been conducted with consuinmaic skill and
success. Al every step Of our triumphant pro-
grcss, The olive branch o.! peace has been tender
sd-hn' always madly repnlsed. We hold in
our firm possession her capital her chief interior
and seaport towns, the sources of all her revenue
her armies are shivered into pieces and her ticen
| iv.iwo thousand oGteers are scattered among hel
mountain.fastnesses and distant provinces, Shai
| we now surrender all these advantages and give
new spirit TO her opposition 10 peacc2
No doubt, we may AT once secure peace Mr.
Clay says, "n sky hours") by Withdrawing oul
troops entirely from the country and abandoning
every species Of indemnify But will The Anne
rcan people submit to such an inglorious termi.
nation OF jus, and righteous war and brit.
| liant campaign2 Such course would be insult
| ing to The names OF the gallant dead, would vic
late The feelings Of the living heroes would bt
unjust 10 our own country, and would bui invite
the assaults Of European nations, already lot
| jealou OF our wonderful progress. II we avon
to the world, by such an absurd policy that We
mean meyer hereafter 10 exact just indemnify FOL
wrongs, even when victory Clowns our every 'cf
/ fort, what stronger inducements, can we hold
out to foreign aggression and insn2 BY The Law
OF nations our bclieerent rights entiie US TO
some satisfaction for the sacrifices we have made;
and we mistake the American people, itIhey will
ever assent TO such an inelorous and disgrace
full step, as a large party in this country would
advise.
II may, therefore, be regarded as a "f1ed fact,
that no peace can be made with Mexico, unless
we retain some portion Of Mexican Territory, as
Inc only means OF indemnity which We mag hope
10 obtain from Mexico. How, then, is such an
honorable peace 10 be ohiained1 The defensive
line" has been warmly urged-bn, we have. as
yet seen no reason 10 affect our decided disappro-
baton OF such policy. We now, as before, re-
gard such proceeding as only calculated 10, sti.
mulaie the Mcxicans 10 new energies, as giving
rise TO fierce, harrassihg and inleTminable boz
der warfare, and as requiring heavy expendi-
,ure of men and money. We are glad 10 see
that these views are confirmed by the strong icsli
mouy of the most distinguished oricers OF the
army, as well those now in Mexico, as those who
have recently arrived in New Orleans. We
learn from that excellent paper, the New Orleans
Delta, that r"among the general officers Of our
army, Generals Smith, Twiggs and Worth, were
al one time strongly in favor OF Occupying line;
bu, We hear that these gallant and able officers
have greatly modified, If they have moi entirely
changed, their opinion in this respect"
-, In regard 10 the propricy Of defensive line"
Generals Qutman and Shields firmly disapprove
of il. as we learn from, the same paper, which
says: ..,..., -.
"Wi,h all due Difference 10 the eminent gentle
men who have advocated il The '"line" policy
we consider II as the most difficult, the mos, ex
peosive and impracticab!e OF all the modes sug.
pes,ed for The sel,lemen, OF this war. Some time
ago This plan had some popularity in the army.
TIC what extent our officers were influenced in
this opinion by their domestic and other lies,
which were subjected 10 rather seRere trials by
their long detention in the interior OF hostile
and dlstan. country il would be difficult even for
themselves 10 determine. But now there are
but few indeed who have seen The country,
known the people, and reflected wei! upon all
lnrir circumstances and our own who hay no.
abandoned this plan. Gen. Quitman thinks thai
The occupation OF a,iine, would .TelBite larger
force than the occupation of the whole country
that such line could never We maintained eff
iecnalIy, so as 10 preserve friendly relations with
the Me1icans, and 10 prevent the ultimate con-
quest and occupation OF The country BY the Anne
ricans that whist such 4 line would 6e vastly
expensive TO The country, il would yield no reve-
nue. worthy Ut consideration, whilst the &C.
cupalon OF the whole country presents a
ready and satisfactory mode, moi. only Of
sustaining such occupation, but OF Iqetray;
| ing the. heavy expenses. we have aireaoy
incurred; That if our Government does MOI occu-
py the country, il will fall prey 10 some enter
prising persons, who, lured by the beauty oil lhe
country aud The friendly dispositions oil tbs Mex
leans. will renew, under auspices when promise
far different results the plots OF Nina and othelS,
who have successfully invaded and nearly cap
turej The county. with bull a handful OF dnfn
and the scantiest means. we heard a ga ia NJ
and distinguished officer Of our army say that II
The United. States did mol occupy the county, ne