Democratic banner., 1847-12-20

and prosecution OF the energetlc pohcy pro-
posed must undeceive them.
In the future prosecution of the war, the
enemy must be made to feel its pressure
more than they have done. At its com
mencement it was deemed proper to con-
duct it in a spirit Of forebarance and liber-
atty; and with this end in view, early meas
ures were adopted, to convince, as far as g
state of war would premit, the mass Of the
Mexican population that the war was wa
ged, not against the peaceful inhabitants OF
Mexico, but against their faithless cavern
ment, which had commenced hostilities.
To remove from their minds false impress
sions, which their interested rulers had art
fully attempted to make, that the war on
our part was one of compassionate it was
a war against their religion, and their cl!ur-
ches, which were to be destroyed and O.
verthrown, and that tie rights of persons
and property would be violated:-t remove
these false impressions, our commanders in
the fields were directed ~scrupulously to re-
spect their religion, churches, and their
church property, which were in no manner
to be violated. They were directed also to
respect the rights of persons and property,
and al who should not take up srmes a.
gainst the United States.
Assurances, TO this effect, were given to
the Mexicans BY Major Gen. Taylor, in a
proclamation issued in pursuance of in
structions from the Secretary of War, in
the month of June, 1876, and again by Ma
jor Gen. Scott, who acted upon his own
convictions of the propriety Of issuing it,
in a proclamation of the llth Of May, lS47.
In this spirit of Iiberality and Cancellation,
and with a view to prevent the body of the
Mexican population from taking up arms
against us, the war was conducted on our
part. Provisions and other supplies, furn-
ished to our army by Mexican citizens,
were paid for at fair and liberal prices, a.
greed upon by the parties. After the lapse
CT a few months, it became apparent that
these assurances, and this mild treatment,
had failed to produce the desired effect up
on the Mexican population. The war has
been conducted upon our part according
to the most humane and liberal principal
observed by civilized nations. II was wa.
ged in a far different spirit on the part Of
Mexico. Not approaching our forbarance
the Mexican people generally become hos
tile to the United States, and availsd them
selves Of the opportunity to commit the
most savage excuses upon our troops
Large numbers Of the population took up
armes, and engaging in guerrilla warfare,
robbed, and murdered in the most cruel
manner, individual soldiers, or small par
ties, whom accident or other causes had
separated from the main body of our army.
Bands of the gerrillas and robbers infested
the roads, harassed our the trains, and,
whenever it was in their power, cut off our
supplies.
The Mexicans having thus shown them
selves to be wholly incapable of apprecia-
ting ouI forbarance and liberality, it was
deemed proper to change the manner Of.
conducting the war, making them feel its
pressure according to the usages observed
under similar circumstance in all other civ
ilized nations.
Accordingly, as early as the 22d Septem.
Der, 1916, Instructions were given by the
Secretary Of War, to Gen. Taylor, to draw
supplies for our army from the enemy, with
out paying for them, and to require c%ontri-
buttons for its support, if in that way he
was satisfied he could get abundant supp
plies for his forces. In directingt the execu-
ton of these instructions, much was neces-
sarily left to the discretion of the COM
handing officer, who was best acquainted
with the circumstances by which he was
surrounded, the wants of the army, and the
practicability of enforcing the measure
Gen. Taylor, on the 26th of October, 1916,
from Monterey, that it would have
been impossible hitherto, and also now, to
tho ar,Dy Ia, coroad on,:L,I...-