The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-10-19

The spaniards In The war Of INDEPENDENCE, and
Ia the numerous civil broils which have since
drenched the land with blood, have invariably
resorted to this mode of fighting. The French
were always victorious whenever they came In
contact with the Spaniards in the open field; bu
their successes were dearly purchased by the
loss of the flower of their army, picked of on
the march, from behind rocks, and trees, and
fences, surprised in the bivouack, or cut up In
the mountain defles. In the present war, the
tional character for which their fathers of old
Spain have been remarkable for centuries-a to-
tai recklessness of life-a natural genius for que
rilla fighting and entire inaptitude fer field tao
tics. We have taken the strongest towns-we
have beaten them in the field again and again,
and still the guerillas swarm on the path OF our
army at its every step. AT the last, we have
taken their capital, and instead of being humili-
sted and dispirited by that disaster, they are
stung by il to fresh exertions against US. 1t Is
very evident from all this, that defeat will never
have the effect of forcing Mexico to surrender.
The loss of any number of armies, or any num-
Der of towns, is by them inappreciable. AS we
have before had occasion to remark, II the
war should last thousand years, no crisis
| can arise calculated to impress upon the Mexi.
| cans the expediency of peace more forcibly than
the appearance of our army before the gates OF
their capital. The conclusion is irresistible that
were our military combinations to extend over
the whole country, and were we to win battles in
| numbers numberless," we would still be as far
as ever from the attainment of peace.
But we must adopt some policy. Shall we
draw line and defend it! To do so, would be
to hold out an inducement to Mexico to protract
hostilities indefnitely-to expose our troops to
be continually harrassed and cut off in detail
and to render our commerce liable to disastrous
interruptions. We would, moreover, by pursuing
such course, surrender all the advantages the
attainment of which has caused us an immense
sacrifice of blood and treasure; and the probabi-
lily is, that after long years of toilsome defen-
sive warfare, we would be compelled to resume
| offensive operations.
The only course left us, then, is to retain pos
session of what we have, and for that purpose to
flood the country with troops so as to overawe
all opposition. This is the most polite and the
most humane course. II is the duty of our 60
vernment to provide that the commonwealth shall
suffer no loss. However deep our commisera-
ton for Mexico, it is our duty to prefer our own
interests to hers. II she will suffer to live in
peace, we shall be glad to be on friendly terms
with her. We desire not her annihilation-we
wish not to force our alliance upon her.
When the bride is reluctant, the marriage
is genenerally ill-starred and unhappy But
if Mexico will not cease from this unwise
struggle until she shall render her entire subju-
cation an act of necessity for US, then we cannot
be censured for her downfall. 1t will be her
own work. AS an act of necessity alone will
the annexation of all Mexico be ever attempted
by our government, or sanctioned by our people
But If such necessity should ever arise, we
have no fears for the safety of the Union. The
absorption into ourpolitical system of people sc
different from ourselves, will doubtless be at
tended with some hazard. But we have un-
bounded confidence in the recuperative power OF
our institutional power SO remarkably mani
tested in the Case of Louisiana, whose inhabi-
tants differed as widely from ourselves in Ian.
gdage and customs, as do the Mexicans. The
| scheme presents difficulties of no ordinary mag
nitude, but not such as may not, with courage
and perseverance, be effectually surmounted.
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