The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-10-14

| Our anticipations have been more than realized,
and the predictions Of those who held to opposite
opinions and hopes have been slgnaly reiuted The
Capital is taken, but there is no peace Ihe summit
of our military ambition has been reached, but II is
only to gaze upon still more extended and bloody
| field of war. The rainbow OF peace whlch was 10
break through the clouds and gloom of the last savage
conflict under the walls of the city, has not yet arched
the Mexican armament, nor will it soon. The hor-
zon of war like the physical horizon, has wdened as
| we seemed TO approach il. g..
Such was our opinion and apprehension In the ear
lest stages of this war We have always held that
this war would be proraced to the entire absorption
of the Mexican Republic in that of the United States
that such result was inevitable, how DESTROYS soeyer
we might be to avoid il; that Mexican pride and OBJ
stinacy would harden and strengthen under defeat
and disgrace that the nearer we approached their
Capital the farther we OIL from peace and that
the advocates Of peace had actually more 10 nppre
bend from victory than from defeat ol our forces
Equally emphatic have we been in our denunciatons
of any proIcrs of peace on our part. Those frequent
oiers-nay, solicitations--of our Government, have
operated most powerfully to keep up the hopes of the
Mexicans.
The Mexlcans are n shrcwd, sagacious, cunning
race; but it required no great shrewdness and sa-
gacity 10 infer from these frequent earnest oilers OF
peace that we were tired Of this war These infe-
rences no doubt received some color from the tone
of some of our politicians and public journals. But
il Is folly for either of these particshe ndr party,
which was continually begging peace, or the peace
party which was continually denounclng the war
to style one another Mexican Wings or mexican
Democrats They are both liable, not to the charge
literally expressed by these eplthets, but that i'm
piled and inended--of giving the enemy "aid, com
fort, and support" When this war was commenced,
II was folly and madness to propose terms Of peace
| until the enemy was subdqed and brought down to
a suppiant attitude Or, if yielding to a misplaced
magnanimity we had once offered them terms which
they insolcny rejected there it should have ended,
and the war should have been prosecuted with an
| overwhelming power and vigor. But we have kept
alive their pride, spirits, and hopes, by frequent
tenders of the olive-branch We have shackled ou
| Generals and ENJOYS with large powers to control
military operations. Nor have we, like the myster
GUS owner Of the Sybillne Books raised demands
with every REFUSAL The reverse seems rather to have
been our course. We have moderated our claims
with the progress and success of the war, until at
last our Minister, backed by our General at the head
of victorious army, after presenting claims too lbe-
raj and moderate by far to satisfy the popular voice
and ambition Of this country, listens prelensions
| from defeated enemy, marked with the very inso-
lence of Brennus, md with The insulting and
| ulting language Of triumphant dictation He asks
forty-iiye days to consider such offers and has the
modification to be refused his request
| Thus has this last diplomatic movement of our
Government exploded. With every confidence in
the ability patriotism and integrity of Mr. Trist We
are sorry we cannot share your confdence,l we have
never disguised hostility to this embassy, and
predicted its utter failure. 1t has certainly failed
most completely and dsastrousy. Nor do we regret
il. We only regret that the profels ever made
by u.s. .-. a'
Our position, which n few months ago had scarcely
any support, will now, we trust, be adopted by the
whole nation. 1t is to occupy Mexico, organize t
Government therein draw upon the resources Of the
country to support sucha Government, and hold il
| until we can make our own terms, and instead Of
buying peace be able to sell one.
| Though every phrase Of this war, we have chung
| to this opinion and policy. What our arguments
have failed drive home to the convnctions of our
rulers, circumstances have very eectualy done for
| The present posture of affairs near the city OF
Mexico, leaYes us the alternative either to back out
Of the dishonoraby and ANONYMOUSLY, or to oc-
cupy and hold the conquered territory at will
| and pleasure. "..' -. 80.