The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-04-28
Territorial Indemnity.
We extract the following paragraph from the leading
article In the National Inelligencer OF last Saturday:

Territorial Indemnity.
We extract the following paragraph from the leading
article in the National Integencer of last Saturday
1.-THE rLASs or THE ExEcurIvr,-We copied in Thurs
days paper from the Washington correspondents
of Two leading administration papers, giving reason to
suppose that communication We're about being opened by
the President of the United States with Mexico, with a
view peace The therein stated to have been pro-
posed by Executive however, such if accepted
United States and never become constntionaly bind
ing this people. We say constdIfronday for the in
dened by the teaymaking power was yet carried out,
the face and teeth OF the constitution by bare
aught we know, those who have for their ends
voved in this with the neghboring republic, may
contrve saddle upon the United States the curse of
neXation of one halt OF Me xico.
In the article the nelligencer quores as more
exact and probably be relied upon" the follow
between this country and Mexico from recent letter Of
the Washington correspondent Of the Philadelphia Led
ger:
81 have hesitation, therefore, in saying tat the basis
of negotiations with Mexico will lie lew degrees
south Of the thirtysixth degree Of latitude in California
and that means to hold the Passo del Nofe
We do not propose TO discuss at present with the SIN
teligencer the terms which may properly be required
by our government from Mexico in the negotiation OF
treaty We have cited the above passage from the fed
er organ, rather with the purpose OF showing the spri
in which the opposition party disposed to consider
the questions which must arise at the conclusion OF thu
war During the last session OF Congress, il was very
plainly minated by leading members of the federal par
ty that the acquisition of any territorial indemnity from
the Mexican government would be, in their Judgment
highly Objectionable Our readers can readily determine
for themselves, from the above paragraph, how far thu
central organ of the opposition party is now willing
60 in support of these views.
Federalism, ii appears undertakes to denounce the &C
QUESTION of territory from Mexico as 'curse" Ye
nothing be certain than that those sections o
the country in which federalism is most dominant will
be the first and the most benefited by this very acqusi
ton of Mexican territories and ports The manufacturer
OF New England will thus find new markets for thei
goods The hundreds of New England vessels engaged
in the whale fisheries will find in the Pacific ports, thus
acquired most convenient and advantageous depots Not
withstanding all these things, that federalism
already prepared 10 make the acquisition of any such ter
ritory-though all admit that gain indemnity il
no other shape-a constitutional question
But there is another point in our present relations wit
Mexico to which the attention of the Administration
doubtless turned, and which bears yet more directly upo
the great commercial and manufacturing interests of tn
northern and eastern States 1t seems to be general
supposed that government will endeavor to secure
possible in some form, from the authorities OF Mex
leo, right of tcay for ship canal navigation
negotiation on our part can secure this right, ther
can, as we suppose, be no doubt that the com
mercia interests and the commercial capital, both Q
our country and of other countries, uniting in grea
an object, will speedily turn il 10 practical account. Pr
waite enterprise will doubtless relieve our government
from the necessity of contemplating any doubtful
exercise of its powers in the construction OF shl
canal beyond our own territorial borders Yet for aus
we know, and in far we may Judge from the splr
of the above paragraph, the opposition party may under
take to prevent the acquisition OF right OF way throus
the isthmus, from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean,
one OF the evil and unconstitutional results or incident
OF the war with Mexico And yet there is no part Q
the Union more directly interested than the north, whe
er we regard its effects upon manufactures commerce,
the navigating interest and its immense whale fishery
/ 1. hl,r,.y N