New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-06-21
ssxxhst doe. Gen. Taylor want er

Matched a messenger 70 Gen. Taylor 20 inquire
Whist be wantedT
The question was one Of much pertnency'
What Gen. Tsylors answer would have been
conld he have found safe opportunity 70 convey 1t
10 santa Anne, must be left TO conjecture.
The interrogatory demanded it may be response
Of more th an i'm N edate peration-A vulgar victory
without consequence, the Mexican thought Gen
TAYLOR was not contendipg for The mere plea
sur. Of the strife" certGninss g0udia," as Attila
called it 10 his solders-it is not 30 be supposed
would ncite q Christian warrior to wholesale
butchery Gen. Taylor must have some ar1ere
pense6 some latent intention-some usdeyeoped
design Of which the Mexican had not been sp
prsed by the Cabinet at Washington, and which
he was not bound to suppose the General would
be justified in carrying out.
Til the decided demonstration on the part
of Santa Anna at Buena Vista, the Admins
tration press cultivated the belief that be was the
secret ally Of the President A gentleman con
nected with the public press, who is supposed
more than any one else TO reflect the opinions and
promulgate the views OF Mr.. Secretary Buchanan
has stated, and with a much authoritative air that
the tone of Santa Anna's procamations, aud his
conduct up 10 this battle, were understood by the
Administration Indeed, many entertained an IN
vincible conviction that it part OF the pro
gramme of the President and his Cabinet, that
Gen TAYLOR should suffer defeat in order TO latter
the Mexican pride and induce the nation to Peace
Others. more sceptical were ready to acknow
ledge that in their opinion, the President looked
on the contest with feeling OF perfect indifference
a. to its termination Santa Anna, or Gen. Tay
lor- Tros 1yriusre-he did not care which was
victorious. 1.-THE free and gentle passage at
arms of Buena Vista, he had provided for the
combatants he was not responsible for, nor inter
ested in the result. Surprising, then, that the
Mexican thought Gen Taylor must be aware OF
the views Of his own government, it is not at all
surprising that even in the heat OF the battle he
should dispatch q special messenger to him and
inquire What he wanted p
Well, what does he WANT What does Gen.
Scott WANT What does this bizarre Admnistra'
ton want this Administration with the appetite
Of the wolf and heart of the stag
Does it want pescel Its mission TO obtain it is
as ridiculous as its conduct of the war. Ii carries
on war against seven millions OF people with an
army Of 90 600 men if in its favor the fabulous
exploits OF Alexander were TO be realized and
when contrary to all reasonable expectation, and
in spite OF its own apathetic indifference, the mill
tary genius of our generals and the heroic vaor OIL
our soldiers gain successes almost miraculous why
1t contents itself with dispaching Clerk IN one oil
the Departments to the advancing army OF the
COMMANDMENT. Chief, to seize an opportunity for
clandestine arrangements with the enemy IL
gives no authority to that General himseli-no less
capable of diplomacy than ieats OF srms,-to enter
into formal negotiations Far from it! such invest
ment of powers might interfere with Its domestic
purposes IL mi ght not be polite to entrust the
sword and the olive branch to the same person
The Administration neUer had such intention.
The President and his advisers wish 10 make
peace as they made war-stealthIy. The glories
of war have not resulted to their political advan
tage scope and design thereof have been thus
imminently endangered peace may win back the
honors that escaping, If peace be procured
through channels all its own
Ii sends to Mexico therefore a kind OF 0liverle-
Diable mission "a person to treat, who has no
official seeming, and who, unsupported, may enter
Mexican Palaces or Courts, or domiclls and turn,
by the all potent power of gold, the owners heart
to treachery and peace Such, alike distinguished
in peace and war your administration, Oh all ye
people
But will this mission, contemplate In Its instl
tuition obtain the desired end We are assured on
apparent good authority, that its Head has no com
municstion with the commander of our forces and
is therefore unsupported by the moral infuenc his
name and renow n-hs prowess in arms and his
considerable conduct after battle-hsve impressed
upon the Mexicans. The employee of the Admins
tration is alone-and alone he is powerless
Its now the critical period of the war; the Ar
mics Of the Mexican nation are destroyed; but the
national resources really untouched la many
a hard battle its generals have been worsted but
the heart Of the population is yet unmoyed. Ii is
in very truth, matter for much dehberation
whether we have not made the nation stronger by
weakening its ,yrsnss.
Hundreds OF thousands, capable OF bearing arms
in Mexico. have taken no part in the War may
/ not unless provoked SO TO do by our own miscon
duct. The taking OF Madrid and its military pos
session by the French was hot the qaieting OF the
country Thousand of Nspoeons best soldiers per
ished aierward in the battle field. by the knife or
carbine Of the guerilla Till Spain was again freed
I from Invasion We are dealing with the same
/ blood aud. with like treatment may provoke cor.
responding results.
With proper Commissioners, We are induced to
hope the prelimnsries OF Peace could be srrang
ed with Mexico In that Commission. Gen
Scott should be associated but We 90 not lean
that he has been nominated to any part however
subordinate. in this mission Of Department Clerk
To give such inferior officer fall powers of nego.
nation. is absurd neither his experience nor his
qualifications justify such unlimited trust The in.
suit to General Scott may be for the present pre-.
termitted but the danger to all our hopes of peace
cannot be unconsidered.
There is, at this time. in Mexico, we think, &
growing desire for peace it is proper to cultivate
and meet such desire. To convince the Mexicsns
that We hope for peace that we wish for peace, and
are ready to negotiate for peace, we should send
them a commission. tina, they must respect and
with the component facts Of which, negotiation on
their part can sympsthise. II is as unbeooming US
a. is Is oPprobioas TO them, to send thither an ire
Il,