The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-12-03
INTELLIGENCE BY THE MAILS. :
Affairs In Wsshington.

WASHINGTON, Dec. /, l647.
= The War and The Ttmper of Congress.
After the organization of the two houses, the
great question will Of course be the Mexican
war, and its collateral questions. How is peac
to be obtained! when, by what arrangement, up
on what basis, and through what instrumental
tiesl
There Is even yet hope of peace from Mexico
herseii-the doubtful star OF promise wrinkles
again above the subsiding smoke of battle
MEXICO herself, may propose, if not the terms,
al least the agency through which a settlement
may be effected. There are several plans of pro-
ceeding to this result, to wit -
i. The ordinary alternative Of intern ational
negotiation. directly between the governments
OF the two countries.
2. Arbitration.
g. The defensive line policy
A. Conquest and absorption.
The war may be finally brought to an end,
through either Of these prescriptions. But the
ordinary means of negotiation have failed, and
even the extraordinary concessions to Mexico,
in the repeated offers of peace made to her, with
certain defeat attending her further resistance,
have failed. We expect Mr.. Trist home every
day; but whether his departure may or may not
recall a saving discretion to the minds of
the Mexican anarchists has been a question
from which small hope has been extracted;
but about which it is scarce worth while expend-
ing a solitary speculation. We fear that the
Mexican rulers, even If they wished il. would be
afraid to say to Mr.. Trist-" Stay, your excel
le1cy. one moment; we have agreed to recon-
slider your ultmatum" Yet, with the danger of
absorption staring them in the face, the Mexican
Congress may propose some thing, or after the
departure OF Mr.. Trist. Indeed, one idea of tho
recall OF Mr.. Trist was persuasion-it was to
show the Mexican rulers, that while the Un1kd
States government has accepted the alternative
fhaf ~ 1
American agent OF peace has been removed, the
army OF Gen; Scott has been promptly augment
sword.
1t has been expected that this state of things,
together with the utter prostration of Mexico,
would induce the Mexicans themselves to ask for
peace, or at least to propose formally to the Uni
ted States by commissioner, or commi sioners,
to Washington, plan OF arbitration, of compro-
mise, of boundaries, of indemnities, and of
peace; There appears to be an indefinite hope of
the sort is under consideration at Queretaro, or
,hat, from information received, the assembling
OF Congress at that place was with view
TO bring about peace, and no longer with
any thing OF a fixed idea of devising ways and
means for further resistance TO the American
arms.
We draw, then, this happy conclusion from all
the, information received from Mexico, that the
authorities OF that country are sincerely desirous
OF peace, from the powerful reasons of an i'm
pending extinction.
Now, then, let us come to our own Congress.
The orthodox democracy will sustain the admi-
nstration. The wings will be divided, at first,
upon several conflicting plans. The Calhoun
men will go. for the defensive line. But diverse
and conflicting as are the grounds of these anti
cipated divisions of opinion In regard to the
plan OF peace, upon the abstract great question OF
peace itself there will be an verwhelming majo-
rity in its support, of all cques of both parties,
IN both branches of Congress.
Here, then, we find In juxtapositlon, the one
country Frustrated by continued disasters, and
the other surfeited of repeated triumphs-the. one
anxious for peace, that It can no longer continue
the war-the other DESTROYS for peace, for the
sake of peace for the sake of quiet, for the sake
| of economy, for the sake of avoiding burden
some taxes upon the people, for the sake of
avoiding the hazards of the absorption Of
daries of the Union, for The sake of restoring an
honest harmony between the N rth and the South;
| tor, unconstitutional, impracticable, unmeaning
| as is the WlmOt Proviso, 1t means something,
the ssgacity of the South is at fault; il means
something, or the clamor Of the North is all
moonshine. II may be mere humbug-a mere
pretext; but II means something significant Of
danger, if we go on conclusive of safety, if we
stop.
Well, then, both countries are disposed to
peace. Mexico may send us a commission IT
not, we believe there will be every disposition in
Congress, as far as we can ascertain, to bring
about settlement by arbitration. II is for Con-
gress 10 settle the question-not only to clare
the object of the war, but the plan for ending IL.
"A commission as, perhaps, more readily attain.
able than the adoption of the defensive line. OF
this thing we are pretty well assured-there
will be a general desire in Congress to close this
Mexican war, and 4" where there is a will there
Is a way" The DocToR.