The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-10-30

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following communication In laying it before our read
ers, must say that some OF the suggestions which il
embraces are new to and perhaps we have not had
time to weigh them sufficiently but confess that, on
the first blush Of the subject not prepared to adopt
some OF them-especiay the one which relates to the
castle of San Juan de Ulloa
| For Union.
Forced we have BEEN to assume the attitude of a
| conqueror OF Mexico it now becomes us to look with
extreme care that the conquests have made shall not
| enure to our disadvantage.
We have in previous article, indicated the boundary
which, IRON documents published-and we have other
anhortyt is probable government will insist upon
There are, however, other views which we think deserv-
ing OF the most grave OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES involving
less consequence than the control of the commerce of
the Gull OF Mexico. Shall leave this commerce to
the probable control Of others or shall we keep that
control IN our own hands' These certainly questions
of serious import involving eminenty vast general
commerce. and more especially that of the great Wisss
sPp n yahey M.x;,o ., !, ,..,., .vor, ,,,,
she must be conscious OF her nerory in arts and
and OF her utter inability to encounter the power OF the
United States If, then, she makes peacenot improb
able as 1t is her only hope OF preserving her national IN
dependence-her reflections will naturally turn upon her
future defence and preservation. The disparity be-
tween ihat people and ourselves, now SO slgnaily
manifested will be daily increasing; and the ability
OF Mexico to resist our power, now so hopeless
will in few years become the mere nfatuation OF the
most reckless despair The die is cast, and she must
abide the throw. Mexico can be no longer any other
than an inferior power upon the continent OF North
America. She must be conscious of this; and peace
being made, IT than sound reasoning to sup
that she will make efforts to strengthen her position
In all that belongs to the cultivation OF her resources,
she cannot lessen the disparity which now exists Do what
she will, the United States will also "go ahead' Make
what efforts she will to improve her condition, our
efforts in the path will not be abaed and, consid-
erng the character and means OF the two nations, the dis
parity all that constitutes national strength will daily
become greater Her responsibility would undoubtedly
be increased by such course but her power relatively
to that of the United States would not be- and she would
such hope OF raising herself from her
relatively inferior condition.
prospect of that kind would without doubt, be gall
ing to her national pride, of which she has no small
forts than those we have indicated These efforts can
only be in the formation of foreign alliances. With us
she will form none. The war will leave canker not
soon easily healed There are but two powers with
which she could form alliances OF seriously embarrassing
consequences to These France and England and
we have many reasons to believe that il peace existed
alliances Mexico would have right to form them.
The laws of nations would give her that right and we
could not object but on considerations which would
probably involve us in a war with the nation. with
whom the alliance should be made. The jealousy OF both
England and France of prosperity would rather in
duce them to seek than to shun such alliances Both
might probably not succeed or, if they did, it would be
the ground of different equivalents to each These
equivalents would probably not be commercial privi-
leges as we would have right to demand IN , these
Yet however, commercial privileges could be granted to
other nations and the refusal of them to us would be
OF complaint mp on part
quences they will probably Lead and will they not De
obliged protect their privileged commerce, both in the
Pacific and in the gulf This protection cannot be rem
dered but by fleets These fleets cannot exist at such
distances from the mother country without secure ports
of entry in which they reft and be defended Mexl-
co cannot furnish either the reng yard or the adequate
defence These nations must therefore, take that part
of the arrangement in their own hands. Mexico could
not refuse her consent to such course as would be
| xknn r,,ond fhnao
European powers Whether these alliances gave COM
mercial privileges not they would be effective to Mex
leo only by keeping fleets in those and fleets could
not be kept there without such privileged ports as we
have described
We speak Of events, after peace shall have been made
We know that during the existing war such alliances
cannot be made, without Immediately involving us IN
war with the power which shall make them. But as
they events extremely probable after peace shall
have been concluded behooves us to look to them and
The French have been lately pushing their commerce
in the Pacific with great ndustry and were an alliance
e be formed with the two psa we nave n a. h tine
Pacific The best Mexican ports in that quarter are the
ports Of Upper California; and as we already hold these
great cause Of anxiety in that direction The English
would probably require port in the Gull That power
already holds the Gibraltar of the Mediterranean and she
would no doubt also like to hold the Gibraltar OF the
Gulf of Mexico-th the key to the capital Of Mexico. and
the controlling port OF the Gulf trade the harbor OF Vera
Cruz and the castle of San Juan We now hold these
ana the queStiOn WHICH we uesile " pihs " Wy eoil'1
ton Of your readers is Shall we give them up
Shall not the right in OF holding this castle be SINE
qua in any treaty OF peace?
The Gulf of Mexico is an American inland sea; vera
Cruz is of the best ports OF that sea- and the Castle
the strongest position its coast Shall we leave this
controlling and powerful place to be surrendered to the
keeping Of a foreign power? We need not state the
many which would make desirable on the part
of England to hold it, the many, which If they would
not make it desirable, would at least make it necessary
that Mexico should yield it to her.
Now the time to consider this question. 1t VIII be
late after peace shall have been made For after
peace the first knowledge shall have OF such de-
sign will be its accomplishment and our first ostenslble
evidence of it will be in seeing the flag Of England float
ing above the walls OF San juan 49,
The world is in a moral league against as. we must
look ourselves and depend upon ourselves and with
becoming sagacity well becoming flrmness an
cipate the consequences of that moral league, Amer
lea can depend alone upon American foresight and
American energy. We must look to ourselves, and
between American and European institutions will shake
the moral world to its centre The present war Is IN TACT
partial struggle of that kind. Who that has looked
into its causes who that has reflected upon the stod
obstnacy with which has been maintained against over
lures of peace which, accepted at the time, would have
retained this side of the Rio Grande can doubt that
foreign sympathies and foreign advice have been in
league against usl Quem deus uut perdere prfus de-
mental national madness on one side unknown to
history and series OF successes on the other which
more than human, have delivered our enemy into
hands, and it is duty not to leave in his power
weapon with which he may 'srke under the fifth rib
He has the will to strike Give him the weapon, and
shall feel the blow That weapon is the castle OF San
Juan Let the west look to IT, and the east ay and the
south for all intensely interested in this question
There time when the Rio Grande would have
been accepted as boundary. That time has gone by.