The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-12-08

be our true pocy-indssd the only policy which will
probably secure permanent peace.
II has never been oontsnp. ted by object Of
tn war to make permanent conquest Of the republic
nation On the contrary II has ever been
desire that she should msintsin nationality and
andsr good government adapted to her condition, be
rse, independent and prosperous republic The United
States the nt among the nations TO rscoguss her
Independence and have always desired to be Of
not suffer By her conduct have been compelled
to engage In the present In it, prosecution We
our national honor we seek to obtain redress Tor the
wrongs rhe has done and indemnity for just de-
mands against her. We demand an honorable peace;
and that peace must bring with II indemnity for the
past and security for the future Hitherto Mexico has
refused all accommodation by which such peace could
Whilst armies have advanced from victory to
victory from the commencement Of the war, It has
Sssp WITH ha, the Olive Srsnsh Of peace In their
step. to arrest hositiss By accepting It. -. 4, =
One great obstacle to the attainment Of peace has un.
doubleday arisen from the aot that Mexico has been
long held inssuhection by faction or military usur
per after another and such has been the condition of
been placed that each has been deferred from making
peaee lest, for this very cause, rival faction might
Hsrreras administration in lsl5 for being dispossd
even to listen to the oyeures Of the United States to
prevent the war as is fully confirmed by official
respondence which took place in the month Of August
last between him and his government, copy Of which
Is herewith communicated "For this alone the
foot" BY General Parsdss Such may be the condition
OF insecurity Off present government.
There can be no doubt that the peaoesbls and we'll
disposed inhabitants Of Mexico convinced that II Is
the true interest Of their country to conclude honor
abb peace With the United States but the apprehension
of becoming the victims of some military faction
usurpsr may have prevented them from manifesting
their feelings by any public act The removal Of any
such apprehension would probably cause them to speak
their sentiments freely and to adopt the
cessary for the restoration Of With people dis
tracted and divided by contending factions, and 60
revolutions. the continued successes Of may
fail to satisfactory peace In such event. It may
to give encouragement and Of protection
the friends ofpeaco In Mexico lin the establishment and
maintenance ofs free republican government Of their
own choice, able and willing to conclude peace which
would be just to them, and secure to thu indemnity
we demand This may bscome the only mode OF obtain
Ing such peace Should such be the result the war
which Mexico has forced upon u.s. would thus be
verted into enduring blessing to herself After find
Ing her torn and distracted by factions and ruled by
military usurpers, should then leave her with re-
publican la the enjoyment of real ndepepd
encs, and domestic peace and prosperity, performing
aud promoting her happiness by wise their
faithful execution.
IL after afordng this snoourageusn and protection
and after all the psrssvsrpg aHd sincere efforts have
made from the moment Mexico commenced the war,
and prior to that time, to adjust differences with
her We shall ultimately fall then shall have exhaus
ted all honorable means In pursuit OF peace and must
continue to occupy her country with troops taking
the fu Of indemnity into our own hands and
must enforce the tarms which our honor demands
TO act othsrvi in the existing state OF things in
Mexico, and to withdraw our army without peace,
would not only leave all the wrongs OF which
plain unredresssd but would be the signal for and
fierce civil Discussions add new revolutions ali alike
hostile to peaceful relations with the United States
Besides, there Ia danger II troops Withdrawn
before peace concluded, that the Mexican psops,
wearied with successive revolutions and deprived Of
protection for their persons and property might at
length be inclined to yield tn foreign influences and to
cast themselves into the arms OF European mon
arch for protection from the anarchy and suffering which
would sssue This, for safety. and In pursu.
Of established policy We should be compelled &c
thus converted Into monarchy governed by foreign
prince
oo-tsrmnous with through tho whols extent
across the North American continent, from ocean to
Both politically and commercially, have the
deepest interest In her and prosperity In
deed, Is impossible shat with any just regard to our
safety, become indif.rsn to her fate
IL may be that the Mexican government and people
have msconstrued or misunderstood our forbsarsnce
and our objects ia desiring To conclude sucsbs ad
ju.tment Of the existing differences between the two
countries They may have supposed that would SUBJ
init to terms degrading the nston they may have
drawn fse infsrsnces from the supposed division Of
opinion in tho United States the subject OF the
aud may have calculated to gain much by protrscng
and indeed that might ul.imately abandon 1t alto
gether without insisting on any indemnity territorial
or otherwise Whatever may be the false impressions
under which they have acted the adoption and
ton Of the energetic policy proposed must unds
In the future prosecution of the war the enemy must
be made to feel its pressure than they have
fore done At its commencement 1t was deemed proper
to conduct IL In spirit Of forbsarxncs and bersity
With this end in view early adopted to
conciliae, far state Of would permit the
Of the Mexican populations; to convince them that the
wsged not against the peaceful inhabitants OF
Mexico but against their fahlsss government, which
had hostilities to remove from their minds
the false impressions which their Designing interest
ed rulers had artfuy attempted to make that ths
on our part was one Of conquest that It war
against their religion and their churches which
be deeecrtsd and ovsrhrown and that their rights
person aud private property would be violated To
move these false our commanders In the field
directed scrupulousy to respect their religon
their churches and their church property which were
in to BIO violated they directed also to
respect the rights of persons and property Of all who
should not take up arms against US.
Assurances to this effect given to the Mexican
people by Major General Taylor, in procamati il.
sued in pursuance of instructions from the Secretary of
War; In the month Of June, ls46, aud again by Major
General Scott, who acted upon his convictions
the proprety Of issuing 1t in proclamation Of the 18th
la this spirit of lbsrsty aud Cancellation and with
yisw to prevent the body OF the Mexcsn population
from taking up against US was the conducted
part frovsons aud supplies furnished to
army BY Mexican citizens paid for at fair and
lapse Of few months, It became apparent that these
and this mild treatment had failed to pro-
dnce the desired effect upon the Mexican population
While the had been conducted on our part accord.
ing to the most humane and liberal principles observed
by Civilized nations It wsged Ia far different spirit
auce the Mexican people generally became hostile
the United States and avaled themselves Of every
portuuity 10 COMMIT most savage
troops Large numbers OF the population took up arms
and engaging in guerilla warfare robbed and murdered
in the most cruel manner individual soldiers small
parties. whom accident or other had separated
from the main body OF our army bands Of guerileros
and robbers infested the roads harasse trains and
whenever 1t was in their power cut OF supplies.
The Mexicaps having thus shown themselves to be
wholly incapable Of approaching torbearance and
lbsraty 1t was deemed proper t. change the manner
of conducting the by making them feel It's pressure
according to the usages observed under similar circum
stances by all other civilized nations. .r
Accordingly, early the twenty second Of Septem
her, 1876 Instructions given by the Secretary
War to Major Gen Taylor to draw supplies" for oul
army from the enemy, without paying for them, and
TO require contributions for its support in that way
he was satisfied he could get abundant supplies for bis
forces In directing the execution Of these in.tuc
tons much necessarily LEFT to ths discretion OF the
commanding officer, who was best acquainted with the
circumstances BY which he surrounded, the wants
Of he army, and the practcaby OF enforcing the mea
Gen. Taylor on the twenty sixth Of October 1896 re-
Piled from Monterey, that 1T would have been
BILE hitherto, aud is sustain the armv In an