Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-02-19
To lie Editors Of lie Enquir.r.

lhOiltY. III has been styled Tic PreSiuenIs wal
The Federal leaders have generally attributed
the war 10 two causes. Mr.. Webster, in hi
speech al Philadelphia, assigned The annexation
OF Texas as one-and MIR Rves, in the leite
above alluded 10, has attributed The other 10 tn
advance Of pur army into Mexican territory, un
der orders from lhc President. II is evident Iha
these two propositions cannot stand together =
The one is The anipodes vi The other; and th'
harmony and truth VI The Two are essential 10 sc
cure he links in the chain ot Federal afgumen
laliun; and thus We discover the Stern necessity
which has driven the Federal High PRESS L
adopt this Janus-faced species 0. logic. II th'
Incorporation Of Texas into the American con
iederacy was The cause Vi The war, as assumed
by Mr.. Webster il follows necessarily, that ths
march OF our gallant lille band IL the banks o
Rio Grande, as assigned by Mr.. Rives, could no
have led 10 il. But, il the views Of MIR. Rives
III regard 10 the origin OF The war, are conect
then will il also follow, that those vi Mr. Web
sler are false. To snch sel-opposins and incon
sislent propositions has Federalism, in its blind
zeal, escorted. Taking The proposition Of Mr.
Webster, Tor the purposes OF our argument, 10 be
correct, il must unqueslionably establish the wis
dom and propreiy oil The advance OF Gen. Tay.
lor 10 Inc Rio Grande. Texas having been re-
cevrd into our Union, her people became por
ton OF our people, and her soil portion Of ouI
SOIL She vas entitled TO all The privileges and bes
sings which The Constitution and laws OF The U. s
a fford and guarantee TO each member of our gTea
contederacY. She was entitled 10 protection from
foreign nvasion-lo the integrity OF her soil-lc
protection 10 her citizens in the enjoyment Of lheiI
rights, both of person and property. These were
The rights OF Texas. And the duties OF our Go
vernmens were equally clear, to project, preserve
and defend. Now, The TACT is indispulable, thai
Texas was threatened and her territory menaced;
that an armed Toe was preparing 10 pour out ruin
and destruction over her soil. How was the
President 10 act 2 To wait until the storm had
burst and spent its iury-unlil the threatened act
was consummaed-u armed bands had en-
tered, devastating our territory shedding blood
iespoiling properly, seizing upon and ioriifyns
all its strong holds, No. such course would
have awakened Indignation and aarm-woud
have rendered The President Justly obnoxious 10
the scurn and deieslation vi every patriot. But
lhe President was fully equal 10 The impoI.
lant crisis He knew his dnty-he obs.rv-
ed the danger, and firmly and eneIgelcally
determined ~ meet and avert il. II was
not the lime, nor was il his duty 10 inquire
into the causes which had led 10 the hostile pre-
paraions o. Mexico-to examine into The JUS
ice or injustice oireceiving free and independent
people, al their desire, into The advantages and
blessings Of the Union; 10 determine the validity
VI The claim VI either party 10 the disputed boun
dares; il was sufficient iuI him Ia know that a
hostile attitude lad been assumed by Mexico; 10
know tia, Texas has bscn incorporated in So
lemn and formal manner into the Union, By con-
sliiutiUnal authority, with The assent aud appro-
baton Of tie people; 10 know lha! tie 't,iiniy 10
the Rio Gfande was claimed By Tie moor
porat"d State, and that The Congress .. The
United States had extended The arm 81 rgis.
f..,. ,.r.t, ~
knowledge OF all these facts, the duty oi The Pre-
sidenl was plain. He had sworn 10 protect,
preserve AMI defend the Constitution; 10 lake care
that the laws should be faithfully executed
By what authority, then, could The President
have vi hhed protection and defence 10 that pur-
ton vi Texas west OF the Nueces when the Con-
sress 81 he United States had recognized il as a
part OF hcr territory, and had esisia'ed lor .
BY what authority could he have said that the
claim Of Texas 10 This territory was uniounded,
without multiplying The act Of Congress which had
recognized il as American territory, and had RI.
tended thher the operation Of lawl II the Pre-
sident had done so, he would in lacl have nul.
fled law instead oi having il faithfully executed;
he would have irampled upon The Constitution,
instead Of preserving and defending il, had he
permi,r, an invasion without attempting 10 re-
pei il, LIZ us suppose thai The President had per-
m,lled The Mexican force Ia have occupied The
western bank Of The Nueces, what could have
been urged in justification Of such policy p
Do you not think that The cry OF Federal indis
nation would have been heard, loud and shril,
in denuncaion Of conduct So weak, so pue-
re So reacherous? And suppose that amid this
storm OF Indignation, some one should offer, III
extenuation Of such conduct that Mexico had
claims 10 his country, and that lis occupation
would lead TO wal, would notIhe just response have
been made Texas has been admitted as par
~ TO our Conlcderacy, claiming as her western
boundary the Rio Grande, and we are bound by
every obligation 10 protect II from yiolcrt inva-
.iun-bound 10 afford 10 Ter Citizens every guar
AMY lhc Constitution, and 10 extend over herler-
ri,ory The shelter and protection OF law. You have
Jailed 10 fulfil these ublieations-you have vio-
lated The high and important trust confdet 10
our hands-you have permilted The foot of the
invader 10 press that soil which it was our duty
TO defend" Such doubtless, could have been The
arguments Of The Federal party. and their force
and truth are irresistible IL is thus EVIL
dent that the advance OF our army 10 The
Rio Grande was no! only wise and Judi
ciuus movement but was the only course which
10 adopt That il was wise and ludiciuus
subsequent events have fully developed. lis
success speaks eoquenlly lis own vindicalion.-
Ii reflects highly upon The sagacity, promplilude
and energy OF the Chief Magistrate. That II
vas the course which duty dictated, we trust We
have satisfactorily shown.
We commenced our review with The PROPOSE
lion thai The annexation OF Texas was 10 be re-
qarded as IN. origin and cause of The war, and,
As j. asserted BY Mr.. Webster, then that The move
men, 10 The Rio Grande was indispensably neces-
sarv II was strictly defensive movement, made
in obedience 10 The law Of our nature, seli-de-
fence A Jus, cause ol war, says Mir Webster
existed. Mexico herself declared that cGsus BEL
d had arisen-thal negotiation was al an end
and thai the uliima ratio was her only resort
In such circumstances, what course could be
nursuedi The danger was manifest and mpend-
mo negotiation had ceased our ministers OF peacc
had been rudey rejected, and consequently every
dictate OF prudence and wisdom urged the move
ment of Gen. Taylor 10 the Rio Grande 10 avert
The anticipated danger 1t, then, appears obvi-
Gus thar The President must be relieved from The
charges and lmpulalions OF Nr. Rives. II ceases
10 be the Presidents war and becomes the Peo-
pies war, inasmuch as they admitted Texas in-
10 The Union and thus cansed ca5ns beii. What
then becomes Of The inlerrogalory Of MIR. Rives,
"trom what source does the President derive his
authority 10 carry on war with Mexico3" The
answer i clear: By The act and authority OF the
people. II is impossible 10 resist these conclu-
sions. Mr.. Riyes, 10 avoid them, has abandon
ed the ground upon which Mr.. Webster has re-
lied as The cause OF war. As this number has
extended 10 some length will postpone 10 an
other communication lhe production Of authorities
in supper, OF the above views, and answer more
fully the wonderful letter Of MIR Rives. ] will
add few words in relation 10 this extraordinary
cha racter. The Editors OF The Union have been
pleased 10 discover in this honorable gentleman
some resemblance TO The famou, Rip Van Wrinkle.
In the mos, material points, am al fault in discoy-
ering any feature Of similarity. An honest SIM
plicity characterized old Rip; though his head
was wrong, yet his heart wasrisbt But can we
no, discover some prototype for The knight Of
Castle Hill, who is ever in saddle, with vizor
down and lance in resi-, ready 10 play The eranI