Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-12-28

and the right to insist upon the Rio Grande
~ the western boundary of Louisiana-
which was, AZ Mr.. Clay thinks, the true
boundary of the French purchase. Now
this same question of boundary arose in
the formation of the Republic of Texas,
and Mr.. Clay justly remarks that when
Mr.. Slidell was despatched to Mexico to
treat of boundaries, she territory between
the Nueces and the Rio Grande was dis.
Puted territory. Taking this to be the
true state of the case, the United States
had as much right to have an armed force
on this neutral ground as Mexico had
Now 1t is notorious fact that Mexican
armed bodies had crossed the Rio Grande
before Gen. Taylor was ordered to cross
the Nueces. 1t is also a notorious fact
that Gen. Taylor was met at the Arroyo
Colorado by an organized body of Mexi.
cans, and that he was threatened with
battle in case he crossed that stream
These facts are part of the history of
those times, and if entering the neutral
territory with armed troops was an unjust
commencement of the war, Mexico first
committed the wrong. Moreover, not
only had Carvhjal, Canales, and Romano
Falcon crossed the Rio Grande before
Gen. Taylor left Corpus Christi, but Amer.
lean citizens travelling on lawful business
through the disputed territory, men, women
and children, had been murdered by the
followers ofthese Mexican officers in such
q brutal manner that what was right in
respect to the previous acts of the enemy
became duty on the part of the Govern.
ment as protection to our own people.
Whatever motive may be ascribed TO the
Executive. the act of crossing the Nue.
ceS, at the most, was merely retaIiatory,
and at best needful to the safety of our
citizens and proper lest the exclusive mil
ltary possession of the country be con.
strued to weaken our title in the negotia.
tons for boundary. 1t was our duty, as
public journalists, 10 keep ourselves advis.
ed OF what was passing in the neutral
ground at the time. and we speak with
knowledge OH this subject.
This view of the causes of the war
leaves GU, of question the insults and in.
juries which the Government and people
Of this country had borne with patience
from Mexico. The national magnanimi-
~ passed over Sights and wrongs which
might justly have provoked war; but to
abandon the disputed territory to the ex.
elusive military occupation of the enemy,
and our citizens to the murderous practi.
ces of Mexican armed bodies, would have
carried that virtue to the point Of sacrifi.
cling the lives of our people and the prop.
erty or claims of the nation to fantasy
which the enemy even to this day cannot
comprehend.
In respect to the terms upon which
peace is TO be bought, we do not hold that
the United States are bound down 10 the
objects involved in the commencement of
hostilities. The fixatiun of the boundary
of Texas may have been the only object
of the war at first--or the conquest of a
peace if you will-but in the prosecution
Ofthe war, the United States have acquir-
ed certain belligerent rights--rights of
conquest and military occupation, which,
under the laws of nations. we may hold or
abandon, as we see fit. Questions fthis
nature are the exclusive concern of our
own people, aud if, as we think, the war
was just in its incipiency, all the rights
growing out Of its prosecution are legiti.
mate property of the Union. MIR. Clay
is for giving up the whole of it; but this,
and other modes of making q peace. are
questions too large and important to be
discussed in the conclusion of an article
Whilst we agree with Mr.. Clay that it
would not be dishonorable to treat beat.
en- enemy with liberality-nay, it would
not be dishonora6le to give them more
than they had before, because we may do
it of our own free motive; yet we think it
would be foolish to take any thing into
consideration, in making peace, except
what may be deemed needful, prolific, or
convenient to this Republic. The olive
branch has been thrust into the faces of
the Mexicans till all the leaves are shaken
of: Nothing more can be asked ofus in
this behalf, and now we think the con.
quered territory should be disposed of to
suit ourselves.-and of this hereafter.
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