New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-01-12
Oregon and the Mexican War.

from our own Correspondent
WASHINGTON lea 9.
Our Administration on the two important ques
tons which have seitated It's existence seems e
have reversed the sound maxim Of Roman pohcy
-apolicy as generous as it was wide ParoeT'
subjects e. ds5elaoe svpertos, and 70 have adopt
ed the sntagcnistic one--H has spared ne 3rons
and vogsd ra, upon the ssak.
Our clear and inoontestible rights IN Ore
son were tamey relDquished after having been
blusteringly urged. The Senate, who could not
take the initiative were obliged TO accept the
terms Of treaty they hesitated TO reject because
they feared by farther negotiation TO lose what han
been so tardIy conceded.
Our claims 70 Oregon were no new SUBJECT OF
consideration The attention OF the country mao
Deen years before the Treaty invoked 70 tneir IN
spection One Of the earliest and most consistent
advocates Of our territorial rights in that quarter,
Nh Cushing. bad ten years before, IN series Of
letters addressed 70 Mr. Everett then Governor Of
Massachusetts, aroused the mind Of the country to
a consideration Of the Importance Of the question
and with unanswerabe argument had demonstrate
ed our title TO far more extensive region than that
acquired by Treaty The same gentleman, while a
member Of the House Of Representatives, renewed
his exertons on the subject and insisted upon its
early consideration Others, with considerable II
not equal ability adopted his policy and urged its
prosecution And the TWO great men OF the country
while holding the position Of Secretary OF state
continued negotiations on the subject both with
fatteriag prospects Of far more equltaoie occasion
than was finally obtained
war with England however Justly undefak-
en-. raigLt not have reflected any glory upon the Ad
mnisustion
That stern Joy that warriors feel
In foenen worthy Of their steel,
Influenced not its conduct. 1t needed victory on
a freign soil to counterbalance domestic defeats,
and it cared not how impotent the enemy. Mexico
was selected as being most fscile of subsection
most productive of laurels.
If Mexico had given us just cause Of war, by
Withholding payment OF what was due our citizens,
why was not this reason boldly avowed by the Elk
ecutiye as the cause Of war Why urge to the
consideration Of Congress and of the Nation to
tally different reason But has it ever happened,
in the history Of nations that one has declared war
upon another for such cause particularly when the
indebted nation has Acknowledged the justice Of
the claim though a, the same time declaring It's
inability Immediately to meet it The miserable
pretext would never have been resorted to, had
any other been left
That Mexico is one OF the worst governed
tons in the world is probably most true that her
citizens are semi barbarous, may be conceded but
neither circumstance If both be admitted furnish.
es an excuse for injustice toward her on the part
Of the most intelligent, most civilized and best
governed people in existence. Let us not make
our superiority the reason of her farther misery.
was very sorry to hear Mr. Toombs Of Georgia.
who made most excellent speech yesterday in
the House, denounce the Mexicans as cowardy.
five storm her cities and lay waste her fields, let
us spare the character OF the citizens soldiers Of
our sister Republic We bestow, moreover, 1T
seems to me, but doubtful eulogium upon the
courage and conduct OF the gallant victors Of Paio
Alto Resaca de Ia Palma and Monterey, by pro
nouncing ther opponents towards" On the con
trary, l am informed by some of our officers who
were in two lat least Of these actions, that the
Mexican soldiers fought well and, had they been
armed and Offered properly would have made
much more determined resistance NJ.