Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-02-05

OF the Steamer Augusta, for Norfolk papers OF yes
lerday morning They contain nothing new.
To tic Editors of tic Enquirer.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE AND ITS
REVIEWERS.
Gentlemen: Since the meeting Of Congress,
and the issuing OF the Presidents message, the
systematic warfare hitherto urged against the
Administration has been renewed with increased
zeal and violence. While il never was expected
,ha, a message from Mr. Polk, however unex.
cep,onab!e i, might really be in lis character,
could possibly elicit even The impartial consiiera-
ton Of the Wings, much less their appreciation,
vel am sure the extreme maligniiy, bitterness
and acIimony that have characterised many Of
The animadvcrsioTs of the Wing press, and oil
their CORE respondents on the Presidents message
Of the 9Th OF December, must strike the moderate
and temperate OF al! parties as utterly abhorent
10 every sense Of propriey and good taste. Bu
while such are The spirit and temper Of most OF The
productions of those who have undertaken 10 re-
view the message, there are, however, honorable
exceptions. In the Richmond Times Of January
the 9Th, is communication over The signature VI
"Queris" commenting on the Presidents mes
,ase, which, though rather piquant and saIircal
in siyle, has yet some pretensions 10 argument,
and was evidently penned by writer Of more
Than ordinary ability. propose, Messrs. Editors,
10 notice The article cl Qucrist" 10. three reasons
Ist. Because the Editors Of The Times speak OF the
communication as presenting "a closely logical"
and IAN inconlIovenible demonstration Of the
unconstitnionaiy and practical dangers OF The
doctrines advanced BY Mr.. Polk in his message"
and also characterize the argument as conclusive;
IDLY. Because the communication OF "Querisl"
contains most OF the objections that have been
urged against The message; and 3dly, Because
"Qucrisl" expresses his fear lest his interrogato-
tories would '.ca forth no response" 80 enlishten
his ignorance" thereby evidently inlima,ing that,
in his opinion, his questions could not be salts
iaclorly answered.
Querist commences his assault on The message
AS follows: "The President, e1 eathedra, Tor shall
say CT solio y declares that To question the JUS
lice or necessity OF the Mexican war, or 10 pro-
pagale doubts among our own people on these
points, is In adhere 10 the enemy ID giuc them aid
and omtort-because such course is calcnlat-
ed to encourage the enemy and prolract The war.
Such is The text" Yes, "such is The text" which
has furnished Querist with The materials 10 frame
eighteen catechisms TO "enighten The Ignorance"
ot The faithful "Srch is the lext"-bul whose
,exr, pray2 Why, The text Of QueIst, 10 be sure:
bnl not that OF Mr. Polk in his message. The
phrase 'sadhere to the enemy" is not to be found
Polk "a more effectual means could not have
been devised 10 encourage the enemy and proiract
Inc war, than 10 advocate and adhere 10 their
cause, and thus give them id and comfort. =
Querisl asserts that MIR. Polk in employing this
language, virtually declares that all those who
denouncc the Mexican war a unjust or I'M
necessary. are altering 10 hr encmB .iDing
| tiem ~! nnd comtOrt, ard mus, i:eirinW. be
traitors ~ their country, :cc,rd:ng IL the 81
II thr ION Nf.u
i, appears that il woud def; human inge-
nuilY 10 extoU from the language ii Mr.. Polk
INV snch meaning as that commended iur by
Querisi; and how he-'a pain mar" As he
says he is--cuuld thus interpret WORDS HAT have
50 plain an import, i absolutely astonishing
| Treason against The United States CONSISTS "onlv
! ia Icyying war, or adheriug 10 he curmy, giving
| them aid and comfort" Nov, Mi. Polk SAYS
| "a more rtf ciual means could mol he devised 10
encourage The enemy and pro'raci ihs war,
| than 10 advocate and afhtre 10 tier c"n", ard
thus give them aid and comfort" Vow, 10 lad
here 10 the enemyn and Ia adierc ioihef cansr aIr
| two very different things 10 addere Ia The ene-
mn. in HE sense in which il is used in The Con>ti-
tuition, i, 10 said and comfort" them physically.
Blu, one can aihere IN Tic cauSc nf tic chcmU with
| ont physically aiding thenl. This distinction
| seems ~ 10 have becn made ny Qrcrst. As The
| constitution which lie has Int upon The clause
uuolc,i ilu lha inessagS Is has shown 10 b. er-
| roneous and understandable, hi, argument found.
| ed upon that construction must fall 10 line ground
| Querist next proceeds 10 comment on that por-
| iion ot the message which recites the grievances
| and wrongs hat Inc United States bad suffered
from Mexico befure The existence oil hos'i'iIes.--
| He says: HThe Presidents mode OF justilying
The war is indeed somewhat remarkable lie
maint aims laat Mexico committed the first assault,
ard that We are acting strictly on the defensive /;
| set he carefully rakss up every subject OF COM
| plaint against Mexico for the last thirty years,
| and alleges them as reasons tor the present war.
| This would seem mere supeTerogdlion. II Is as
| j, man stricken by another were 10 aegc as an
excuse Tor returning the blow, that he had re-
| ceiyed nunlherless injuries and insults ifom his
adversary more than twelve months before The
aGray." Here again has Querisl" committed
most slarine blunder. ii his life depended upon
i. he could no; find The sentence in the message
nj Mr. Polk that conveys the idea that The war
with Mexico is strictly on The defensive. On The
contrary, he expressly says in his message that
",he war has not been wagtd with view 10 con-
quest but having been commenced by MEXICO,
IL has bcen earned 1nto The enemys country, and
nil be vigorously prosecuted there, win a view 10
obtain an honorable peace, and thereby secure an
ample indemnify ior the expenses oi The war AS
we'll as 10 our much injured citizens. who have
large pecuniafy demands against Mexico
Now. | would respectfully ask Qnersl. how Is
il possible that The war can be vigorously prose
cu,ed in The cnemys country and yet be strictly
detepsiye7 Having asserted that the president
maintained that the war is strictly defensive,
when in Tact he declares in his message that II
will be vigorously prosecuted, "Queris" al
tennis 10 prove Mr.. Polk inconsistent, in
as much as he (Mr. Polk lakes up eve
~ subject OF complaint agans. Mexico Tor the
last 80 years and alleges them as reasons tor
the present war; Now, il "Querist" intends &c
convey The idea that Mr.. Polk has raked up eve
~ subject of complaint against Mexico for The
last thirty years, and alleges them as causes OF
The commencement oil the war with Mexico, i
is a gross error. II the continuance OF "Querist'
in he Federal anti-war faction depended on hi.
finding that clause in the Message which declares
either Directly or indirectly that there was any
oher original cause Of The war than the invasion
Of our territory and he shedding Of the blood o
our citizens BY the Mexicans, he would be com
peled 10 renouuce his allegiance because i, is :
soluleIy impossible 40 see what is not 10 be seem
II The President, then, did not mean 10 alegt
those old causes OF complaint against Mexico a:
causes of The present war, "what necessity" Il
adop, The language Of Querist, "of that vivid pic
lure Of the previous injuries OF Mexico, SO clio
cucnly drawn" in his message 7 The answe
is 80 plain That The wonder is how even "a pan
man" like Queris; could have asked The question
"The war" says The President in his Message
"has been represented as unjust and nnnecessa
ry. and as one OF aggression on our part, on
weak and injured enemy" He, therefore, conf
dered il his duty TO present to Congress ia con
densed review OF the injuries We had sustained
OF the causes which eG 10 the war, and OF It's pro
oress since its commencement" The reason
then why, The President reciles The injuries an
wrongs we had sustained en- Mexico beior
The war, is obvious. He shows that Mexico ha
again and again refused, in violation oil her mo.
sacred treaty obligations, to make payment c
The iouidated claims OF citizens Of The U. Stale:
"This." says Mr. Polk Twas ample cause OF wa