Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-02-09
THE MEXICAN WAR.
To rur Eprron. or rur N,,,ox,,

| mehso' nh SAkk the Chairman OF the committee "a 10
reign heiatons said, IN substance, the people of th
county would never TO PEACE without IN.
by Mexico OF tho departments OF California and New Mex
ISo, rus uI9isuon Is all the moro important from tn
close personal and political relations Of the ds,inRu tshc
speaker with the President Of the United States an hi
position at the head OF the committee Of Foreign Itels
tons which Justify the inference no knows and ex
| Government.
The PREspESr, in his Message at the eommcncemc on
OF the Session, declared that the acquisition OF Mex
territory by conquest was our object There is 81
tainy some d,iheuy IN reconcilng this declaration id
mat made by Mr. Sewer In the Senate. The only mode
doing 50 is to suppose that the purposes of the Execuu
have changed since the time when his message was WI
tcn IL the purpose was not acquisition months sine
what there that has since occurred to change in Is
mat inc war mas been ptoracted months longer, al
though without active operation on either side 1t this
gives us night TO demand large portion OF the terri
tory OF Mexico. 10 how much more shall we be entitled
the end OF the Certainly the extreme southotn boun
Diary OF Mexico will not salty this just and
| able demand OF ours
meni, and the only ground upon which war waged
right the country between the Nucces and the
ko |rande All that has since been said about Mexican
spoauons upon the property American citizens is an al
tcr-ibought; and this latter case lust one for the
war; the right 50 TO decide rested with the Congress the
United States and not with the President That body had
Tor years refused 10 declare Mexico this
count when Mexico refused recognise the Justice OF the
claims OF our citizens, promise indemnity. Trea-
ties have since been made for the settlement those claims
and the payments had besn punctualy made until Mexico
was thrown into state OF disorder and temporary nsoven
cy By at those almost periodical revolutions which
So much afflicted and impoverished that country Would
II have been harsh Justice Ito the least OF it, under
such circamstanees and for tins delay OF few months
suung from absolute inability, to have resored
enforce payment other motives had existed, will IL
be pretended by that Congress would have resoried
10 account OF the claims citizens alone
the purpose OF Government be that which stated by
MI SEWER, Is difficult 70 necessity for the appro
praton asked for IL we have perfect right California
and New Mexico, why should pay for i'll II have
such right shall the war to force Mexico TO
he nnf
that Tor such purpose would be legitimate JUS
uhablc, would certainly be interpolation the code
international law Is this the century the nation
IN which and by which such principle is for the first time
TO be asserted
II We disregard all higher and more honorable
considerations becomes calculate at least the cost
OF such conquesi-its in money and in blood.
well as all the other consequences which will result from
H. We have no right suppose that this will be the last
war IN which shall be engaged; and invol-
we'd IN another there is much reason to fear that will be
with more than of the powerful nations OF the
the earth In such event, would 1t not be well for
10 have concrmuOus Republic both powerful and friend.
~ TO usi IL has been truly said that, sole enemy,
Mexico is formidable. But. an ally of powerful
European nation, the would be very different She
would furnish border OF great from which
wade the and parely populated Of States
soldiers TO extent and supplies 4 very great
tent IL Is not Mexico alone, however, which will DO
al enated from by protracted OF spnation and
dIsmcmbeneni, but all the Souh American States. They
are all peopied by the They all offer to our
eupidy the broad and fertile plains and rich mines.
They will all think and anly without reason, that
the only boon which will be offered them will be that OF
tho giant-that OF being the last devoured
But what will me " ord OF this now openy-confes
scd Of cOnquosta force feeble Sister Repub-
lie TO sci! rCrton OF her territory. dismember
that Republic on the ground ofndenay for the expenses
OF that warl Surely such right will be conceded II.
unless clearly IN the right and Mexico clearly IN
the wrong N the orginauon OF the
Is such the opinion OF the wOrld1 do believe tina,
out OF the United States that opinion held BY single
hghtened and impartial man. Many such own coun-
Try, know, think the Just waf but such is not the
opinion c the world and cannot hope change that
opinion by hundred battles and hundred victories. On
the contrary, the signal those victories, the stronger
and general will be the sympathy our m ore feeble
advesanes Let It not be ad that ind erent the
undlccd opinion all Chrstendom II Il tue Oi nations,
u individuals that the priceless Jewel " Is spoess
reputation It's no empty baubc, but IN itself power
II we disregard all considerations OF this character
really practicable TO humble Mexico such extent rs 10
bring her these confess that do not think So
am quite that be done but cost in money
Infinitely uanscendng the value OF the acquisition; say
nong OF me sachce OF human HE, OF thousands and tens
OF thousands OF American lives and the making equal
number OF widows and orphans; nothing nor.
be consequences OF such a our enemies for TO be
successful be conducted manner and carried 10
eKTemes which the heart sickens and humanity recos
Let calmly and dispassonatoy ourselves first
Of all Is II Just, a. night, Is 1t honorable What after ALL
is the night conquest # any such right exists the right
Of the Strongest Ii is the right OF the bandit. He
stronger and better armed than the traveller and he takes
his purse and keeps IL.
ton thoroughly united is Mexico, with population of
eight Millions and abuRdantly supplied with all the muni-
tons OF war, having been conquered Why should
expect such result Is enemy the least waTlIke
nations Are her people lie proud, less pernaciOus less
reyengeul han all others No but precisely the re-
yerse-ihe descsndants Of the heroes Of Sagunum Nu-
mana, and SaragOssa. IL Is remarked by NAFER his
history At the PeninsUar War; that country Europe
Is easy OVcrun Span-n3uo difficult retain"
The ultimate fate Of the egons Of BoSAFARTE confirms
this truth. Where else, IN history, do find To
have continued for hundred years did that between
the Goths and the Mcors Let not forget that II is the
Spanish race, brave, proud ardent melancholy, which
thus to be Gubdued TO our purposcsto be forced
render another country discovered and conquered
BY their arms, and which conains thousand memorials
their heroic vaOr and constnncy. The Constitution Of
Mexico contains clause which fOIbid under any preex
whatever the alienation Of any portion VI the national do
main. Not satisfied with this the thing forms part
OF the oatn Of otce This difficulty would Of itself seem
nsuperublc But there another stronger IN the IN
divided public opinion OF Mexico. What Administration
OF that Government will dare 20 defy this public opinion
or could successfully combatn1
Il it known all that they are not few nor nndisiin
guished amongst ourselves who think the on mex
pedcn but UNJUST yet have not hitherto veniucd breast
the torrent Of public opinion which they suppose TO exist in
favor Of the wat1 do not believe that such public opin
ION Of this country Yet that s the impression which has
forth. and has contracted the Of more than
Oi public Will this influence be less in
Mexico where the opinion universal tina, the war Is
hagranty an crminaiiy unjust pa1 What ground
tncn nave 10 hope for speedy pcacel None certain
y, unless from the extremity OF decuceessness and suffer-
ing 70 Wncu We snail reduce enemy. How
be accomplished The usually Of men IT, by
vigorous prosecution Of the war" any thing meant by
ths It Is by advancing 10 the city of Mexico We have
already penetrated for into the interior OF the Mexican
public. What evil have thereby inflicted upon her, 10
cay nothing Of that extremity Of suffering which ~ TO re-
ducc her for ptacc7 The inhabitants Of the towns
which have taken just In their persons
and propery-os fro from moderation al pursuits and
Occupauons-a they were before the conmcncod aud
the profits Of their occupations greatly increased by pre-
Of large additional population, ready and to pay
for a their products, and doing prices
Wlibe Otherwise when advance heciiy Of Mexico?
hat s only Of their ciestbe principal one true
but not the only Arc The city Of Mexico,
and then march backl How long urmy rema n
ihefsi IL 90 very clear that abandon the place
A. taken would accomplish nothing but, tho contra
~, would protract the How long our army
remain there, and how long will 10 be possible for
yos, say p0ssiJs-to provision that brmyl To do 20
for month will involve little dreamed Of by most
persons. OF what number that army consist Gar
sons must be lo "a, Tampioo. Vera Cruz, Jailpa and
Pcrote, Of two thousand men % each place How many
~ Pueba-a city Of ninety thpuaand inhabitants and in ho
centre ri hs most dense and warke population Of Mex
/ co-in The ne ghborhood Of tho renowned and wnrsc
I.asclans7 should say that the garrison az Puoba
| should not DO less Than six or eight thousand men The