Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-06-12


and picked quarrel the Executive is at loss to say
about whaD with Mexico.
Thus far we have recited afresh, and in more
summary shape, the causes and objects OF war which
had, before the goth March, been avowed by or for
the President. Since that time he has been good
enough to supply US, through further declarations,
with additional variations of pretext. Some Of
these we shall now proceed to Notwithstanding
with them certain others which, though elder, we
had overlooked and continuing our original nu-
merical arrangement.
Ninthiy. On the 9TH of July last, Qess than two
months after the battles of Resaca de la Palma
and Palo Alto, known here on the 23d of May
only, and before, therefore, he could have re-
ceiyed any orders from here or any thing in addi-
Hon 10 his original instructions, except the direct
news, from the Rio Bravo, of hostilities begun
there) Commodore SLoAT, as " Commander-in-
Chief Of the United States Naval forces in the
Pacific Ocean," issued proclamation i" to the In
habitants of California" declaring that he was
about to take possession OF that entire department:
that henceforth it will be portion of the United
States:" that :" its peaceahle inhabitants will enjoy
the same rights and privileges as Me citizens Of
any portion Of that Union - that Mey shall
" choose their oacn magistrates a,ad other officers
from among themselves - that " the same protec-
ton will be extended to them to l,ay other State
Of The Union:" that "Mey mW enjoy A pERMA-
NENT GOVERNMENT :" that they shall WORSHIP
THE CREATOR IN A WAY MOST coNGENIAL TO EACH
ONES SENSE OF DUTY - that, "of course, the
reUenue lars niH be the same IN California as
an all other parts of The United States :" that,
under our Government, i" great increase of the
value of real estate and the products of California
may be reasonably expected :" that the country
cannot but improve more rapidly than any other on
the continent of America - that those, natives or
foreigners, who do not like to live under our Gov
ernment and with the privileges of its citizenship,
shall be allowed to sell their property and quit
or to remain, if they will "observe strict neu-
trality:" finally, he invites all Judges alcaldes,
and other civil officers to retain their offices and
execute their functions as heretofore" "until the
government of the territory can be more definitely
arranged"
Now, it is certain that the forces under Com
SLoAT's command were stationed upon the coast of
California to await the hostilities which our Cabi-
by marching armies, bockading fleets, the Slidell
quarrel, &c. The Commodore was expected to be
able, at the first sound of war; to take possession
of the Territory. He had, therefore, his ilstruc-
tons as to all the civil consequences of taking and
keeping possession; that is, how and upon what
principles the country to be governed and its
people treated. TO suppose the contrary is i'm
possible; and it is equally impossible to suppose
that, having the necessary Instructions, he would
deviate from them before he got ashore or met any
difficulty This Proclamation is clearly, therefore,
to be taken embodying just what his instructions
directed him to do (and neither more less) as
soon he learned with certainty that war had bro
ken out. Further: these Instructions being IN ad-
Udnce of the pretended cause immediate of the
war-the !" invasion of our soil and shedding on it
/" the blood of citizens could not know ,ohat
Wericaa injury tce should haze TO aUenge, nor, of
course, tchat degree or sort Of redress zoe might
justly take. Yet here see this President of ours
ordering whole country to be seized and perma-
nently kept at the firing of the first gun At home
he has, in his own person, loudly denied all pur-
poses of conquest; and this long after he had COM
manded it in California. Here, he says we fight
" 10 conquer peace " only there, he has usurped
whole broadside of the continent, and constituted
its people, without their consent or ours equal and
perpetual members of this Union for it is indisso
lube, and, once in it, who are TO put them out! In
word, haUing first made them citizens a,adtheir
country State forever, Qor that word only, not
" territory" figures in the context of the procama-
ton,) he next makes himself their supreme hgis
iator, the source Of all their laws and rights, the
fountain of all magiseral and other municipal or
Legislative authority and even the head of their re-
Hgion, of which, at his fiat, all the conditions are
altered This last point offers remarkable com
mentary on the sincerity of the Unions late dsa-
vowa, for the President and Cabinet, of any par
tcipation in the project which lately appeared in
that organ, for pulling down the Catholic priest
hood in Mexico, enemies TO the liberty, property
and enlightenment Of that country. The very
same measure had already, in milder form only,
been applied TO California, and is now legally in
force there, if the Executive is at all bound by his
own engagements to any body but the Baltimore
Convention.
Tenthiy. In the proclamation issued by Gen.
KEARNy (22d August, ls46) on reaching the capital
of New Mexico, the cause Of the war is barely
stated las in Commodore SLoAT's) to be the act
OF Mexico " in crossing the Rio Grande and attack
ing General Taylor; and the object of the war is