New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-04-07
Conquest and Democracy.

Conquest and Democracy.
There are many, we are aware, who consider
Democratic institutions a mask or a chimera-who
hold thatmen must be ruled absolutely from without,
and that, no matter under what forms, the essence
of governing is the power Of the strong over the
weak--in short, that Might is Right. How can
you pretend that the Mexicans have Right on
their sdel See how we thrash them every
where and are overrunning their country With
too many this passes for demonstration, and the
glories of Buena Vista eiace all considerations Of
Justice, Humanity and true Policy.
"A few days ago. in replyto Wing oil OHIO
we stated that we now as ever considered the
Nueces Tor more strictly, the Western limit OF its
tributary wsters) the true Boundary OF Texas
that which the true Interest of all parties dictates
as the future boundary between Mexico and the
United States. The Annexation OF Texas being
fixed reversible fact, we are ready to acquiesce
in it for the sake of Peace, and if its Southern
boundary is falsely extended, by conquest and
Treaty, to the Rio Grande, we shall have no choice
but submission. Still, we cannot doubt that any
division of the narrow and isolated Valley of the
Rio Grande will be bunder, prejudicial TO both
conquerer and conquered, That Valley naturally
forms one community, having many common inter
esh diverse from those Of the people on either side
Of it, and it cannot long be governed in part from
Mexico and in part from w ashington City. 1t will
revert to Mexico or become entirely ours. Seeing
this, We have uniformly resisted and exposed the
impudent falsehood, contradicted by all American
History, that Texas had ever a rightful claim to
oh ha. ;,,;o a. 10 Ia fore
see great practical evils to be incurred by such
course. Collisions with regard to rightsof naviga
ton, port duties, revenue laws, gigantic smuggling
both ways and from all quarters, sure to result
from it, Rivers no longer properly divide nations;
since the improvement Of navigation and the en-
ployment Of steam therein, they rather unite and
blend them. We concur heartily in tho observa-
ton of Mr.. Charles J. Ingersoll, Chairman Of the
House Committee Of Foreign Affairs, and the init
mate personal friend as well as Political partizan
of Polk when in ls45 discussing in Congress the
probabilities of War with Mexico, be said
1.-The stupendous deserts separating the valley of the
Nueces from that OF the Rio del Norte form the natural
and everlasting barrier between the Anglo-Ssxon and
the Mauritanan races. There ends the Valley Of the
West There Mexico begins. Not til the spirit Of Con
quest reyes will the People either side OF that boup
dairy modest or mingle with each other
Alas the fell spirit Of Conquest has since taken
possession of our Rulers, and dire are the caami.
ties it has wrought! Visions of ACKNOWLEDGMENT
OF domination and Of plunder, have rendered giddy
the weak heads Of unprncipled politicians-ravish-
ing dreams of the gttering and massive spoil of
Mexican churches-of high revels in the Halls of
the Montezumas-of fandangoes and airtations
with the ardent and not memorable brunettes Of
the land of the Aztecs--have nlamed the hot blood
OF the Nation, and we have been rushed into
war of aggression and conquest before the country
had fairly suspected that War was possible What
is the RESULT Alas the end is not yet visible,
but the intermediate consequences are already
enough to convinse any discerning mind that the
path of Sin and Wrong is ever thorny and full of
pitfalls Already an expenditure of not less than
One Hundred Millions, a Public Debt of at least
Fifty Millions have been incurred or rendered in.
evitable-for the Arrears, the Pensions the claims
forosscs and damages the destruction ofpublic yes
sells, stores and munitions of War are as truly in
cluded in the cost of this War as the charges for
which Congress has already made appropriations
Already thous of our countrymen sleep in death
amid the marshes Of the Rio Grande in the ravines
OF the Sierra Madre-gashed and CORY, they mutely
testify that the lance the bullet, the deadly knife
have done their work and yet the slain are few
compared with those whose sudden exposure, Pr
walton, bad w later, the deadly Malaria, and every
form of evil influence have combined to cut down
by thousands. From the Rio Grande land this side
Of it in New Mexico) 10 the far Pacific the cannon,
the musket, the spear, the manly foe and the Turk
ing assassin, are hourly doing their work upon the
thinned files of our soldiers hundreds fall in this
glorious victory scores in that patry skirmish
and no sun goes down without seeing the fresh
carceses OF some Of them thrust rudely into the
earth, to sleep where eye Of Affection shall ever
rest on the rank sod that scantily covers them
And all is to 20 on, and still on. The authors of
it pretend to desire Peace, but they will net grant
it any condition short OF the utter humiliation the
gigantic spoiliation Of Mexico. Out ON their hypo-
critical mockeres the blood OF the wantonly slain
shaa curdle around their stony hearts The cries
OF me wickedly bereaved multitude of widows and
orphans shall ascend against them to Heaven
Inc iooishest Of the Polk organs in this City,
which we seldom care to notice notwithstanding
its continual attacks upon u.s. IN commenting. dur
ing our absence from the City, upon our ayowed
wish for Peace on the line ct the Nuece, mshes
the following exhibition:
The TribRns OF Monday says: Hold oa-ve Wan,
peace with you're riR surrender all TIA, rvr OF T,ss
soEh Of Tie Nasoes rirsr yoE Gill make peace How 40
you Ike this going over 10 the enemy How do Won
like this surrendeng large portion OF sovereign and
independent State TO the Mexicsns What will Our
Wing friend Mrs. Grundy say 10 this T. &c. sc.
Inink OF his proposing TO give up great part Of
Teas II the Mexicsns win condesceud TO make peace
with u.s. The Wings are not such fools to second his
motion"
We beg the earnest attention Of every conscien.
'ous reader to the foregoing extract in view OF the
standing lie that the fomenters Of this War on
Mexico ere sincerely DESTROYS of Peace. In all the
region which the Globe coolly pronounces a greet
part q IerGs there did not live at the time we