Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-03-17
TaE NsrrrUTIoN-srArH RIGHTS.
MIR. PcndIcton,. specch.

against Mexico, in regard the true character of which
there necessarily profound ignorance the
country OF this ignorance growing the Of the
subject the President and his defenders have adrot-
y taken advantage IN all the discussions that have taken
place in regard the origin OF the Mexican waran event
which, though OF occurrence already involved
in as much doubt, and has given many angry
disputes Homcts birth place. any other fable of an
u9uy Every pereeves clearly as he sees the sun
at nooa day, tha Gen. Taylor had remained at CORPUS
Christi, the armies Of the Republics separated by those
"s'uPendous deserts" which, according Mr. c. j. In
gersol. before he tempted his words BY the
prospect of mission the French Court constituted the
froVdenualy defined boundaries between them, never
could have come into collision. That his march across
those natural boundaries" therefore the immediate
cause OF hosuiities II is impossible to doubt Neyerthe-
less, it is boldly affirmed by Mr. Polk and his friends that
this movement only procpitaed event. which, had il,
never been made, the less inevitable One OF
hem ndeed-a man honored by the special confidence OF
Mr. Pok-we reier, OF course, Mr.. Benion)-while he
admits that the invasion of the Rio Grande was an unf
anaie and iladvscd measure by means in has opin
ion, evneve either of the prudence OF the eninon,
ability" OF the Administration nevertheless contends tina,
the War the legitimate and necessary consequence OF
the premature and untimey manner which the Annex
alton OF Texas pressed contamination by the
authors OF that scheme lie seemingly f1rgctful in aim
inc this blow at Mr. Calhoun, that he tkes with equal
force Mr. Polk himself end the great body his support,
es who eagerly mounted the Texas hobby seized the
rens from the hands Of the who had brought into
the field for their own especial benefit He forges too
that IN tracing the Annexation he denies the asser
ten OF Mr. Polk, endorsed by his party in Congress that
exists by the Of Mexico; and conflicts directly
with the elaborate Annual President IN which
the unaoned for ouages Of Mexico upon the persons and
property OF American citizens, for long Of years
cited, to justify wagng war which, in the same
breath he asserts, we have waged for the purpose
redressng those ouuages, but because American blood
had been shed upon American so-ths latter declaration
being also positively and emphaealy conadic,d by his
fAvOrte Lieutenant Generals that the whole ex
OF the Rio de- Norte Rio Grande EVERY INCH OF rr
EVERY DROP wATEKs. with all 1t. towns and
villages, and all Its fields and hocks" belonged TO Mexico
Its ancient Possessors who had held It for centuries. with
any question the Legitimacy of its tiie Indeed
when look into the arguments Of the Administration
and its friends 10 IN what thy account for the
existence OF between Republics the constitutions
Of both o! which eondo the war-akng power exclusively
respective Congresses neither Of which has ssued
declaration OF hosiites-we say, when We look into
their arguments, ind ourselves involved in Iabv
ninth o. eonusd cons wholly Incompatible with the exis
Of that spirit OF rankness and candor which the Exc
should depart from in its communications 10
Congress and the country.
But we have been led into long depression and we
Mr. Pendeioa's esc OF those eli, ms asan.
nv
the Administrator aud IT, friends for the purpo g. Of show
patient orboaranee und injury and of Iusufying
the steps resorted after such long delay for its redress
We had reason 10 believe that few Of these claims
fictitious, and that all Of them were great
ly exaggerated. But confess mad no idea that so
large portion Of them utterly lmsy and basesss
We ask readers the catalogue given by Mr.
Pendeton, and mark the absolutely preposerous nature
not few OF these 'caims"-some oi which, we hesitate
say, bear upon their face marks OF fraud and
tasehood and ought have been entertained BY
own Government, much less made the subjec, of formal
complaint 70 that OF Mexico But when That
Mexico had actually seted greed settle the claims
the validity Of which had been by the decision
the umpire mutually agreed upon by the Governments
that she had paid several insialmcn's as they became
due Of them By forced osns when her or
dnary insufficient 10 meet the reqaisrtog-
and that when she failed pay sic in the midst o..
revolution, waI-h, II may not a5soiy- from their
obligations may o. least failure 70 comply with
hem-n one word, when manifest that Aer failure 10
comply with treaty stpua'oEs Of her inability
and not her position fulfil ihem-we venture TO sug
ges that the annals Vi the world do not furnish al instance
o. being wagd for the punish rnent OF 4 dsnqren
c., go trivial IN The involved, and arising from
causes well calculated It. To fight nation
because she cannot pay aeknOw.edg debt Vi piece
with that bafbarous system, generally abandoned
which N former times gave the mefciless indydua
creditor the power 10 the unfortunate debtor
isr lie, and 10 upon HE body sfef death And
any people upon the face Of the earth should have G,r
abandoned the idea OF eGtogng at the point OF the
sword few millions Of dollars alleged TO be due from
Mexico TO our citzens. whom she bad paRed or other
wise injured surely We are that pc, pie-Tecoectng as We
d. that the Governments Of several Of our States owing
large debts TO the subjects foreign powers have not on
undf the pressure Of necessity much less stringent de-
ayed their payment, but actually denied Legality Of the
10. asarr H. ..-.-n
officers. under authority Of their laws and which ore
held by the capitalists OF Europe, as perpetual me
menio Of the dishonesty Of those Commonwealth Re-
pUdiators, with ample resources, II not at immediate COM
msnd, available at no distant day to comply with their
written obi legations ought 70 be chary Of their re-
proaehes towards ne'ghborng Republic who though he
has not paid 20 the last isrhug her admitted indebtedness
has never denied her obligation to do and attempted to
"fail the seal from oT the bonds" sho had gwen
These ouuages" then, Of which We have heard 20
much said when SIZED, amount to on iasgn.deant cum.
the payment Of which has been delayed by causes which
Cnute the delinquent 20 ofbsaancc. n they constitute
the reason Of the war, therefore, oil must co1cede that If
is most inadequate for remedy 20 harsh towards
Mexico and 90 expensive 10 ourseves. Tha, they eo
not the cause Of the however, obvious to every In.
tcgent mind. They have only been logged into the 5
cuson for the purpose Of dvorug The public attention
from events 10 which be origin BE- truly be traced Never.
htcss, the frequent references g. ern n tho most rag.
gepto1 language, have had the nuurl effect of inducing
many persons TO tgppJso that have been su5ectod 10
far greater ou'fsgcs than The facts Of the case autrls
any one 20 nssumc, and that tho conduct of reo m 70.
gard 10 them had cYfced purpose 90 pcfpcu1c those
Injuries 10y o. iuai a. atone fof L,m which those fact,
expressly dsproyc This branch Of Inc subject has been
very little discussed before the peopo--and We take Oh,
more pleasure, DO consequence OF that fact n Publishing
the luminous end instructive r.m.rsa of Nf Pende,,o
and In osking all, IN whose hands they ay o TO CIV,
them dispassi7nate and u1preIudcsd perusal
y Tic recent charter elections in Montreal have beer
attended by riots and booJ.hlda rather nsus9ieo81 be-
ginning of new Administrator. There ore strong ind.
cations that he dominion of Great Brnin over that oar, al
the American Continent will not very long continue In