Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-11-26
be equally bound, by The same OBLIGATIONS pay i1

The CCbl oil MEXICO ii II WcIe duneAeu " "'S y
States.
OF The possessions which apperlain 10 man, in
his collective or individual condition, none
should be preserved and cherished with more Sc
dulous and unfemiltng care than that oil an IN
sullied character. Il is impossible 10 estimate II
100 highly, in society, when attached 10 an indl-
vidual nor can il be exaggerated, or loo greatly
maenified in nation. Those who lose, or are
Indifferent 10 il, become just objects oil scorn and
contempt OF all The ahomlnab.e transactions
which sally The pages Of history, none exceed IN
erormy that OF the dismem5ermenl and par!i-
lien nl Poland, by The three great Continental
Powcrs-Russia, Austria and Prussia. Ages
nav mass away, and CENTURIES roll around, bot
as long as human records endure, all mankind
will uniie in execra,ing The rapaclous and de-
lesable deed. That was accomplished by over
whelmins force, and The unfortunate existence oil
fatal discussions and divisions IN Inc bosom OF
Poland. Let us avoid affixlns TO our name and
national character similar, II mol worse,
stigma. / am afraid that we do mol no" stand
well in The opinion Of other paris oil ehrislendom
Rcrudiaiion has brought upon US much reproach.
All The nations, Iapprehend look upon US in The
prosecution OF the present war, as being aclualed
by spirit Of rapacily, and an nordinate desire tor
territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, Lctus not forfeit alto
eeiier their good opinions. Let us command their
applause by noble exercise Of foIbearance and
Justice In the elevated station which we hold, we
can safely afford 10 practise The god like virtues
vi moderation and masnanimily The long Sc
RES Of glorious ilumphs, achieved by our gal
Ian, commanders and lheir brave armies, unal-
tended by single reverse, justify US, without The
least danger OF furnishing The national honor, IN
disinlcIesledly holding out the olive branch of
peace. We do not want the mines, the mountains,
The morasses, and the sterile lands Of Mexico.
To her The loss of them would be Illuminating,
ard be perpetual source OF regret and NORTH
cation. To US they might prove fatal acquisi-
lion, producing distraction. dissenson division,
possibly disunion. Lei, therefore, the integrity
Of the national existence and national territory of
Mexico emain uncislurbed. For one, desire 10
see no part OF her territory Torn fiom her by war.
Some OF our people have placed their hearts upon
the acquisition of the Bay of San Francisco in
Upper California. 10 Us, as great maritime
newer, il might prove 10 be oil advantage here
after in rcspcc, 10 our commercial and navigating
interests. To Mexico, which can never be
great maritime power, il can never be of much
advantage.
II we can obtain il by fair purchase, will
just equivalent, should be happy 10 see il so &C
ouired. As, whenever the war ceases, Mexico
ought 10 be required 10 pay The debts due our ci-
zens Perhaps an equivalent for that bay may be
found in that debt our Government assuming 10
payto our citizens whatever portion OF il may be
applied to that object. But il should form no
motive in the prosecution of the war, which
would not continue a solitary hour for the sake OF
that harbor.
Bu, what, i, will be asked shall we make
peace without any indemnify Tor The expenses OF
The war; If the published documents in relation
10 The late negotiations between Mr.. Trisl and
The Mexican Commissioners be true, and have
not seen them anywhere conlradicted, The EIecu-
tive properly waived any demand OF indemnify
Tor Inc expenses OF The war. And the rupture OF
lha! negotiation was produced by our Govern
ment insisting upon cesslon from Mexico, oil
The strip Of mostly barren land between the Nue.
ces and the Rio Bravo and New Mexico, which
Mexico refused 10 make. So that we are now
fighting, ii no, Tor the conquest Of all Mexico, as
minated in some quarters, for that narrow strip,
and for the barren province III New Mexico, with
lis few miserable mines. We bought all The pro.
vince Of Louisiana ior fifteen millions Of dollars,
and il is, in my opinion, worth more than all
Mexico together We Dough; Florida al five
millions OF dollars, and hard bargain il was,
since, besides that sum- We gave up The boundary
Of tie Rio Bravo, to which think We were en-
titled, as the western limit oil The province Of
Louisiana, and we're restricted 10 Iha. OF The Sa-
bine. And We are now, il not seeking the con-
quest Of all Mexico, 10 continue this war indcti.
nilely for The uncomfortable objects TO which
have just referred.
But, it will be repeated, are We to have no in
jemnity for the expenses OF the war; Mexico
is utterly unable TO make US any pecuniary in
demuily, if the justice oil the war on our part en-
titled us 10 deman il. Her country has been laid
waste, her cities burned occupied by our troops,
her means 50 exhausted that she is unable TO pay
even her own armies. And every days prosecu-
lion oil the war, whilst il would augment The
amount Of our indemnify, would lessen The abb
lily OF Mexico 10 pay il. We have seem how
ever that there is another form 10 which we are
10 demand indemnify. II is 10 be territorial in
demnily. | hope, Tor reasons already stated,
thai 'hni E.sL,a"i "iii NJ. &c I'""si" in'u uu'
country.
Among lie resolutions which il is my inten-
lion 10 present Tor your consideration a! the con.
clusun OF this address, one proposes, in your be-
halt and mine, 10 disavow, in The most positive
manner, any desire, on our part, 10 acquire any
foreign territory whatever Tor The purpose Of In
Producing slavery into il. do not know that any
citizen Of the United States cnertaias such wish.
But such motive has often been inquired 10 The
Slave States, and therefore think j, necessalyto
notice ii on this occasion. My opinions on The
subject OF Slavery are we'll known They have
the merit, if it be one oil consistency uniformity
and long duration. have ever regarded slavery
as grca, evil, a wrong Tor The present fear an
irremcdiahle wrong 10 its unfortunate victims.
should rejoice il not single slave brcahed The
air or was within The limits Of our country. But
here they are 70 be dealt with as well as we can,
with a due consideration of all circumstances
affecting the security, safely and happiness
of both races. Every State has the supreme,
uncontrolled and exclusive power 10 decide
TOR itself whether slavery shall cease or con.
,inuc within It's limits, without any exterior inter-
venlon from any quarter. In States where The
slaves oul-numbcr The whites, as is the case with
several the blacks could not be emancipaled and
invested with all the rights Of frcemen, without
becoming The governing race in those States.
Collisions and conflicts between the TWO races,
would be inevitable, and, after shocking scenes Of
rapine and carnage, the extinction or expulsion
Of the blacks would certainty take place.
In the State oil Kentucky, near fifty years ago,
| thought the proportion Of slaves, in comparison
with The whites, was so inconsiderable ha, we
might safely adopt system of gradual emanci-
patton that would ultimately eradicate this evil in
our Stale. Tha, system was totally different
from the immediate abolition OF slavery toI
which The party of the Abolilionsts OF The present
day contend. Whether they have intended oil
mol, il is my calm and deliberate belief, that they
have done incalcu!abe mischief even 10 the very
cause which they espoused, TO say nothing OF Inc
dlscoId which has been produced between differ
emf paris OF the Union. According TO The system
we ATTEMPTED, near The close Of the last century
all slaves in being were 10 remain such, but al
who might be born subsequent 10 specified day
we're to become free a, the age Of twenty.eisht
and during their service were 10 be taught 10 read
write and CIPHER. Thus, instead OF being thrown
upon The community, ignorant and unprepared
as would be The case by immediate emancipa.
ton, they would have entered upon The posses.
sion of their freedom capable, in some degree, Of
enjoying it, Alter a hard struggle The system
was defeated, and regret il extremely, as, il il
has been then adopted, our State would be now
nearly rid of that Ieproach.
Since that epoch, scheme Of unmixcd bene
violence has sprung up. which, il ii had existed
a, that time, would have obviaIed one Ct The
greatest objections which was made TO gradual
emancipation, which was the continuance of iht
! cmancina,ri slaves 10 abide among u.s. Tha