Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-11-03
THE PROSPECT BEFORE US.

|
the intelligence of its correspondent, and to his OBJ
Por'u"i'es OF acquiring such correct information as
en"'ies MS opinions to great weight. The views
oi one mus vouched for, as disclosed in the follow
ing extracts appear to us to be at this moment of
the greatest consequence and we lose no time there
lore In laying them before readers and entreat
ing their earnest attention to them:
Extracts from The Correspondent ofthe "Deno,,,
Srumg from me CITY Of .uerico, under date of
September Eth.
rounded leave us but one of two alternatives To Wi,
military occupation and government of the countrv
or TO fall back upon the base Of our operations take
! up our boundary line and hold the harbors of the
country until Mexico, tired OF her oppressed condi
tion, sues for peace relieve her from the chains
which bind her upon the Gulf and the Pacific; an
nexation of the States of Mexico, Puebla. Vera
Cruz, San Luis, Guanajuato, Guadalaiara. or anv
c'her OF those poPalous States included in the line
drawn from Vera Cruz to the Pacific, being totally
ou. OF he question, and one Of The greatest Jaacies
euer propagated If we did annex them, the North
never would consent TO the existence of slavery in
any OF them, and to allow them all rights and i'm
munities which we as free citizens enjoy, would
orng about state of affairs which would entanoer
the existence of our own free institutions and ca
disturb the equilibrium of the movements OF our
Government as to make us the day we ever put
foot upon the soil Of Mexico The people are to-
tally and wholly unprepared, by habits, education.
ana nature, for exercising those high and important
duties required by civilization and free and liberal
Government
the system Of church government at present
exercised here would have to be admitted and con-
uhued or we would have to encounter a foe more
'ornldaoie In It's resources, more powerful in its
combas, than all the bristling bayonets, gltterinr
swords, and death-dealing artillery over which we
nave already triumphed war of religion is one
oi those wars which is never ended until one or the
other OF the parties is extermnated or so eneebled
as to be unable to offer resistance and in country
SO thckly populated as this it would inevitably be
the result. Therefore, in view of thinus as fbev
actually exist, take it for granted that 9,nenot;oo
o. thus section Of This country is totally impractica
Die; and those who have been its advocates in The
United States-myself, to some extent, amonp a.
thers-are Ignorant of the difficulties our Govern
nie"I wouid nave to encounter, and the endless
trouble and evaporation it would lead to-
pituitary occupation and government Of all the
country we nave conquered, 10 my mind, offers no
Je'ccr objections than annexation. Accordinp to
the opinions of the persons in this army whose
views, oy their owledged ability, are entitled
10 the most weight, it would take an army of nj
least one hundred thousand men to occupy and gar-
iSoh the different States and military posts How
long would 1t take us to get this force equipped and
In The held? The President last winter called for
zen additional regiments, Oen thousand men } and.
although II was during the short session of Con
ana nose which have come did not arrive at the
seat OF operations until the month of August They
were enlisted for the war, under the excitement nj
| ac'lve operations and spirited campaign Now
.'d' me excitement OF the campaign has ended that
the next session of Congress is long one how |
long VIII 1t take us to throw into this counrv ono
hundred Thousand troops, when they know that |
their life Is to be the dull monotony of the oarrson5
But admitting, for the sake of argument. that tbe,
cou'd De sent here by the expiration of one year IS
ar oP
consonance with the spirit of our republican and |
Tree institutions? Woudit move with the same
simplicity and regularity our old army has WonId
the military professions retain its present ability
us sclen.ihc at,anments, its dignity, and its high
character, by being so suddenly ENLARGED IN one
hundred thousand2 think NAV safely ,nswar
no! Again: ho,o ,could This large a,n,y hare tn
NC supported! VIII the people of the U States
consent TO supply revenue for its support? win
they consent to any further and permanent enlarqe
;net OF lne public expenditures for the sake of hold
ing territory from ,uLch they ,could der;re perm
nsue oenefh tor gears to come? If we may judpe
OF me aversion of the people Of the United States
10 high taxation, high duties, unproductive expen-
di'ures OF the public treasure, think NAV be safe
l" concluding that they neuer aciU consent TO the
and occupy that portion ice hare already, ard what
or necessity we would have to conquer
Let us examine the other alternative. and soc
II our interests do not require that we should fall
odeh upon the base OF our operations and if nothinu
more a'caa The dispositions ofH american Con,
greSS. "
we are here, and for the present isolated from,
tne government and the rest of the army. From
.he tne the army set foot on the Rio Grande ,ve
nave mad nothing but succession of brilliant yicto /
hes-we nave penetrated the very heart of Mexico
m''h iouF diIierent columns, and from each point
there has been a triumphal rnarch-the stars ana
stripes have never yet suffered a defeat.
1.-The valor and superiority of our arms have
oeen established beyond question or donbt-Nexico
mas oeen humbed and degraded in the ewes oP ,bo
world, while our own brilliant achievements stand
up prominently as precedent in the annals of the
10 DC ADMIRED and boosted ofwhen the actors
themselves shall lie Wondering in the dnst NJ
ILonal and personal ambition has been satisfied
ne nation VIII be proud of the trophies and those
who won them But with our successes ,,e b,e ~,
r''ea az me end Of Our rope; the capital has fall
,, anu mere is hothng 10 offer any further re-
IEn Inc President, General Santa Anna.
mas aodicated the Presidency. and the comm,ndor
OF ,he army left. with small body guard. for p,r,s
u"Nhown aud Is now IN fact flying fupitive-tL.
army OF o2,OOO, which they had when we arrived
before the city, does not now number over 2 600 ,
without means of support, and deserving every dov
gan our army 90 any thing more-coud it be ex I
pecteo To have done any thing more2 Now there ,
IS no new enterprise whlc offers itself and there I I
10 government with which we can arranUe ,pr die 81,
'cui'ies' Therefore. | would ask, if we had mn, Il
'euei Pac" up orr Wagons soon as The sick oye
'oe 10 ne moced, andfaH back upon The base of o,,,
Pe'MtonS, ana d,cmt the action If our Gopern
nemF Then our wounded and sick men con,d Lo :;
letter provided for and our army better and oho,e
supplied and placed in good quarlers-tbe volnn. l.
Se's Sent nome-the regulars drilled and the reg; !;
nen'S hl'ed up and prepared TO occupy the bounda n
we may determine. This course of policv !, =
~ oP'uOn' considering the existing circumstances =
preferable on more accounts than one II 49,, II
n home