Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-02-24

e. 4
by savage tribes always was, was well calcu-
lated for the purposes of this line. Iffor line
of this character he had the choice of two por-
tons OF this continent, the one inhabited and the
other not If he consulted the genius of our Gov
eminent in regard to its political institutions, he
would say that the uninhabted country ought
to be preferred. What this country wanted
was space in which to grow and enlarge itself:
an open unlnhabited country therefore was the
one OF all others the best calculated for their
purpose. The population of this country was
increasing at the rate of 100000 annually, apd
soon the increase would be equal to LOCO, 90
annually. With this swelling population they
desired no settled country; what they wanted
was space in which to extend themselves
This very reason, that would make that part of
the country valuable to us, would render 1t of
little advantage TO Mexico. Her population
was nearly stationary. ltwas scarcely advan-
cling at all. 1t would perhaps not increase two
millions in twenty years. So far from being an
advantage to Mexico, then a waste country OF
that description would be directly opposite. SO
great an intervening space between Mexico and
her distant province of California must be ex-
ceediDgly inconVenent. California was, in fact
as remote from the city of Mexico as It was
frcm New Orleans, and little less distans SlRn
it was from Washington in resWfdfo facility of
intercourse. New Mexico was mnch nearer
to us thanit was to the settled parts ef.Mexico.
This reGcteness Of her provinces cYild' not be
otherwise than source of great ann Ance and
inconvenience to Mexico. ID
| 1t was remarkable fact. in the Id ~ of this
continent that for the first time, w yborigines
had been pressing upon the poptfsdbh ot6Enro-
ropean extraction. The Indians had beg TESS
ing upon the descendants of the Spa spop-
ulaton in Mexico, who, though ii were GER
! tainly brave enough for their own deience, yet
the jealousy of the Federal Government having
disarmcd them, were captured not less than two
thousand Of them, and were DOW actually pris-
oners amongt the Camanches. ltwould be an
object with hni.when taking from the Mexicans
any territory at all, to take such as he had now
Ieterred to. The presence OF our people there
would give degree of prosperity to the coun-
try, which it had not had from the time of its
first occupation down to the present day.
| The next consideration was, that the line
should be such as it established as the boundary
between the two countries. would be the means
| OF securing permanent peace. And in respect
TO this, he held that the line he had designated
was enIinently calculated to secure this object.
We could not, in the nature of things, except
to keep our population out of that country. 1t
would Gnavoidably spread there, in spite of all
the laws they might choose to pass. They
might heap penalty upon penalty, yet our pio-
neers would rush into the country unless the
PARTY in possession were capable of keeping
them out. This was proved by experience
All the forces of this Government could not keep
our population out of the Indian country, and
consequently had been obliged from time TO
tine to purchase from the Indians the lands
they claimed to own. If we were TO make
peace with Mexico, and make no provision for
our population, in few years we would be in
volyed in another war. Undesirable as all wars
were, if possible still more undesirable was a
war Tor the purpose of coercing the Mex;cans
into a submission to our possession OF part OF
their country. The establishment of this
line, however, would give us an opportunity of
acquiring possession without coercion.
/ While we would agree to the adoption of an
other line if a better could be found, he would
! be very far from re commencing that it should
be held absolutely and wi sew to its ulti-
mate retention by Iorce. On the contrary, he
would hold it as a means of negotiation, and
would say to Mexico, this line wewill maln-
tain until you negotiate with Us upon the sub
iect of boundary. Ii you are ready to negoti-
ate,we are also ready; and we areready not on
" to settle the question of boundary, but TO set
tie it honestly literally, nd fairly; to establish
line which will preserve peace on our part
and if the line we have chosen be such as to
afford advantage over you, we will meet 1t as
we ought bv generous payment to you OF an
equivalent. These were the principles by which
he would be governed in regard to treaty
/ with Mexico. But he would go still further.
He would hold all the territories which We had
now in possession, which could be held without
too great a sacrifice of men and money. He
would hold them on the same condition in which
he proposed that they should be governed. He
would lay low rate of duty, not to exceed ten
per cent, to be collected as means OF meeting
the expense Of defending this line. He had
C )nsulted with the proper authorities upon this
point, and he was informed that 1t would not
require more than two millions three or four
hundred thousand dollars to defend it. Those
duties might be collected with advantage, not
only to ourselves, but to the whole civilized
world; and, in his opinion, the low rate of duty
he had named, combined with the other measures
which he had indicated, would give us the
means Of forcing settlement at no distant day.
Now, think have shown (Mr. c. contin-
ued) that we can certainly maintain this hne,
and by maintaining it, bring this war to a sue
ccesful termination, at 10 cost hardly of men
or money. The establishment of this line of
defence will involve no hazard on our Part. or
loss Of reputation, and, may add, 1t will lay a
foundation, I trust when we come to a final set
tlement, if we act in the spirit in which we
ought to act, of a permanent peace between us
and the Mexican Republic. What (said MIR.
C.) will be the fruits OF this policyl Why,sir
large portion of the war expenses will be I'M
mediately cut off; the whole of the volunteer
forces may be dismissed in the course of a few
months, when our position shall have been ia
ken, and our points of defence occupied, thus
effecting saving of from fifteen to twenty mill
ions of dollars year. Further taxes will not
be required; the credit Of this Government will
be Immediately strengthened, and the measure
which some of us have SO much at heart, and
which we are risking the enjoyment OIL mean
free trade-may in short time be secured, and
in successful operation as it has already been
for short time in Great Britain, where it has
shown itself most fruitful source of prosperity.