Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-10

u
stanI changes by successive revolutions, The
continued successes Of orr arms may iail 10
secure satisfactory peace. IN such eveui, II
may become proper for our commanding &C.
nerah in The field 10 give encouragement! and
assurances %! protection 10 The friends OF peace
in Mexico, il The establishment and main
ic.ancc o; a free. Republican Government
OF their own Choice, able and willing 10 conclude
peace which wouidbe jdstto them, and secure
tosus tho Indemnify We demand. This may te-
come lhe eIly mode OF oba iniag such a peace. =
Should such be the result, the war, WHICH Mexico
has forced upon us, would thrs be Converted into
an enduring Blessing TO herself Aile. finding
hen iorH and ,dissIa cie6 b. factions, ard rulcd by
military gsuTpels, we shiuj1 then lsayc her with
republican gUyeTnmPnt in the enjoyment OF lea!
+ inaerehicnce and domestic peace and prosperity,
pefEH mfg an her relative duties in Ike great IA
mile of, nations, and promoting her own happi-
ness by wise laws and their faithful execution.
| II, after afordiGg This encouragement and pro
| lection and ale, all he pclsevering and sincere
.eff1r4s'wc liavc made, fro m the moment Mexico
cum,npnced The war, and prior maritime. 10
adjust our differences with her We shall Ultimate
II lail, ihen We shall have exhausted all honoTa-
bic means in pursuit Of peace, and must continue
10 occupy her country with our troops, taking
The iulf mcasurepi enahiy into our own hands,
and ,nust enforce ile exms which our honor de-
mands. To acl oiherwisc,rt in The existing state
Of things in Mexico, end 10 withdraw our army
without peace would MOI only leave all the
wrongs Of which we complain unredressed hot
would be the signal Tor new and fierce civil dis.
sensiors and new rcvoluiions-all alike hostile
10 peaceful relations with The United States. be-
sides, there is danger if cur troops were with
drawn; before a peace was concluded that The
Mexican people, wearied with successive Tevo-
Iuiiqns, ard deprived OF protection for their per-
sons and property, might al length be Inclined TO
I yieid 10 foreign influences, and 10 cast lhcm-
selves into the arms OF some European monarch
Tor protection from The anarchy and suffering
which would ensne. Ti.i.r-tef-eaf own safety,
and in IN tStaEGe iOf our established policy, @e
should be. coiD PEELED tu resist. We could never
conscnl thai Mexico should be thus converted ID
10 monarchy governed BY foreign prince.
Mexico is cur near hcighbor, and her boundaries
are coerminons with our own, through The whole
extent across the North Alueriea continent, ifeH
lsoceaD,to ocean. Both politically and CONNER
cialy, we have the decpes; nercs. ia her reSene-
rali6n and prosperity. Indeed, i, is impossible
'thai with any Just regard 10 our own safely, we
| can eye. become ind ffeTcntlo her lae.
] 1t may he that the Mexican Government and
! peo7le have miscSn$tinrd nr misunderstood OH
| iorteararcc and oureoblcc's, in desiring TO Con.
| cIu,e an amcable adjustment Of the existing dill
L
| have supposed rha, We would submit 10 terms de-
| grading 10 he nation, Or they may have drawn
false iaierrnces FINN the snppu.eddivi'on ofoPn
tion ilo ;ley UGii.d oStales on The subject OF iht
| war, and may have calculated 10 gain much by
| proIYaclns i; and indeed, that we mieh: u!li'
| male!v ahanrtDa il altogether, without INSISTING
| on any indemnify, territorial or otherwise -
Whatever may be The false impressions urdeI
which they have acted, lhc adoption AMI r,rsecu
| ion Of ll:- energetic policy proposed mus! soon
| ,;ndcccive them.
| In The future prosecution OF The war, the enemy
| must lie mate 10 eel It's pressure more Than they
have heretofore done. Al its commencement, Il
was deemed proper 10 conduct it in spirit OF Tor
| hearance ard lber3lily r. With Ibis en- IN view
ra:ly ncasuics were adopted 10 coucia'e, as fai
as n STATE d! war would permit, the mass OF the
| Mexican population; 10 convince Item that The
war ,:as wasrd, n { agarst .he peaceful mia
5i,aii;s Of Mexico, hut vgain. theft iaiih'rSs go
vcramcni, which had commenced hosiiiitss; &c
remove from lhsir minds the false impressions
! %bich iAei. designing 3nd interested rulers hai
| ar;iu!ly attempted tumalt, that Tie var on onI
| part was one OF cor, desi; that j, was val
asains, their religion and their churches, which
| u. er.-.ra"d md orarih,n~-, ""a ma
their rights oi person and private property Would
I be violated.
To remove these false Impressions our com
maniers in the field were dircc,cd scrupulousy
Ia respect their religion, their churches and hei
! church property, which were in no manner 20 be
violated They were directed also to respect tbs
rights OF persons and property OF all who should
moi take up arms against us.
| Assurances 10 this effect were given to the
Mexican people BIZ Major General faylur, in {
proc!a maIiQn issued 10 pursuance oil instructions
from Ike Secretary OF War, in The month Of June
1876 and again by Major General Scott, who
acted upon his own convictions Of the prophecy
OF issuing ii, in proclamation of The lith @
May, 1911.
Ia This spirit o! l0eraiy and conciia'iOn, and
with view to prevent he body Of the Mexican
population from taking up arms agains, lis, Wa
| The war conducted on ouI part. Provisions an
o;her supplies furnished 10 our army by Mc3i
can citizens were paid Tor al fair and liberal pri
ces agreed upon by tie parties. After The lapse
OF few months, ii became apparent thai these
assurances, and h.s mild l[ealmenI, had failed Il
produce The desired eiec; upon the Mexican
| population. While the war had been conducted
on cur part according lothc most humane ant
liberal principles observed by civilized nations
il was waced in Il far different spirit on III:
| part Of Mexico. Not approaching our torbear
/ ancc. tho Mexican people generally became hos
tile 10 the United States and awaited themselve:
t'Cf every opportunity 10 commit the most savast
I excuses upon oar troops. Large numbers o
The population took 10 arms, and engaging ir
guerilla warfare, robbed and murdered, in The
! most cruel manner, individual soldiers, or SINAI
partics, whom accident or other causes had sep
| arated from The main body OF our army bands
of suetille,os and robbers infested the roads
harrassed cur trains, and, whenever il was il
their power, cut off our supplies.
The Mrxicans having thus shown themselves
| lI,, al Ia nf
besrance and libefaliIy, il was deemed proper tc
change The manner Of conducting The war, b.
making them feel its pressure, according to lh'
usaees observed under similar circumstances By
all o.her civilized nations.
Accordingly, as early as The Odd Of September
ls46, INSTRUCTIONS were given by The Secretary u
War 10 Mai Gen. Taylor 10 "iraw supplies" fo
our army ''ircm the enemy, wisauu; paying iO
lhcm. and 10 require contributors for lis support
| if in that way he was satisfied nc could "sc
abundant supplies for his ioTces." In directing
the execution OF lhcse instructions, much was ne
cessatily lief, to Inc discretion oithe commanding
officer, who was hes; acquainted @i,A the circum
stances by which he was surrounded, The wants
of the army, and the pratlicabiIiy OF enforcing
the measure. ..,.'' ..'' -t--,'' ~ 81
General Taylor, on the lwsn,y.sixtll Of Octo
| her. 1916. replied, from Monterey, that iii would
| have been Impossible hi,hcrio, ans! is so now, tt
sustain the army any extent by forced conir
buttons of money OF supplies For the reasons
assigned by him, he did moi Adolf The policy o
his distinctions bu, declared his readiaess 10 DC
so, "should he army, in its future operations
reach patton OF The country which may b.
made 10 supply the troops with advantage" Lie
continued 10 pay for The articles OF supply which
wen. drawn from the enemy's country.
Similar instructions were issued to Mini. Gen
Scot on the 81 OF April, lS47, who replied, from Ja
lana on the twentieth of May, ls47, that il II be
expected tha, ";be army $50 support itself by
fofced contributions levied upon the country
| we may ruin and exaspefale the inhabitanls ane
sarvc ourselves" The same discretion wa:
given TO him that had beenlo Gen. Taylor in Ihi:
| respect, General Seoul, for The reasons as'igned
By him, also continued 10 pay Tor The articles o.
supply for The army which were dawn from the
| enemy. -,
After The army had reached the heart oil The
most wealthy portion OF Mexico, ii was supposed
hattie obstacles which had before that line pre-
vented it, wond moi be such as 10 render inPfac'
,icabe The levy OF forced contributions tor lis sup