Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1847-01-07
Mexican War--HOw Begun.
From the National Inielligencer OF Dec. I2th.
The Presidents Message.


Our columns have been so occupied for some
days with matter of too much consequence to bt
postponed TO suit our own convenience, that we
have not until to-day been able 10 command the
space required for the review, which our readers
have right to expect at our hands, of the contents
Of the Presidents late Message to Congress-
This task has, on this occasion, been made an i'm.
perative duty by the attempt of the President, in
the outset of that Message to stigmatise as tred-
S0na6Le the free discussion OF measures of his
which have filled the minds of thinking and rea-
soning men with doubt at least, if not with just
apprehension, of their consequences, of which the
claim of kingly prerogatiye for himself now put
forth 10y the President is an augury so uniavorabe
oil itself TO Invite more Jealous scrutiny OF the
rest Of the contents of the Message.
The subject which is naturally most prominent,
and made more so by the very large space which
it occupies in the Message, is
THE MEXICAN WAR.
Nearly three-fourth of the Message is devoted
10 justification of this war and Of the part which
jle President has acted in relation 10 1t. Ot this
elaborate defence, applying the old adage, Qua
Sercuse SGccuSe, we might perhaps content our
selves with saying that such defence is of itself
confession of error Bat. when this vndication
is put upon the ground OF correcting intentional
misrepresentation of the conduct of the Execu-
i've charged TO have been made with intent TO give
laid and comfort 10 the enemy. we are obliged 10
enter INTO a more particular examination of the
points OF this defence, and to show wherein they
are erroneous, illusory, or deceptive.
No one can have perused this long defence of
the conduct of the Executive, partakng more of
The character of one-Sided argument by pro-
fessona advocate, than the calm fair, and frank
exposition OF an important subject by the Chief
Magistrate of great People to their Representa-
tive, without remarking that there is in it sys-
tenntic attempt to bring up new issues, in order
10 withdraw the public mind from the first and
ma n one.
On the llth Of May last the President, by his
Message to Congress- proclaimed that war existed
between Mexico and the United States. Con-
greSs Is the only power which can rightfully and
cohstltutonally put the United States at war: that
body had made no move toward establishing that
rehtion between the United States and Mexico;
a!u yet before this Message was penned, the
iunderS OF the cannon of Palo Alto and Resaca
ds la Palma had announced it To the world. As
Congress certainly did not begin this war, the
question is, was it by Mexico or by the President
oi the United States that it was brought onl This
Is The important question which the President
would elude In his elaborate enumeration of wrongs
inflicted lev AleEico upol the United States which
he concludes were sufficient 10 have authorized
the United States 10 declare war against Mexico
Grant has conclusion, and whose business and
right was II 10 make this war! 1t belonged to
Congress only, not TO the President, or any other
authority on earth. Grant that there existed sui
1cient cause to require the United States 10 make
war upon Mexico the President himself has, IN
referring TO the example and message OF President
\ an Buren,, informed US what was lis own duty IN
such a conjuncture. He says:
President Van Buren, IN his Annual Message
TO Congress oil the 9Th December 1881 states that,
although the larger number of our demands for
redress, and many of them aggravated cases of
personal wrongs, have been now for years before
The Mexican Government and some of the causes
oi national complaint and those of the most often
slFe character, admitted of immediate, simple and
satisfactory replies, it is only within few days
past that any specific communication In answer to
our last demand, made five months ago, has been
received from the Mexican Minister and that for
not one of our public complaints has satisfaction
been given or offered; that but one of the cases of
personal wrong has been favorably considered
and that but four cases of both descriptions, out
ot all those formerly presented and earnestly
pressed, have as yet been decided upon by the
Merican Government"
President Van Buren, believing that il would
be in vain TO make any further attempt to obtain
redress by the ordinary means within the power
oi the EIecuuve, communicated this opinion to
N'ohSiSSs III referred IN winch he
said
On careful and deliberate examination of the
contents lof the Correspondence with the Merican
Government, and considering the spirit manifest
ed by the MEXICAN Government, it has become nv
Painful duty TO return the subject as it now stands
10 Congress- TO achom IL belongs TO decide upon the
lime. the mode and the measure of redress"
Such was the course of President Polk himself
How pointedly does it not rebuke his own course
under circumstances not materially different. Mr.
'an Buren, did not deem himself authorized 10y
these considerations, in the ersting state OF things
fln Mexico. to RECOMMEND" TO Congress to declare
FNar against her; nor did Mr.. Polk think, at the
beginning OF tie last session, thai the injuries
winch he now enumerates authorized that extreme
measure, or he would have sent in such "Iecom-
nenGation" himself
Being convinced that war was necessary and
expedient measure" it was his constitutional duty
10 recommend it to Congress-" and, failing 10 do
80, he would have been culpaby derelict If, in
The course of the session, ANYTHING occurred TO
bring him 10 different conclusion. MIR. Van Bu-
rem had instructed him that was his duty to Law
The whole subject before Congress, q to whom it
belonged to decide upon the time, the mode, and
the measure of redress" TO be had from Mexico
Nav. Mr.. Polk himself was at the opening of the
last session of Congress, fully sensible of what his
duty was, when lie informed the two Houses, in