Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-01-30
Com. Perry and the War.

Com. Perry and the War.
Much has been said in private and by tho
press Of plan proposed BY Com. Perry, for
carrying on the war against Mexico, and as eve.
ry thing bearing upon the question is read with
interest, we here give the plan as embodied in
letter from correspondent, a. Washington, 10
the New York Evening Post:
"a few words win suffice to make il plain.
Abandon all expensive, sanguinary and doubtful
projects Of further invasion. So far as regards
the interior Of Mexico, let us content ourselves
with the occupation OF the provinces already
conquered, OF SO much of them us we may in.
tend to keen as 'indemnifcstion' for the war.
On the other hand, let us take immediate pos
session Of all her ports, both on the Gulf and on
the Pacific, and occupy them as conquered ter
ritory, I'LL she shall come TO Just and honorable
terms of peace.
"Open them all to free commerce, fire, pla.
cling in them Collectors of our own. and es,abi.
si,ine sutabe tariff Of specific duties by means
Of which we shall levy, from the Mexican ma
tion itself, revenue fully adequate to cover all
the expenses, naval and military, OF such occu-
patton. In regard TO Yuca'an, which is con.
stantly blowing hot and cold between Mexico
and ourselves, compel tina, province at once to
its election between the two. If it shall abide
by the fate Of the former, include its ports ike
wise in this system, and in either case, extend
a Gordon uf Military occupation across the 18TH
! mi u,l,i MI. fc pf
of the Mexieans from the supplies Chiefly of
the indispensable article of salt) which they
now derive from the cunning and dorblc.Gea.
ling Yucatecos. When we have our enemy
thus shut in on all sides, let us hold him 80. like
frowsrd child up in closet, or held firmly
and patiently by the arms till he comes 10 his
senses, begs pardon, and promises TO be good.
1.-The beauty of this plan is, that Merico her.
SELF DiR have 10 pay its ,ohoie expenses, while
at the same time our own people and commerce
will be greatly benefited by it. 1t will be idle
for her TO prohb; the further diffusion through.
out the country Of the goods thus introduced
! into her ports They will circulate as certain.
Iy and almost as freely as though they had pas
sed regularly through Mexican, instead of a.
merican custom-houses The government mo-
| nopoly Of tobacco, from which they now derive
a considerable portion Of their revenue, would
be broken up by the competition Of the cheaper
and better supplies with which the country
would be flooded. The ccttons for which they
now pay forty cents yard, they viii buy freely
at ten. Their own poor manufactures, absurd.
| ly sustained by high "protecton," will fall like
SO many bricks in row while the people will
bs Sught practical lesson in the philosophy of
war, they will not soon forget
"The number Of ports on the Cult which
ought to be thus occupied is about eleven, name
ly, Ma,amoras, Soto la Maria, Tampico, Tux.
pan, Vera Cruz, Alvarado, Guasncnalcos, Ia
basco, Laguna, Campeschy and Ss,l; of these,
Matsmoras, 1ampico, Tabssco (or Frontera)
and l.aguna, are already ours The rest can
easily be taken and with the support of the na.
w. as easily kept. About FIVE thousand men
will serve 10 take and garrison the towns, and
a dozen small ships, with half dozen small
steamships for the coast service, armed with
two heavy guns each, will be all the naval force
required. This force could be bought for little
more than the cost Of frigate, and maintained
on the coast at less than half the expense, and
with more than ten times the efficiency of the
greatest squadron in that quarter.
"Whethcr tho vessels of other nations should
be admitted, with their cargocs, into the ports
thus occupied, (accordng 10 the Commodore's
view,) as well as our own, would be a question
Tor Congress 10 determine. Liberuity, as well
as a proper desire to satisfy the other members
Of the great commercial community Of nations,
and to repel the mputstion OF undue seItishness,
would seem to dictate an affirmative answer TO
this question. On the other hand Il may per-
haps he said, that to exclude ali other than A.
merican vessels would be but the exercise Of
belgerent right, while it would tend to in'e'
res, the ether nations 10 exert their influence
upon Mexico in fav or of peace.
Suppose this plan carried into ehect-"hTs
can the Mexican goyernmentd DO! Shut up her
meticslly, they would be utterly Powerless for
injury This state of thirIs might bo Prolon-
ged for twenty years. without the least m's-
chief or expense us. In the form OF $ tarif
imposition, both OF import and export, on their
entire foreign commerce. they would pay us n
large annual tribute. which would more than
cover the cost Of the system Oar wa cons,ai I
offer Of peace being before them, their govern.
! ment would roon tire of such a state Of thiugs