Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1847-01-07

quered Territory, rather than soldiers 10 take |
part in the strife of war. BY this letter, the |
volunteers were required, as far as practicable,
TO he men "of various pursuits, and such as
would be likely to remain al the end of the war
either in Oregon or any territory that may be
then part Of the United States )" exhibiting
remarkable coincidence Of views between The
distinguished Naval Commander and the Chief
of the War Department. Though the gallant
Commodore sailed for the Nouh-wes, Coast
about the st of November, 1S45 it is evident
enough that he knew, before he embarked,
what was in the wind Indeed, in his address
80 his crew, on the deck of his ship, before
leaving The port Of Norfolk, he seems to have
hinted at his ultimate destination when he said
We now sail for California and Oregon ard, |
then, what Heaven pleases."
These are acls Of sovereignty, such as no
one would suspect either Gen. Kearney or
Capt. Stockton of undertaking to exercise with
out other authority than their own, though they
had not expressly declared that IN what they
have done they have acted by authority of the |
President Of the United States Do not these
acts of hers so sanctioned, constitute sufficient
Troof that "ihe spirit of conquest" has had
something 10 do with this war! When we
look, too, at conlemporaneous indications Of the
disposition OF The Executive and his official ad.
visers, as is supplied by the coiumns of The
Government paper-the most ultra and most
odious doctrine Of which against public liberty
the PresideR, has just endorsed in his Message
we cannot doubt bui "rhe spirit of conquest
entered into the motives of this war! We find
in that paper Of the 18Th of May last immedi.
aely after The receipts Of the first news of The
conflict of the arms on the Rio Grande, exhor-
Iallons TO Throw volunteers al once across the
Rio Grande, march into Mexico, aud terminate
The war with Mexico, if necessary, an the halls
Of MOntezuma ?" Nor was this hankerng after
the halls of Monlezuma a new idea with the
Administration, thrown out in the heat of pur-
suit of a retreating army. The same idea was
broached by the organ OF the present admins.
tration in cold blood within three months after
its first establishment in office, and within one
week after the editor of the new Government
paper took his post. la the " Union" of the 9Th
OF May 1916, referring TO some speculatons of
London newspaper upon The supposed de-
signs Of the United States upon Mexico, our
Government editor took occasion 10 saw that
not 5000 men nor 10000 would be necessa-
ry, but that 10000 men would be enough to
march upon Mexico, adding as follows:
Sound the bugle through the West and South
wesi-let the United States raise the standard to-
morrow, and in this proclaimed crusade to the
Halls of Montezuma and the mines of Merico,
twenty thousand volunteers would appear" &c.
And on the 22d of the same month, replying to
The Cincinnati Gazette's exception to the spirit
and temper of the above intin.ation, the +" Union"
said
"Was if wrong in US to tell the London Times
that, though we might not have regular troops
enough, yet volunteers would start up, at the first
sound of the buge by the Government of the Uni
led States, sufficient to ouerrun MerlcO, occupy
the Halls of Monesuaa, and conquer the ralleys Of
California;"
What thoughts were running in the head of this
Administration, on its very first accession to pow
er, is sufficiently shown by these Indications
Nor, by the way, was the thought of bringing on
a war by the advance of Gen. Taylors forces to
the Rio Grande entirely out of the mind of the
Administration long before that march was actu-
ally ordered; for, on the Ilth September, lS45,
many of our readers must well remember, the
Union held the following language:
If Arlsta dares to carry out his braggart
threats-if he ventures to cross the Rio Grande
with reinforcements to any little armed post which
Mexico may occupy on the east side of that river,
General Lay lor will attempt to prevent hm--6IO0d
must foao-WAR MUST ENsUE."
Arista did not cross the Rio Grande; and So
after waiting four months in vain for such a god
send, the Administration ordered Gen. Taylor to
march his force to the Rio Grande. With what
object! For what purpose! These are questions
which the reader will answer for himself if he be
not satisfied with the view which, in the preceding
columns, has been already taken of that matter.
AS early as the 9th of June last, the Union in
advertently disclosed the fact that our squadron
was instructed, long before the breaking out of
this war. to be in the way to take possession of
California, in the shape of supposition that " an
American force may possibly at this moment be
in possession of the principal harbors of Califor-
MA" And before the news OF our occupation Of
those harbors or of the capital of New Mexico
reached this country, (that is to say, on the 26th
September,) the Union discoursed as follows:
:" There is every reason to believe that General
Kearney is already in possession of Santa Fe
that Gen. Taylor is now or will be in few days
at Monterey, and perhaps at Saltlllo; and that
Gen. Wool will be at Chihuahua by the 10th OF
18th of October. Shall we then fold our arms and
relinouish one Of the advantages which we may
have obtaineds On the contrary, shall aoe moi
prosecute our Uictor1es and make additional con-
quests--toaDard California and tOUard the capita
Of Merico itself"
cupation of Santa Fe having arrived, the " Union
expressed the views of the Administration thus:
1.-The discretion which marked his Gen. Kear
news proceedings after he had reached Santa Fe
and the subsequent steps which he is about tC