The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-03-11
WASHINGTON, March 9, ls47.
A Rambling Dissertation, and Explanation of the
War icifh Merico.

var icih lHerlc0.
The stirring news from the seat of war last
night, carried Mr.. Secretary Marcy, as we learn,
over to the Presidents this morning, by early
breakfast time. The retreat policy seems to have
been resolved upon by Santa Anna, on every APP
proach of our legons. IL is even expected that
Vera Cruz will be taken without blow that the
castle will be found evacuated, with its ammuni-
ton gone, and its two hundred heavy cannon
spiked, and that the war is to be war of pursuits
and escapes, and 40 general engagements, with
any quantity of the enemy continually surround
ing our scattered attachments. The war is
evidently working itself into the Spanish Guerilla
system on the part of the enemy. But they are
of no account They will be beaten wherever
they are encountered, whether in defiles or on
mountain heights, or in walled towns in the
open deserts; or whether they are met in SQUAD
rons, or by companies, in squads, or en- niasse -
They hate us, but they are afraid of us Monte
rey has exlnguished their courage. They can L
fight now, except with the odds OF ten to one and
t1ey won't presume to fight unless the odds to this
extent are in their favor They can't begin to
expel the Anglo-Saxon by running away from
him, and the idea OF exhausting him by long pur
suits, is just as perfectly absurd.
tArd yet they have chance Tor little retaliation
Santa Anna IS north Of the forces of Gen. Scott
and the main body of the American army and
he might, II he could do no better preciptate
himself upon the baggage trains along the Rio
Grande, 10 the very mouth of that river, and
even penetrate into the uninha bi,ed borders of
Texas Some suppose that this is his design,
and that while our forces are pushing into the
heart o. Mexico, our enemies, falling The rear
will retaliate upon the baggage wagons along he
Rio Grande, and the squatters along Mr.. Cal
houn's defensive line.
Santa Anna is either a most wretched gene rsi
or else he is playing the game into the hands OF
our President with a most singular adroitness.
He has had several fine opportunities by a rapid
movement, OF cutting oil by piece meal, our
forces at Saltillo, Victoria, Tampico, San Jose,
Monterey, Camargo, and Matamoras but he has
stood still, eating up his provisions, or collecting
together such throng OF iazzaroni as 10 reduce
his whole army TO des iruuou, from winch the
hog and homminy fed Anglo Saxons, in like
situation, would be starved TO death in less than
month. A pint OF raw corn, and three pods of
red paper for two days rations, is rather slim
allowance for an infantry an even in oamp-and
even for Mexican; though II is pretty certain H. at
provisions for 5000 Americans would be amply
sufficient for the comfortable and even liberia
sustenance OF 1000 OF the "greasers," as the
soldiers term the enemy Santa Anna has not
shown fight, but has gambled away his time in
most ingiOTloas ease at San Luis, without provl
sions, without arms, and without money, and no
stray conductas passing down TO the sea- board -
We know that he is more the knave than the
coward and he may have been all this time play
ing the stool pigeon. IL may be part of the Ha-
vaaa understanding It miy be that the butcher
Of the Texans has turned the traitor to his coun-
nGuvrlng to draw his enemies at home into the
coli OF armies, in order to coerce them into a
peace for which he Is already pledged. This may
DO so, but we rather incline 10 believe that neither
santa Anna nor the Mexican people nave devised
any piaa OF defence, save that of retreatng, ex-
osp where the odds are largely in their favor and
Of only fighting when they present the ave.
rage OF about 600 TO 60. With their military such
il is, the rule OF action appears to be 10 take
good care of No. /, and la dtaboLo take the hind
most" We doubt whether the Anglo Saxon race
he broad world over, whether in the wilds Of In
dIa, or the far East, or the island OF New Holland
OF the Cape OF Good Hope, have ever COPIED
with a more contemplate enemy than these Mex
'cans-ihey are too lazy TO be brave, too lazy for
uisciphne, and only active and brilliant IN tn u Sc
VI tner legs There is, perhaps, one nation even
'nn,he con'empubls in war than El-Repnbiicamos
rtctlos, and they are the Chinese. But the
1slssials, When invaded by the British red coats,
hduo , az iedst snow OF resistance. They sta
themselves on the ACTIVITY of hill l. and on
NC apP,odch Oh the outside barbarians they pre-
eipuated themselves upon them in a succession
- sout'e.ses, ground and lofty tumbing amid
yeils' huzzds, aud the clamor Of gonQs thai ougbt
70 nave stimulated the enemy, but winch dem5n.
sIagon unfortunately ended In their own vanl,ers
OF vault-iguers being clipped upon the WING W.
sec, on tne other haud, Mexican conornan,i.s
CNhhS his army together and initiating them vii
tne exhueratIng gas OF a bomb ,stic pronnnci.'
MEMO, 20 sucn an extent that the poor lenc,o
with hall pint OF undgested corn in his atom acb'
burns ior vengeance against the northern roh'
BEES; but his courage, and his initiation of gas md
mshsli pint OF parched corn fail him as The rob.
bcrs pproach, and with the national nv of I" III.