The Arkansas banner., 1847-12-20

ing he' own happiness by ws lAws and their faith
 Ifsfter AfFording this encouragement and protec. iion.-sftcr all the PerseycFing and sincere efforts we have made. from the moment Maxico cotnmen- eed the var, and prior 10 that time. so adjust our differences with her, shall utimae Ia |, then we shall have exhausted al honorable means in pursuit of peace, and must continue to occupy her territory with oar trocpss taking the fai mcasafe of indesnni'y with Oar own hands; and mast force the terms whieh our honor demands.
 To at otherwise in the existing state of things h Mex co. and 10 withdraw oar army without pcsces--woald not only leave al the wrongs of which we complain unFcdrcssed, but would be tho signal for new and fierce civil dis.ensons and new revolutions all along hostile to peaceful relations with the United States. Besides there is danger if our troops should Dc withdrawn before the peace shoald Dc concluded. that the Mexican people, wea- ried with suceessive revolutions. and depfivod of protection for their persons and property, might be inclined to yield 10 foreign influence, and to cast themselves upon come European Monarchy for pre- lection from the anarchy and suffering which would ensue- This. for our own safety, and in pursuance of established policy, we should Do com psed to resist
 We could never consent that Mexico should be thus converted into monarchy, governed by for- eign prince.
 Mexico is our next nelghbor, and her boundaries
 
 extent across tue North American continent, from ocean to ocean. Both politically and commercially, have the deepest interest in her regeneration and prosperity it is impossible, that with just regard 10 our own safety, become indifferent to her fate. It may be that the Mexican govern- ment and people have miseonceived. ormiscnnsira- cd our forbeaEance aud our objects, in desiring to conclude amicabie adjustment of the existing dif hsulties between the tsTo countries. She may have supposed that VIC would submit to terms degrading so the na,ion they may have drawn false infer from the supposed division cs opinion in the United States, on the subject of the war; and may have calculated to gain much by protracting it,- and indeed, that we might ultimately abandon it al- together, without any indemnity, territorial or otherwise. Whatever may be the false impres ssions under which they have acted, the adoption and prosecution of the energotic policy proposed. must undeccive them.
 Tn the future prosecution of the war. the enemy must be made to feel it's pressure more than they have done. At Its ommsncenent, 1t was deemed proper to conduct il in spirit of forbearance and Iiberality. With this end in view, early measures adopted to concillaie, as far state of war would permit, the mass of the Mexican populrtion to convince them that the war was waged not agains, the peaceful inhabitants of Mexico, but against their saithless government, which had commenced hostilities;---to remove from dleir minds false impressions, which their interests rulers had artfully attempted to make, that the on our part was of conquest,-that it was a war against their religion and the 1T churches which were to be destroyed and overthrown,-and that rights of per sons and private property would be violated To remove these false impressions, our commanders in the field directed scrupuIously respect their religion their churches, and their church property which were in no manner to be violated They directed also to respect the rights of persons and property, of all who should not take up arms against us.
 eck a.fr,a jeans by Maj Gen. Taylor, in proclamation, is sued in pursuance of instructions from the Secre- tary of War, in the monih of June, Ie46; and again, by Ma. Gen. Scott, who acted upon bis own convictions of propricty of issuing it, in proca nation of the llth of May, ls47.
 In this spirit of liberty and conciiation and with view to prevent the body of the NJ xican popula- ton from taking up arms against us. was the war conducted on onr part. Provisions and other sup plies furnished to our army by Mexican citizens, paid for at fair and liberal prices agreed upon by the parties. After the lapse of few months, 1t became apparent that these assurances, end this mild treatme have failed to produce the desired ef feet upon the Mexican population. The war has been conducted, upon our part, according to the most humane and liberal principles, observed by civilized nations It was waged in a far different spirit on the part of Mexico. Not approaching our forbearanee, the Mexican people generally become hostile 10 the United States and availed themselves
 
 cesses upon our troops. Large numbers of the pop ulation took up arms, and, engaged in guerreila warfare, robbed and murdered, in the most cruel individual soldiers, smal! parties, whom accident other causes had separated from the main body of army. Bands of the guerilias and robbers infested the roads harrasse our trains and whenever it was in their power, cut of our supplies
 The Mexcans having thus shown themselves to b. wholly incapable of approaching our forbear- and liberality il was deemed proper to change the manner of conducting the war, making them feel it's pressure according to the asages observed under similar circumstances in all other civilized nations.
 Accordingly as early as%the 22d of September 1916, instructions given, by the Secre ary of War, to Maj, Gen TSyor, to draw supplies for our army from the enemy, paying for them an1 to qnire contributions for it's support, if in that way he satisfied he could get abundant supplies for his forces Ia directing the execution of these in- structions much necessarily left to the discre- tion of the commanding officer, who was best ac- quainted with the circumstances by which he was surrounded,-the wants of the army-and the prae- ticability of enforcing the measures.
 Gen 1ayior, the 26th of Oct. lsIs. repfi.d from Monterey. thai il wonid have been impossi- sible, hitherto, and Is 10 sustain the army by forcing contributions of supplies.
 For reasons assigned by bim, he did not adopt the policy of his instructions, but declared his readi to do 50, should the army, in is future opera tons, reach portion of the country which may be male to supply the tEeaps with advantage.
 He continued to pay for the articles of supply which were drawn from the enemys country.
 Similar instructions were issued to Mai. General Scott, on the 3d of April. ls4I; who replied from Jaapa, sH ;hs 29,h of May, lsi7. that if it he ex- pected that the army Is 10 support itself by forced contributions evlcd upon the country, may ruin and exaspsrate the inhabitants and sarve ourselves The sane discretion given to him that had been to Gen. Taylor, in this respect Gen. Scott, for the assigned by him, still continued to pay for articles of supply for the army, which were drawn from the enemy.
 Afler the army had reached the heart of the most wealthy portion of Mexico, it was supposed that the obstacles which had before that time prevented, would not be such to render impracticabie the levy of forced contributions for its support and on ihe first of Sept, and on the 9th of Oct lS47, the order repeated in despatches, addressed by the Secretary of War to Gen. Scott; and his attention caitai fa af