New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-12-09


the invasion and aggression which he said Mexico
had perpssrated upon US indicates that he meant
this from the outset, notwithstanding his re-
pested disclaimers, however il may have been
with Congress. IL was not 20 defend our own ter
ritory that be called for men and money, but TO
conquer that OF Mexico. That too. was the i'm
pulse of bis urgent and repeated demand for
50 900 900 to be expended In making Peace with
her. And now, IN informing Congress that the sur
render by that Republic Of all this side Of the Rio
Grsnde and North Of the 32d degree OF latitude
constitute the very best terms be will grant or assent
70. he thinks it must be manifest not only 10 Mexi
co but to all other nations that he is mot disposed
to take adrant1ge of feeble power" II demand
ing half its territory as the memorable condition Of
making peacs with the rest be not taking sdysn-
tsge what would bel
Bat here Mr. Polk exposes and st1lti6es himself
He will not make peace without this immense con-
cession Of territory and yet. as this territory
" might be estimated TO be Of greater value than
fair equivalent for our Just demands, our Commits
soner was authorized to stipulate FOX the payment
Of such additional pecunisry consideration as was
deemed reasonable" That is Mr.. Polk orders
1rist to say 10 the Mexicans, We will ravage
your cities and kill you unless you will give Us half
your country-nothins - But Mr.. p they
dernur. are you sure we really owe you 50 much
as that comes TO- even if the account be reckoned
entirely in your way - o no says Polk very
likely that extent Of territory is worth more than
VIC can Justly claim Of you and we are ready to
pay the balance 10 cash But Mr.. Polk they
respond, by what color Of right do you exact the
surrender Of more than will pay your Just demand
How can you threaten 10 cut our Threats If we
will not sell you for cash territory which you clearly
confess you have no just claim to How will
tho pssser of Santa Anna contrive to exhicate
himself from this quagmire
The President tells Mexico that California and
New Mexico are frontier provinces, contiguous TO
the territories Of the United States-thereore con-
veEieDt 10 and not important 20 her. But, the
moment these are surrendered those next south
and west of them become frontier provinces IN turn
and the same considerations will apply TO them
Can he imagine Mexico unconscious OF this =
But New Mexico is greatly afflicted with hostile
savages he suggests and it's transfer to US would
insure protection and security TO its people Or
course, that protection 10 region so extensive can
only be afforded by powerful armed force, and at
heavy annual cost, TO be taxed out Of our own
people. To what end shall they be thus burthened
But By what right shall We coDstrain the Santa
Feans 10 submit to our sway after the restoration
of Peacel They are not very numerous pleads Mr.
POLK Well Sir, admit II and does our immortal
Declaration of independence say that the right Of
self government resides in dense communities only,
aud not in countries sparsely peopled as well =
Suppose them but $1,000 souls, and we compel
Mexico to surrender their department to our victo
rous arms But the people thus transferred say,
We protest against the assumption Of Mexico to
make us over 10 you We were State Of the
Mexican Federation Il they cast US out, very well :
but we do not choose TO go to you. What repuo-
lican can say that we have any right TO constran
them to become part and parcel OF ourselves, or
that victories can give US any Who cannot real
ize that States thus roped into the Union would be
elements not of strength but Of weakness7-How
can our People be expected to guard jealousy
their own liberties while they reckessy
,rampliDg on the liberties of othersl
From War TO Debt the transition Is easy and
natural We must have more troops, more expen.
dture more ferocity. more debt, in short more
vigorous prosecution Of the war Our Generals
do Mt seem savage enough, rapacious enough to
meet the expectations of the Palace. Reiterated
orders to them to support their armies by levyng
contributions the enemy appear to have had
very little effect 1t is not so easy nor so safe to
do what is required in Mexico as TO order it in the
White House. Gen Taylor has thus fer found no
n IL i. -. At
operate and Gen. Scott pithily answers that if
the army is To be supported by forced contributions
levied upon the country, We may ruin and exasPe'
rate the inhabitants and stsrve ourselves. And,
though the orders to compel the Mexicans to stand
and deliver in every possible mode have bees rter'
ated and reiterated from month TO month. We are
not told that the first levy has yet been made
And after Mr.. Walkers Mexican Tariff has been
several months in operation, we are gravely told
that nearly hall million dollars have been col
lected under it, That is the sum total of our colec
tons from Mexico to meet an expenditure Of more
than Sixty Millions And in the face ofthis result
we are told of the millions which probably ciH be
raised there, and the relief they will afford TO our
People, as If all of ne did not know better.
The Ways and Means.
The President puts on an aspect OF desperate
cheerfuness when compelled to face his empty
money bags First he tells that he has collected
some Eight Millions more Of Customs during the
last year under the Tariff of 40 than during the
preceding under that of AZ But surely he does
not need to be told that the Country quite well I'M
derstands the cause OF this difference. The failure
of European harvests in 1876, causing an enormous
expectation Of Food from ports at high prices,
inevitably melted a corresponding increase of I'm
ports snd hence of Revenue. Had the duties been
higher the lmportstioss would have been less, and
the Revenue correspondingy affected but. no mat
ter under what Tariff, the Imports and Revenue
of ~ could not have failed to be much heavier than
those Of 40. Then why seek " conceal the true
cause of the increase and suggest another
Mr. Polk estimates his Revenue Tor the next ms
cal year at nearly Thirty Five Millions and his Ex-
penditures at not quite Fifty Nine Millions-deh-
cheney Twenty-Four Millions. If the Thirteen
Millions deficit reported by Secretary Walker in
the Appropriations for the current year are to be
added land we are not this point the total
estims ted deficit up 10 June. ls4S is IHgrf gSercR