The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-12-31

30 TAR from Mexico having invaded the
.Umted States. our President invaded
Mexico; and, so far from the war having
"existed" by the act of Mexico, il existed
$50 far as il is possible for the United
States to be at Car without the consent Of
the war-makiug poverty the act ofMr.
Polk alone. Nor, in our opinion, did il
exist without premeditatiou. lthad been
contemplated as possible, at least, from
the moment ofhis coming TO the Presi-
deucy. The government paper, as we
have already remarked. had not beenin
existence more than a. week before, in
that mirror ofthe Presidential sentiment,
the invasion, and even the conquest OF
Mexico, were foreshndowed -we may
say predicted--in the event of Mexico
ventnring to exercise any authority on the
east bank of The Rio Grande. AS early
as June, lS45 MARX the datel--the
Commander of the Naval force of the
United States in the Pacific was directed
to look out for war with Mexico, and
on receipt Of the news of it, to possess
lfimselfof the port of San Francisco, on
the coast Of California, and such other
ports as his force would permit He had
been SO instructed even earlier than this:
for the letter to him begins: Your at
teution is still particularly directed" &c.
tothe contingency of war. Congress was
To meet in December following. Early
in November. the Message ofihe Presi-
dent to Congress being in state ofprepa.
ration, already contained, as we had eve
ry reason to believe, a recommendation
of hostilities against Mexico, in some
form orother, on the ground ofunsatisfed
claims of our citizens. of unpaid indem-
nifty money, and other alleged grievances.
On the 9th of November, however Just
three weeks before the session began,
information having been received from
oui Consul at Mexico that the Mexican
Government was willing to receive a
Commissioner to negotiate concerning
the Texas boundary. the Message was
perforce changcd. Tho body Of the in
dictment against that Government was
indeed retained, as the reader will per-
ceive ifhe willtako the trouble to refer TO
the M essage itselEthe recommendation Of
reprisals, or of war in some form being
the only thing omitted" A Minister
Plenipotenllary was sent Instead Of
Commissioner-our Government refu-
sing to treat on the boundary question
without mixing it up with matters with
which it had no sort of connection--and
the correspondence between our Minis
ter and the Mexican authorities was still
going on when the army of General TAY.
Lon was, as iffUr the purpose of precipi-
tating events.marched from Corpus Chris.
Ii TO the Rio Grande. About the same
time, as we know from the Presidents
Message of last year, he was himself in
secret negotiation with the exled Militia
ry Chieftain, SANTA ANNA, for what pre-
else purpose can only be inferred from
the fact, that the day after The 0ar was
declared to exist, directions were given
TO our vessels Of war to allow him to pass
into Mexico. All these concurring cir.
cumstances show that war was premed-
tated by the President.
That the war might have beent then a.
yerted by Mexico's agreeing to surren-
der to the United States California and u
boundary on the Rio Grande, we do not
doubt; nor do we doubt that the Pres
idcnt and his Cabinet have been will
ling, ever since the war began, to
end it whenever Mexico would agree
to surrender to their demand all .of
berterritory thatthey have set their hearts
on and that this is what the President
means when he speaks of "conquerng
But we have still less doubt
that the original object Of this war, and
the sole true cause and motive of it, was
CONQUEST, or,in other words, the coercion
of Mexico to surrender territory which
Mr. Polk ambitioned the eclat of "an.
nexing" to the United States. Mr.. Sec
retary BANCROFT, in letter of instruc-
ions TO Commodore SLoAT, then com
in The Pacife,) on the 18th
If July, lSi6-two months after the
var was lcgalized by Congress-very
rankly disclosed this fact. THE OBJECT
u the United States. said he, us, under
as rights as a Jeliigereat nation, TO Pos.
The evidence which satisfied our mind oIthe
acts here referred to may interest some of our
caders We will therefore briefly stao it, In
nI trhna L.,
vas ut that time certainly in confidential commu.
icalion with persons familiar with the move.
lents OF the Government we Iound and copied |
ITO tue National lntollgencer the following Let
el;
WASHINGTON, October 30. (1845) |
81 am happy TO learn that the Executive has de.
ermiued not to seud II specin aeout To Mexico to
emnnd payment Of indemnities.
But am gud 70 state, for tue information of
Ioxicm claimants, aud for the information of
IL those who entertain Just sense of our nation
i rights md dignity, TINT the course of the Exec
ltive on this subject will be Que that will fully
meet their expectations. aud be far more efcciiUe
han The teebie and formal one that Ihavc refer
ed 10, nnd which las been abandoned.
"Wlat this course is To be will not undertake
o sttci but reIer all who nay be interested in
he matter 10 The Presidents Aanu0i Message,
which will bo forthcoming in about four weeks. |
The ground now tlken by the Executive prob
IDLY il, that Mexico has so far violated the treaty
ierself that WE ARE ABsoLvED FROM ASY ADHER.
sScg TO IT. She has taken the responsibility of
breaking oil all diplomatic intercourse, recalling
ier avn Minister and dismissing ours, | do no /
zee hnw this Government cuuld approach her in
my wny, eTcepi rHE WAY rHE FRgScu TOOK
Upon this disclosure, in this Letter, ofI
he intention Of the President to recon.