Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-01-04


be published in the "Union."
We have The honor 10 be, &C., &c.
Il Il. t sntPPEEAafTGHEERsroN, MI''iss'ssgi'
WILLIAM SAWYER, Ohio.
THOMAS ); TURNER indiana.
JOIN L. ROBINSON, ILLINOIS
H. s. F0oFE, Senator from Mississippi.
HOWELL COBB, Georgia
ABRAHAM w. YENABLE, North CarolnP
ID. =. DICKINSON, Senator from Me-
Honorable Lewis CAss.
u,salNGroN, Dec 80, lS47.
Asreeably to your request, place
G3SSat disposal copy OF the letter TO which you
refer.
With great respect, am, gentlemen, your
obedient servant, LEWIS CFSSo'
Hon. J. Thompson, w. s. Fealhers,on, &c
WASHINGTON, Dec. d. lSa7.
DEAR SIR: have received your letter, and
shall answer it, as frankly rs il is written.
You ask me whether am in favor OF the &C.
QUESTION OF Mexican territory and what are nv
sentiments with regard TO the Wilmot Proviso}
| have so often and so explicitly stated my
view. of the first question, in the Senate, that II
seems almost unnecessary 10 repeat them here
As you request it, however, | shall briefly give
hem
think, then, that no peace should be granted
10 Mexico, till reasonable indemnify is obtain
territorial exien, of this indemnify is, in the first
instance, a subject OF executive consideration.
There the Constitution has placed il, and there |
am willing 10 leave ii; not only because l
nave full confidence in lis ludcious exercise, but
because, in the ever varying circumstances Of
Har, it would be ndiscree', by public declara-
to commit The country 10 any line OF indem.
~, which. might otherwise be enlarged, as The
obstinate fs3uslice of The enemy prolonss The
..:,l IF a
Ii appears 10 me that the kind Of meta hysical
magnanimty, which would reject all indemnify
at the close of bloody and expensive war,
brought on by direct attack upon our troops
by the enemy, and preceded by succession OF
unjus, acts for series of years. is as unworthy oil
the age in which we live, as it is revolving TO The
common sense and practice OF mankind. IL
would conduce but little TO our future security,
or indeed, 10 our present reputation, TO declare
that We repudiale all expectation of compensa-
ton from The Mexican government, and are
fighting, not for any practical result, but for some
vague perhaps pbilanthropic object, which es.
capes my penetration, and mus, be defined By
those who assume this new principle of national |
INSTRUMENTATION. All wars are 10 be depre-
Gated. as we'll by The statesman, as BY the philan-
thropist They are great evils but there are
greater evils than these and submission 10 injus-
lice is among them. The nation, which should
refuse TO defend its rights and its honor when
assailed, would soon have neither 10 defend; and
when driven 10 war, it is not by professions OF
disinterestedness and declarations. of masnanim-
ily, that lis rational objects can be best obtained
or other nations taught lesson of lorbearance-
the stronges, security for permanent peace. We
are at war with Mexico. and its vigorous prose-
cution Is the surest means of it's speedy Iermina-
zion. and ample indemnify The surest guaranty
against the recurrence of such injustice as pro-
yDkpd it
sThss Wilmot Ptoviso has been before the COUP