Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-01-27


lns peace, bat Of Obtaining an hOHo rab.c trea-
/ ~; the meaning Of which, is neither more nor
less. than iaot we Ur, 10 obtain lrsaIy from
Mexico, giving u5 u ccsi.on Of Land equal to III
whole indemnify already stated in the fotmcr
part Of my remarks. Well. sir, a. il strikes me,
whether the war is successful or unsuccessful, IL
must certainly end in The defeat Of the ob .ci
for the attainment Of which, ills ayowcd y pros.
ecuted. IL the war b. unsuccessful. need 40,
argue the point. Ii We should be balIl d in our
arns-as trust we will not BE-, and ihnk is
not very likely TO b. the case-but ir circum-
stances should prove unfortunate for US. and W
should not be able 10 accomplish. in a military
point OF vlsw, what is charlctenz. d as yigor-
Gus prosecution Of lh- war, then, c.r ainly th re
will b. no rrsa'y. take higher ground. in-
slsi upon il tha! the NOR: successfully this warts
prosecuted, the more ccran will b, 10, .f.lt
Of The object designed to BE- acconplishe5.
whilst the objects disay0wed with the ACCOM-
plshsd. How is a su,ccj;rJ. war to be carried
on! WHAT'S lh3 object Of u! Wha, is il IN.
tgud d to effect! can see but one thing to b..
cH-cl'j. Ii is 10 suppress all relisancc in Mex
leo, TO oyor1Jw aud d.1pars her army. to over
throw her civil government and 10 leave her
wIihou, aay iarh power olresI,taHca. Well,
Mr.. Prtsidcnt It that be doIr, wha. i3, the r..
sun How are you 10 get an honorable peace!
Il takes but one purly 10 make war--two parties
Ia make paicc. Ii all authority in Mexico b.
oyrudrown, j, there bsnolcsi.ima'e posi- y IN
whom 10 negotiate. how ara you to ccompli-h
those obi scts which il is proclaimed this vigorous
persecution OF the war intended u ctf,cIi Sir,
you are defeated by your success. That viii b,
the clear and inevitable result But what do YOU
accomplish The very object YOU dislvow!--
For il The war should b. 50 prosecuted; wh-ro
will b. the nationality Of MeXicol Where her
separate existence! Where this free republic
with whom you desire 10 treat! Gonel We
have b.oucl her out Of the lisl Of nations. Sh,
has become a mere mass Of individuals without
any political existence, and the sovereignty Of
Ihs country, at least for The tino b.ing, IS trans
larral to IS. Now, Mr.. President, this IS no,
only a conclusion from reasoning upon this sub.
ject, but il is one 10 which, il understand the
President Alright, he comes with a single cxcep-
lion, and that, a mere contingency not likely
10 take place. The President has very much
the same conception OF the obi 'ct Of a vigorous
war as presented. H. says thatth great dii-
hcuilv OF getting peace, results from this, that
the people Of M.xico are divided under lactous
cheIIans, and that the chieiiain iu power dare
not give peace because his rivahwould then be
able 10 turn him out; and that the only way to
remedy this evil and obaiu Il treaty, is 10 put
down the whole of them. Well, what is To be
done thenl Is the thing 70 stop there! No.
We arc then TO build up again and establish un-
a. 4
of government from the citizcns who are well
disposed, which he says are numerous and are
prevented from Obtaining it, only by fear of
those military chiefs. And it is with this gov
erlment, slr, which is to grow up under tho en-
c0uragam"nt and protection Of our army-to b.
established by their auihor.ty-that il is propos-
Cd 10 treat in order to obtain peace. lmlsl con-
tesS am ut little loss 10 sec how a free and in.
dependent republic can grow up under the pro-
lection AMI authority ol lis coaqueror. | do
not see how such 4 government can BE- cslab.
Il3had under his authority. | eau readily under
stand how an arstocracy-how Il kingy gov
ernmenl-a dGSpnlSm, might Be established By
Il conquerof. But how Il free and independent
republic can grow up under such circumstances,
10 10 me incomprehtn-iOIc. had always sup
posed that republican govGrnmcut was the sPol-
tlneou5 work Of the psoPle-lhal i! cam3 from
the paopIe--.ron the hearts ofiho poopIa;--that
il was supported by lha hearts of The people,
and that II required 70 sup OHIO protection
from quarter whalever. BuI, sir, il seems that
these aro anlquatad nolons-obsel.to idCas,-
and that we may now manufacture republics TO
order, by authority oru conquering government.
But suppose, sir all these difficulties surmoun.
ted. How can you make free government in
Mexico! Where are your materials! 1t is To
be, presume confedera,ed government like
our own. Where is the intelligence in Mexico
adequate 10 th5 construction OF such govern
mcntl That is what she has been aiming at
for twenty odd years, but 50 utterly incompet, Mt
are her people for the work, that it has been
complete failure from beginning to end. The
great body Of the intelligence and wealth of
Mexico is concentrated in the priesthood, who
are altogether dlsincned to that form Of gov.
the owners of the haciondas-
the large planters otlho country, who comprise
almost all the remaining mass Of intelligence,
are without opportunities Of concert and des .
iulc Of the means of forming such govern
ment. Sir, such government would be impos-
5ibIc-and if put up, would tumble down the
very next day aler our protection was with
Drawn.
Il appears to me to be a far more plausible
l'an, il It's determined TO have peace, 10 sustain I
he government that now exists in Mexico; or
.ahcr refrain from putting it down. Letit grow
Ip and mature iIseIl. have ConverSed with I
several of The officers of the ormy--men Of in.
this subject aud all agree in the
opinion THAI the mere shadow Of government
which now remains at QuaretOro, will have no
luthority Whatever, aud that if We were to make
peace in any degree contornalory to our view
If what u peace ought to be, The very moment
ve withdraw, II would all be overthrown, and |
what then! The very country assigned to us
" the peace for an indlmnity we must either
lold delensiveIy and be brought back ultimately .
o the defensive line, which would be the end of
he whole Of it; or, return and renew this war
ill it terminates in the conquest Of the coun.
rY.