Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1848-02-12

power 10 publish any paper of more inter.
est or consequence on the particular matter
to which it was confined, than the subion-
ed letter from q distinguished citizen of
knowledge, gathered during travel in for
eign parts, and public service and expert
ance both abroad and at home, to form
sound judgement on the subject of which
his letter treats, and who being friend to
The Administration, cannot be suspected of
being under any possible party bias against
its proposed measures.
. The name of the writer is familiar to all
our readers of mature age. To some OF
the younger class of them, it may be proper
to state that Mr.. Poinsett was, after return.
ing from foreign travel, for several years
Representative in Congress, and there dis
tingushed for his liberal and enlightened
views; that he was the minister of the U.
States to Mexico for several years; was, af.
ter his return from that mission, for several
wears Secretary of War, to which he was
called by Mr.. Van Buren,, and has had,
therefore, every possible opportunity of
acquiring information which authorizes him
to express to the respected Senator from
his own State, tho opinion contained in the
following letter.--Nat Lntellgencer.
SrATEsBURc, Is. c. Dec. IL, ls47.
My DEAR SIR: In compliance with your
request, and in conformity with my promise
| have determined to give you very briefly
my views on the all.engrossing topic of the
day. | was detained later than expected
to be in Columbia, and have only this mo-
ment seen the Presidents message and the
Report of the Secretary of War, and am
surprised to perceive that they still persist
in recommending a course of policy which
will lead to still further useless expenditure
of blood and treasure, and will finally have
TO be abandoned. With the reasoning on
the subject of the acquisition of territory |
have nothing to do, especially as the Pres
dent seems TO think Congress pledged to
these conquests. l can only express my
regret and my firm conviction that these ter
ritorial acquisitions will not add TO our
strength or prosperity.
The recommendation that most serious
" alarms me is contained in the paragraph
where the President says there can be no
doubt that there exists peace party in
Mexico, and that it may become expedient
for our commanding generals to give as
surances Of protection to such party; in
short, to create party, make peace with
it, and guaranty it in the possession of
power. Nothing can be more chimerical;
nothing could be more insecure than the
execution of such project, were it prac-
ticable. Such party would bear no pro-
portion to the nation, and the members of
it would require to be protected from pub
lie indignation and vengeance for long
years to come, by force not less formida-
; BILE than that now in the country, without
the chance of any indemnity, or the power
Of levying contributions of any sort. II
=. the peace government should agree to pay
and subsist their protectors. they must, from
the nature of things, fail to do either
PRAY, save us the disgrace of attempting
such an Intervention. The attempt might
lead to an intervention Of different sort
that would possibly prove more successful
The President is apprehensive of foreign
interference, first in California, and next If
the establishment ofa monarchy in Mexico
There is not the slightest risk of the former
and. if the Mexican people are left to them
selves, no chance of the latter. They
were so entirely republican in 1922, that
> did not hesitate confidently to foretell the
= downfall of lturbide. They are much more
so now; and no scheme Of that sort could
have even momentary success. unless the
leaders considered it as the only chance Of
opposing US. There exists strong monar
chical party, strong in wealth and station
, the Priests, the former aristocracy and the
adherents of Spain. We may drive the
!, numbers under their banners. Still the
President is wrong: our armed intervention
T. might bring on US a powerful foreign foe
but could not prevent the evil whereas, i
we hold back, my life for it, a monarchy
would not, exist in Mexico three years
with $4,000 foreign bayonets to sustain it
, The people are republican.
The President says he is convinced tina
), the best means of bringing the war to al
J honorable close will be to prosecute il will
increased energy and power in the vita
parts of the enemy's country. Now | an
persuaded, that so long as we continue II
Il prosecute the war, in the interior of Mexi
e CO, we shall have no peace with the nation
i and all attempts to make peace with fac
ton will place us in worse position thar
open war. speak with the authority of
= perfect knowledge of the nature of tn
country and the character of the people.
was glad to find that the Secretary re
ec,s the plan of overrunning the Who'll
country, as too expensive; but was sur
lie prised to perceive that he only estimate
Il the number of men it would require to d
y this, or to maintain our present conquest
at seventy thousand men for the first, an,
some thirty-fve or forty thousand for tn
second. He says nothing of the annual cor
sumption of men during this prolonged cor