The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-12-15

To maintain at home by their good conduct in
the field, and they are intelligent and there is
an indiv duality Of character which is found in
the ranks of no other army In battle, each
private man, as well as every officer, fights not
only for his country, but for glory and dstnc
ton among his fellow citizens, when he shall
return to civil life.
Tho war with Mexico has demonstrated not
only the ability Of the Government TO organize
II numerous army, upon sudden call, but also
to provide it with all the munitions and neccs
cssary supplies. with Dispatch convenience and
ease and to direct its operations wish efficiency
The strength of our institutions has not only
been displayed in the vaor and skill of our
troops engaged in active service in the field, bu,
in an organization Of those executive branches
which were charged with the general direction
and conduct Of the war.
While too great praise cannot be bestowed up.
! on the Ulcers and men who fought our battles,
il would be unjust to withhold from those off
ctrs necessarily stationed at home, who were
charged with the duty of furnishing the army,
in proper time and proper places with all the
munitions of war and other supplies necessary
to make il eiiectual, the commend ,tion Ia which
they are entitled The credit due To this class
of our officers is the greater, when IT is consd-
cred that no army in ancient or modern times,
was ever better appointed or provided than our
army in Mexico. Operating in an enemy =
country-rcmovcd two thousand miles from the
seat of the Federal Government, its different
corps spread over vast extent of territory,
hundreds and even thousands Of miles apart
from etcli othcr-nothing short of the undyinu
vigilance and extraordinary energy of these
officers, could have enabled them To provide the
army at all points, and in proper season, with
al that was required for the most efficient ser
vice
1t is but an act Of justice 10 declare, that the
officers ia ch ,rgo OF the several executive bu.
reau4, a Il under the immediate eye and supcry.
sion Of the Secretary of War, performed their
respective duties with ability, energy, and eff
cheney.
They have rcapcd less Of the glory Of the war,
n6' having been personally expo "a 70 its pcrils
in hattie. than their companions IN arms; bu;
without Their forecast, efficient aid and co-oP"-
ration. those in the Geld would not have been
provided with thu amp.o means they possessed
Of achieving for themselves, and the" country
uniading honors won by both.
Whcnnll these facts are considered, II may
cease 10 be n matter of so much amazcmeni,
how it happened that our noble army IN Mexico,
regulars and volunteers, were victories upon ev-
cry battle field, however fearful the odds against
them.
The war with Mexico has thus fully develop
cd the capacity of Republican Governments to
prosecute, successfully, necessary foreign war,
with all the yigor usually attributed To more
arbitrary forms of government. Ii has been
usual for writers on public law to impule to re.
[ publicsa want Of thai unity and concentrate n
of purpose, and vignr of execution, which are
generally admitted to belong to the monarchi-
cal and ar,Stncrltic forms; and this feature Of
popular government has been supposed 10 dis.
play itself more particularly in the conduct of
a war carried on in an my's country.
The war with Mexico has developed, most
strongly and conspicuousv another feature Of
our institutions. 1t il, that without cost to the
Government, or danger to our liberty, we have
! in the bosom of our country frecmcn available,
! in Just and necessary war rticularly,a stand
! ing army of two millions of armed citizen. sold
! icrs--such as fought the battles of Mexico
But our military strength does not consist n
lone in our capacity for extended and successful
J operations on land ] refer TO tho Navy--an in
dependent arm oC the National defence. II the
services OF the Navy were not brilliant as
those OF the Army, in the late war with Mexico,
IT was because they had no enemy to meet on
| their own element. While the army had an OPP
| portunity Of performing more conspicuous ser.
vice, the Navy performed their whole duty to
| the country. For the able and gallant services
of the officers and men of the Navy, acting in
! dcpendcntly as well as in cooperation with our
troops in the conquest of the CALIFORNIA;, the
capture of Vera Cruz, and the seizure and occu
| patton Of other important positions on the Gulf
and Pacific coast, the highest praise is due
! Their vigilance, energy and skill, rendered the
most effective service in excluding the mum
/ tons oi war and Other supplies from the enemy,
| while they secured u safe entrance for abundant
supplies for their own army. our extended
commerce was nowhere interrupted, and for this
! immunity from the evils of war, the country IL
I indebted to the Navy.
| High praise is due to the officers Of the sever
al Executive bureaus, navy Yards and stations
connected with the service, all under the immc.
date direction of the Secretary of the Navy,
J for tho industry, foresight and energy with
which every thing was directed and furnished,
to give efficiency to that branch OF the service.
White this harmony existed in directing the
preparation of the navy as Of the army, there
was concert of action and purpo'c between the
heads of the two arms of the service.
| BY the orders which were from time to time
issued, our vessels Of war, on the Pacific and
. the Gulf of Mexico were stationed in proper
time, and in proper position, to cooperate otii-
GENTLY with the army. BY this means, their
combined power was brought to bear successful g.
" upon the enemy. The great results which
have been developed and brought to Ing by this
war, will be Of unreasonable Importance in the
future progress of our country. They will tend
powerfully to preserve us from foreign coll sons,
and enable Us TO pursue intcrruptcdly, our cher.
ishcd policy-pcace with all nations, cntan-
Cling alliances with none.
Occupying, we do, more commanding
position among nations than at any former peri.
cd, our duties and our responsibilities to our.
selves and our posterity, are CORRESPONDENCE in.
creased. This will be the more obvious Whc ,
we consider The vast additions which have re.
Gently been made to our territorial acquisitions,
and their great imp nrtancc and value.
within less than four yc r., the annexation of
Tex Ia the Union has been conSummltcd, aud
conflicting titles to the Oregon Territory south
Of lnrty.ulnc degrees of north latitude, bcin d,
all that was insisted on by any Of my prodcccs.
sors, has hoon udustcd and New Mexico and
Upper Cali orna have ucan acquired by treaty.
The area OF these several territories, according
TO t,c rcpor, carefully prepared by the Cpmms.
soucr Of the General Land O.li,c, from the
most authentic iuiprnltlou ia his possession,
andwhirh is herewith transmitted, IL one mill.
ion one hundred aud ninety three thousand six.
ty.ouc square mile, or seven hundred and six.
tythroc millions five hundred and Gly.ninc
thous md and forty acres. These estimates
show, thu the territories recently acquired, and
over which our exclusive jurisdiction and do.
minon have been extended, constitute coun.
try more than lyslG IA large IA that which was