Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-03-11

ClTr OF MEXICO, DOUBTFUL TERnIToRr,
February Ii, ISIS
DEAR COLONEL: If any body asks you that I'M
nudent question again, What are we hghtin for I!
lest tell him he's goose, and don't know what ne ;
talking about, for we aint fghtin at all; we've got
peace now got an armistice, they call 1t; SO there
no sense al all in their putting that question TO you
any more. We've got the opposition fairly on lhe
hip upon that question, if no other; iarly gagged
'em they can't say to you any longer noW' !" " nal
are we fghtin for - This is some consolation
for the shabby trick TRIsT has served rs. That
fellow has made bargain with the Mexicans to
stop the war; in spite of the orders you sent 10 MN
10 come right home and let things alone. let
uneasy about il when see him hanging about here
so long after he got his orders to come home, ana
said to him, once or twice, Mr. Irist, what
the reason you don't 60 off home and mind the
President This unlawful holiness OF yourn IS
shameful"
.Why, Major" says he, :" he that does his mas
ter's will, does right, whether he goes according
TO orders or not The President sent me out here
TO make peace, and it's wonder to me II don't
fix it vet, somehow or other before I've done with
it, And then he put his finger TO the side OF MS
nose and give me sassy look, as much as to say
Major n~---.:-0. you better not try to be looking
into diplomatic things tnat 100 us.P %l you.
Saws /, "Mr. Trist, I'm astonished at you
thought Won was man Of more Judgment, and
looked teeper into things. Don't you see what
advantage il oyes the President to let things now
stand lest as thew be He's offered peace TO the
Mexicans, and they have refused u. therefore,
the opposition at home can't cry OUT against MIN
any more if he goes ahead with the war. hes
shet their mouths up on that score. He's made The
war popular, and can 60 into the Presidential cam
paign now with good chance OF being elected an
other term. And now if you go to dabblin in the
business any more, I'm sure you'll do mischief.
As things now stand, peace is the last thing IN the
world that the President wants. You've done your
errand here and got your answer, and It turned
out Jest right; we can go on with our annexln all
Mexico now, without such an everlasting growlin
among the opposition at home, for we've offered the
Mexicans peace, and they wouldn't take it. So
you've nothin to do now but to be off home, for the
war is jest in the right shape as it is"
Well now, after all this plain advice-for felt it
my duty 10 be plain with him-he still kept hang
ing about here day after day and week after week,
and the first knew we was took all aback by be-
ing told that Mr.. Trst had made treaty and Ginera
ScoTT was to order an armislice. | couldn't hard
ly believe my ears at first. ] posted right off to
Gneral ScoTT TO know what it all meant.
"Gineral,' says !, are you going to order an
armistice -
..Yes, Major Downing says he "Mr. Trist
and the Mexican Commissioners have signed the
prelminaries of treaty. of course we shall have
an armistce.'
Well now, Gineral,'' says |, a don't think
the President will thank you for that"
Can't help that says he, 6 must obey the
orders Of the Government thanks or no thanks.
And when Mr. Trist sent out here to make a
treaty, was directed, whenever the plan OF a treaty
should be signed on both sides, to order an arms-
hce, and wait for the two Governments ratify the
treaty. Well, Mr.. Trist and the Mexican Com.
missioners have at last fixed up some kind of
bargain and signed it, and of course according t.
my orders we have nothing TO do but 10 stand still
and wait for the two Governments TO clineh the
nail"
But says |, "Gineral, you know Mr. iris
has no right to make treaty any more than have
for the President has ordered him TO come home
and if he has made treaty, it's no better than a
piece of blank paper, and you should Mt mind it.
Don't know any thing about them matters, y
says he, :" can't 60 behind the curtain to inquire
what little manRuvres are going on between the
President and his Commissioner. Mr.. Trist came
out here with his regular commission to make a
treaty. He has brought me treaty, signed by
himself and the Mexican Commissioners and my
orders are 10 cease hostilities. Of course we can
do nothin else but halt and stack our arms
We'll" says |, Gineral it amt right it's bad
business; it II break up this grand annexin plan
that was jest going on so nice that we might got
through with 1t in year two more and then it
will bother the President most to death about his
election for the second term. That treaty must be
stopped; il mustn't be sent home; and I'll 90
right and see Mr.. Trist about it,
So off went and hunted up Mr.. Tris and had
talk with him. Says /, "Trist, how's this
They tell me you've been making treaty with
these Mexcans.'
Shouldn wonder i'll had,' says he: "tha's
Jest what come out here for
Well | must say, SIR says |, &" think this is
pretty piece of business. How do you dare TO
do such thing! You know the President has
ordered you home"
Yes says he, and ! mean to 90 home as
soon as get through the job he sent me to do"
" Well now says l. . Trist, claim to know
VIVA! the President is about, and what he wants,
and I'm his confidential friend and private embas-
sador out here and Shall take the liberty to inter-
iere IN this business. This highhanded doings OF
yourn must be npt off in the bud. What sort of a
bargain have you been making! Jest let me look
at the treaty"
"Ian don,' says he it's half way to Vera
Cruz by THIS timei sent it off yesterday
Blood and thunderl' says /, " then you have
knocked the whole business in the head, sure
enough. You've committed an outrageous crime,
SIR, and great shame and don't you know, sir,
that great crimes deserve great punishments! |
don't know what Col. Polk will do; but know
what my friend old Hickory wonld do If he was