Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-02-19

say there will be peace Well sir when can you promise
the country peace, the result Of your present plan But
you insist that after such sacrifices OF blood and
after having conquered many battles after having
tued so many cities and sronghods OF the enemy, would
be ngonous and pepostsrous to abandon them without
treaty. Here, by that fatal argument OF the
force Of circumstances which mpeled into
the war; and the Rio Gande II is the that twelve
months ago. after the battle of Monterey and when you had
already conquered than third Of the whole Of the Mex
can territory, caused TO decline the policy OF defensive
line recommended by General Taylor and urged by the dis
ngushed Senator from South Carolina who, from the be-
ginning Of this had the sagacy perceive the dangers
which threatened the country The argument then was,
have gone far retreat have been successful
abandon further operations without treaty we must teach
the enemy lesson must penetrate the interior OF the
country must carry into the heart OF Mexico
Well you have carried the into the very heart of the
enemys country and reveng its vtas and still
you have treaty. The argument founded on the
force of circumstances has acquired increased weight and
portance You must extend your operations you call
for ten thousand additional regular troops to enable you
the whole country the caamites Of TO
be felt throughout all her bodes and you led by the
force Of circumstances to pursue this atu Of peace
and treaty, which still eudes you and lures you onward
to the meshes Of policy from which you extcate
yourselves.
But you say you will exrcate yourselves that you will
the whole country, take all the stronghods and po
pulous States levy contributions and in this way
treaty; and if this experiment should fail you your
determination to take the full Of indemnity into your
own hands.
How long, sir, is the be continued in making this
experiment-one two, five years The policy itself
dcates that time will be important element in carrying it
out You recruit these ten regiments and get
them into the field in less than six eight months In less
| than one year. then, you expect result And what
will be the of this experiment To maintain army
of fifty thousand Mexico without having any certain
data upon which to form esmate hazard nothing say
ing cannot be less than $40, 600 600 per Then
if you should succeed in evyng much 000 600
the people of Mexico, this country will still have to supply
0O00 0OO This experiment. then, should it last year.
will this country least $50 OO0 000 and still there may
be treaty and you may be compelled at last TO take the
indemnity into your hands, that indemnity being New
Mexico and California for it is under this version of the poll
cy OF the Administration that discussing the ques
ton before the Senate. Well, sir did strike honor
able Senators who support the Executive making this expe
rment that should be crowned with complete success,
and treaty should be made ceding New Mexico and Cali
tonia to the United States the whole the country will
be than five times the value of the territory ceded Sir
Fcanno suppose that gentlemen intelligent and wen-
formed upon the subject have failed perceive this
sequence and how peposerous would be pursue such
course of policy, and for such result
now proceed, in my desultory manner, to notice the
arguments OF honorable Senators in support of this bill
and the proceedings OF the General in command Mexico
further confirmation of the views have already advanced
The present policy of the Administration and its friends
exceedingly difficult and embarrassing both themselves and
the country, and they must feel to be While they
necessarily continue keep the expectation early peace
prominent before the country, their plan of operations the
other hand has directly contrary tendency While they do
not mean TO abandon altogether the idea Of making treaty
is which may become very convenent-ye their
measures adapted, and their operations conducted with
reference to the settled policy OF encouraging the
blshment of governments government under the protec
ton of of holding and governing the country
until by the experience of the justice Of sway"
indicated by the honorable chairman Of the Committee
Military Affairs at the close of his argument the people of
Mexico shall be disposed to make such treaty the honor
of the country demands.
The difficulty and embarrassment of the argument in sup
port of the before the Senate, under such ccum
ing notice. that the distinguished Senator who introduced the
bill should avail himself of the earliest occasion say that
he knew of the policy of the Administration the
prosecution of the war, than what appears official do
cumens Yet regarded it such avowal a gentle
of his distinction and emnence country might fell
himself called upon make. His position in the body one
both delicate and important; and whatever his individual
opinion may be upon some particulars OF the policy adopted
the Executive department Of the Government he may feel
constrained to sanction them | make many allowances
for gentleman occupying the delicate and important relation
the Executive which be does chairman of the Com
mittee Military Affairs
That distinguished Senator in his speech upon this subject
confined himself mainly the views presented in the report
Of the Secretary of War and throughout his argument the
expectation Of early treaty lost sight Of while
the reasoning employed will be be based upon the idea
Of continued occupation of the country.
The argument first advanced in support Of the was
that army in Mexico in danger (Mr. CAss shook
his head) find that am mistaken The argument then
was that contingencies endangering the army
The people Of Mexico who have failed TO make an obstinate
resistance the commencement the
by proacted invasion to high degree of energy and
rage He announced to that army is in the midst Of
eight ten millions Of hostile populations. This
gumen which appears to be addressed fears and
the popular feeling which may be supposed exist in such
emergency cannot say that il one addressed to the
and judgment Of the Senate need not say that if
any grounds be shown for supposing that our
army in danger, that there is present who
would not promptly vote, not ten only but twenty, fifty,
any number Of regiments that might be demanded
its safety But what the facts the perlous cond
ton of army We have less than forty five
thousand troops in all Mexico and recruits still going
forward There not less than hry-two thousand
under Gen. Scott and this the army said be in danger
desire make brief reference what troops have
done, that may infer what they will do. To say
nothing Of the preceding brilliant and unsurpassed achieve
ments Of Gen. Taylor have him Buena VISTA with
army Of less than five thousand men-of whom
than six hundred regulars and the remainder undsc
pned volunteers who, has been properly said, had
before heard the report Of hostile gun--repulse,
with great slaughter, army Of twenty housandan army
the best disciplined and best appointed that Mexico had
been able to bring into the field since the beginning Of the
and withal supported by heavy train of artillery This
he did in open field. II the Senator from Illinois (Mr.
DorsLAss) were present, would say that it very OBJ
snae proceeding the part Of Gen. Taylor not to be will
ling be sacrificed to be driven the Rio Grande, and
thence home in disgrace. We Gen. Scott; with less
than twelve thousand men, landing Vera Cruz in the face
Of the enemy, attacking and compelling the surrender Of the
city, together with the Castle Of San Juan de Uua In
very short time ae him with eight thousand troops
stormng the batteries Of the enemy, and carrying the heights
Of Ceo Gordo defended BY army twelve thousand strong
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