New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-02-26

The Pence.
We are 10 have Peace at last, no one seems to
doubt. Thank Heaven for that Whether we
are to pay Mexico Fifteen Millions reside the
amount Of our just claims upon her FOR sPoations
uoon our citizens or including that amount
whether we are to lend her an Army Of Twelve
Thousand men until the Peace party shall have
fully established and consolidated its ascendency
or only until we can fairly withdraw from the coun
try-seem yet in doubt, and we see no use IN
croydng our columns with the shrewd guesses OF
this paper or Of that the subject since afew days
must dspel all uncertainty. IL is agreed on all
hands that the future boundary Of the two nations
is to be the Rio Grande, from its mouth to about
the 32d degree Of North latitude, thence due West
10 the Pacific, giving accession OF ten degrees
or nearly 700 English miles in width across the
whole North end Of Mexico, with all that she pos
.essed on this sido Of the Rio Grande, including
the cities or important villages Of Santa re- Albu
aaerque, Taos, DC. and a Mexican population Of
perhaps 50 900 on this side Of the Rio Grande, and
as many on the other The territory we thus &C
quire can hardly be less than 1000 600 square miles
IN all eaual 10 a district 900 miles long and 900
broad; bat of this very large proportion is an in
hospitable and ireclaima0le desert of rock and
arid sand destitute in the main Of wood, Of soil,
end even Of water There is strip Immediately
on the bank Of the lower Rio Grande of decidedly
fertile soil but subject to inundations, fevers, &c
New Mexico higher up is in good part composed
of mountains and sterile wastes, but 1t embosoms
some decidedly rich mines OF copper aud silver.
Westward of this stretches thousand miles OF the
most ororu desert the face Of the earih-srack-
less, treelcss in good part watorless, and utterly
uninhabitabe. Still West Of this lies Upper Cali
fornia, com posed in the main of steep, rugged
mountains, and rich narrow valleys, but soreiy
diminished in value and productiveness by the
hsbitual scarcity of rain, except in Winter. There
are considerable tracts wherein this scarcity Is not
experienced and which admirably adapted to
Grazing aud the cheap rearing of Horses, Neat
Cattle and Sheep. The horses Of California are
hardy, swift and fine; the cattle. fair the sheep
breed very fast and are subsisted with little labor
or cost bat those of fine wool degenerate. OF
Grain large crops produced in particular local.
ties bat the scarcity and wretchedness Of agricul
tural implements the Incidence of the people and
the general necessity OF irrigation, are sad draw
backs on the progress and power Of Industry. Yet
the native Indians, to some extent have been
known TO labor steadily for bare subsistence and
as the climate 10 not very hot, we presume Yankee
energy will vlndcate itself there as elsewhere
SILL the abundance of mountsins, with the conse'
auent scarcity of navigabe streams, and difficulty
of intercommunicaton, must long retard and OBJ
s,ruct the progress Of Industry and Civilization
Ii would probably be extravsgsnt to estimate the
total area of arabic desirable land acquired by ui
West of the Bic Grande as equal to that OF New
York or Ohio The extensive deserts or wastes
on the other hand, are positive detriment anC
injury They will inevitably continue or becom'
the haun,s of savages and ouslawed desPeradoes
and will require constant expenditures to proven
or repress outrages and crimes. Uninhsbtsole o
barely habitabe territory is banetul TO republic
furnishing excuses for costly Military establish
ments rearing and harborng on It's borders PoPr
lation who will exercise the rights of citizen
withou, the education. Intelligence or virtue whic
the safe exercise Of those rights demands w
shall now doubtless have hostilities, actual Q
threatened, with the Camsnches aud other savage
Sufficient to excuse the keeping up OF stron
military force for many years TO come.
But we have Peace, New Mexico aud pp'
Cslifornis--et wha, cost We believe the sctu
Expenditure caused by this War, including tn
vet to be incurred (ior. though the War be ende
our forces cannot be- disbanded, especially in Ca
foruis. for several months, and considering II
Pensions. Claims, sc. which must be paid throus
future y ears, cannot fall below One Hundred NJ
lions of Dollars, and we think Ii will exceed th
amount The War has cost as. beside this, Il
lives Of at least Ten Thousand OF our countryme
including such as RIsGGoLD, HARDIN. HENt
CLAY, Jr. Col. Ransom. MARTIN SooTr WALNE
Mai WEBSTER, Capt LINCOLN, Capt. PACE, al
hundreds more whose deaths have stricken q
uoblest hearts in tho nation And, beside IN
ghastly array, we know that nearly or quite BIZ
Of the Forty or Fifty Thousand who have return'
or will return alive, bring home shattered joint
broken constitutions, the s,umps OF amputat'
limbs or the seeds of inoursble diseases. Fro
being active. willing, useful producers OF wealt
they are reduced to lifelong dependence aud Pa
persm. Aside from the individual hardship, q
National loss in their case is serious item.
All these, be it remembered are the fruits OF {
eminently sHoeesJR War Wehave experience
no defeat. hardly check, since the commenoemel
Of hostii,ies. Our Armies have rushed from vi
tory to victory, overruunng a territory scarce
less than that conquered by Alexander and eGs
capturing the strongest fortress and the noble
eapital on the American continent II such be Il
disparity between the losses and the gains Of
signsliy successful War, what must be the contra
IN case Of varied or adverse fortunel II the F
teen Millions we are to pay to Mexico would ba'
been deemed high price for the territory we q
qure-aod we think the Country would not hs
voted, before the War. TO pay 50 much for al '
now ob,sin-how fearful the folly as well as {
guilt Of War We, certainly, would not give Il
Millions for twice the amount of territory VIII
we would readily eagerly give Fifty Millions
Peace. Most truly has it been said, There new
was q good War nor bad Peace
Shall not the lessons of this War sink de-