Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-02-25
THE ENQUIRER.
RICH ND, VA.
Friday Morning, February 25, Is4s.
II is a favorite game Of The Wings to con,ent

Friday Morning, February rs, IS4s.
II is a favorile game Of The Wings TO contend
that the war in which W are engaged is perni-
cious, aggressive, inglorious and unjust. The
following article, which we have had on baud
for several days, refutes this position in a mas
terly manner. Let not lis length deter The read
er from a careful perusal. lis powerful argu.
ments, conclusive historical sketch, aud eloquent
and patriotic sentiments must have an effect on
the public mind. 10 yindicating The honor, the
good name and the rights OF the country. We
would add, that il is from the pen of one Of the
ablesl and most distinguished Wings in Nelson
county, who, rising superior 10 party, maniully
and triumphanlly suslains the honor OF his own
country:
For Tie Enquirer.
Messrs. Editors: | wish 10 present you a con-
else statement OF the causes and events which
led TO the Mexican war. In doing SO shall con-
slider the relations between the United States and
Spain prior 10, and al The lime oil, and subsequent
to the purchase Of Louisiana. France had claim
ed and held Louisiana in virtue Of The discove-
ries of Lasalle, for many years before she ceded
tito Spain. His discoveries extended to the Rio
Bravo del Norle, and France had as good a right
TO the territory in that direction and 10 that limit
as she had 10 any other part OF Louisiana
Spain held i, under the cession from France, un-
Ill The year 1902, and holding the adjoining ter
ritory, it was not necessary between France and
herself, TO designate @i,h precision The bounda-
Ties of the cession just made. In the year 1902,
Spain ceded Louisiana and the Floridas back 10
France, OF The terms OF which cession Spain al
forwards complained and alleged that France
had not complied with The slipulations between
them, and especially she complained that France
| had violated an agreement not 10 cede il 10 any
other nation.
SPAIN AMI II UNITED STATES.
In 1903 and after the conduct OF Spain and her
| Intendan nj at n. Orleans had produced great excite
menl and even CONSERVATION in The w.. States, his
suspending The right of deposit at Orleans and
before France had taken possession OF The country
ceded, Mr.. Jefferson, then President of the United
States, opened a negotiation with Bonaparle. then
FIRST Consul, for The purchase OF Louisiana. Pend
ing this negotiation, Spain took the alarm and
entered her protest against il. The reasons as
signed in The protest are those before referred 10,
but The true reason, perhaps, was, That Spain had
yielded 10 the oversbadowing power Of the first
Consul, then existing in all its s~plendor, and The
cession on her part was the result Of his dicialion.
Ii was an inferior power submitting TO The man.
date OF a superior one. II France could have
reconquered ST. Domingo, she would perhaps
have held Louisiana, but failing in that enter
| prize, her interest 10 retain il passed away, and
besides being al war with England, she was e1-
| posed 10 The hazard of losing il by conquest, an
event which would unqueslionably have hap
pened, had she not sold j; TO the United States.
Lei US see what happened pending This nego.
COLLATION.. Lei o., look into The arguments then
used by Mr.. Jefferson, and let u. compare these
nn,:,.,n. nd ,pr. . allan md ,,o;c,oI ~
by him, with the modern doctrine that the United
States cannot and ought not to make conauests.
In 1902 Mr.. Jefferson writes 10 Mr.. Livingston,
then our minister 10 France, that 1.-The cession Of
Louisiana and the Floridas by Spain to France,
works most sorely on The United States. |; COM
pletely revefses all the political relations OF the
United States and will form a new epoch in our
political course. Il is New Orleans through
which three eighths OF The produce oil The United
States must pass; and France, placing herself al
that door assumes to US The altitude Of defiance.
Spain might have retained il quietly for years"
Such a result, he says, might follow from her
feeble stale and pacific disposition. "Noi so,
however, with France. The day that France
takes possession OF New Orleans fires the SEN
ience which is 10 restrain her forever within her
low water mark. HssaLsH tic Union OF toe Notions
rio IN conjunction, can maintain eIdusiuc possession
ofths ocsan. From tha, moment We must marry
ourselves to he Britii feet and nation. We must
turn all our attentions 10 a maritime force, for
which our resources place II. on very high ground,
and having formed and connected together . foTcc
which may render reinforcement OF The settle
ments here impossible 10 France, make hs first
eann0, uhich shall BE- fired in Euepc The signal
for te6ring up anu settlement she may hare made,
and for holding TIC tro continents n America IN
seguestration fOr The common purposes 0fhc United
British and Amer,can nations. This is not a
stale of things we desire-il is one which This
measure forces upon Us as necessarily as any other
cause BY he ta'os Of nature brings m It's necessary
effect"
Now | would enquire, what is Inc meaning OF
all ihis3 Is il no, simply that, from our seosra-
phical position, New Orleans was essentially ne
cessary 10 our existence as a nation. and that
we were obliged To have il, and would have in
Was such a position contrary 10 Tho law 81 IA
!ions7 Not so. BY that law we were entitled 10
every thing necessary 10 our exlslenca-not in
deed unjusily. But wha. would be justice in that
easel The answer is, 10 take j., and pay tor Ii a
Just equivalent. But suppose the holder would
no, agIee 10 sell il Then il would follow, as
natural necessary consequence, that The nation,
whose existence depended upon il, would lake II
b, conquest. Refine as you will upon justice
self preservation is the first law Of nature, and !;
will be indicated, even al The expense Of an in
Jury 10 anoiher-such an injury being one OF the
unavoidable incidents Of human existence. IL
was exactly the deduction Of wisdom, "That the
day France takes possession Of it, fixes the SEN
tence, which is 10 restrain her within the low
water mark"-a melaphnrical expression, indica-
ting that, from that moment, She was 10 be he'd
as an enemy.
But how happens it thai, the United States, ac-
cordiug to the modern doctrine, cannot make
coneuesls2 Are We the only people on earth who
may lose and cannot gain1 Can other nations
conquer OF US, and not We OF heml Ii we can
ACQUIRE al all, is not conquest one OF the modes Of
acQuisiiion2 But Mr.. Jefferson, who was mol
very bellicosc in his disposition, and always a
sliickIer for The Constitution, asserts, in express
terms, 'lhat we must conquer New Orleans;
and, indeed, he goes far beyond, that I'VE must
marry ourselves TO England, and, by The union,
conquer The ,chole of North and South america, 70 DC
held Il. ,equesraiion for The common purposes 81 the
| united British and American nations"
What nonsense il was Tor the United States 10
invade Canada during the last war with England,
il we could not and ought not to make conquests!
In the Spring of 1903, Mr.. Monroe was sent to
France TO unite with Mr.. Livingston in the ne
e~otialion for the purchase OF Louisiana; and Mr..
Jefferson, in wiring to MIR. Dupont Nemours,
uses The following language: 1.-THE use OF the
Mississippi is so indispensable 10 US, that we can
not hesitate a moment 10 hazard our existence Tor
its maintenance" and, also, "whatever power
than ourselves holds the country East OF The
Mississippi, becomes our natural enemy" He
enquiries, how long would il b. held by such a
power, with such an enemy as the United States
situated al its door, added 10 Great Britain7
In the Summer Of 1909, and because Napoleon,
then first Consul, had been precipi,aled into a war
with England sooner than he expected, the nego-
tialion ended in his making the sale MIR. Jefer.
son desired.
On this acquisition there was no little %croaking
and complain. at that lime. II was said, "Tbat
extended empire, like expanded gold, exchanged
solid strength for feeble splendor." The muir
muir, so often since repeated, was then Strongly
rveibar il would lead to The dissolution OF the