Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-01-18
RIG II MON -, VA.
Tuesday Morning, January Is, 1913.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

4 l " II III ~ y -, W.
Tuesday Morning, January Is, leie.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
We will no, so far insult The intelligence oi
our readers as TO enter into long defence Of Inc
Presidents refusal 10 communicate TO The House
OF Representatives information, an aVo"a' OF
which he, with all the facts before him, believes
would be prejudicial TO The best interests OIL 'he
country. He has placed his objections on
grounds, which concusively speak tor themselves;
He has fortified himself by The preceoeh's o.
Washington, Monroe and Jackson Gin The buenos
Ayrcs case)-and all the attacks OF the wings,
however insulting in language or fierce IN spun,
will tail 10 shake his hrmness or weaken inc
force of his impregnable position. Inc present
case is stronger than that OF General WASHING
Ion. Then, the negotiations had been concluded
the treaty made. Nop, the negotiations are un'
finished, war is still raging, and TO publish
10 Mexico the instructions 10 MT. ohueh'
would be at once to show our hands 10 that
nation, and BIZ furnishing 10 her weapons from
our own armory, encourage her arrogant demands
and defeat the negotiation OF such peace as our
nation would sanction Il cannot be denied, that
the Terms upon which we would make treaty,
and which were communicated in The insiruc'
lions to MIR. Slidell, fall greatly below what we
would now ask, since Mexico has forced US INTO
a war and has compelled us 10 e1pend IN I'M
meDse amount OF blood and treasure in ylndica-
ton of our rights and honor. Suppose that, by
the publication OF these instructions, Mexico shall
he informed OF what we would then have assen;ed
to would she not al once point 10 the acts OF our
own government, as juslitying her in refusing TO
| erant.heler terms than We could honoraoiy OF
properly agree to- This is but one ground out oil
many mon which the President has placed him.
self impregnabiy.
We shall no, go al large into The question:
Indeed, it is scarcely necessary, as two OF The
Wing papers here virtually surrender The whole
question.
Yesterdays Times attempts 10 rebut by "clr-
cumstan,ial proof" the positive assertion of The
President, that Santa Anna was admitted in'o
Mexico "whoui any understanding on the SUBJ
iect. direct or indirect, with Santa Anna or any
Other person" 1t then goes on 10 argue that
there was an "inuigue." Now We will De cxcus-
ed for relying upon the Presidents positive stale
mems, rather than upon the assumptions and ar
eumcnls OF those who, ''nolRs ro'Gs," would make
on, an "inlrigue." II the Times will look into
the Union Of Friday night, il will fnd the official
documents accompanying the Message, which
"throw light" upon the return OF Santa Anna
and Paroles. We shall refer 10 them hereafter.
Upon the main question, however, viz; the re-
fusal to communicate the instructions 10 MIR.
Sli!ell, the Times surreEders nearly The whole
point. 1t says:
"In regard to the general subjec, of the Presi.
denis refusal 10 communicate information, We
are not prepared 10 say hat he should always
obey the request OF either House OF Congress. -
We think the case which he cites from the ad-
ministra,ion Of Gen. Washington is conclusive
as 10 his RIG 10 withhold information. Ii Con-
eress thinks there is no good reason Tor The relu.
sal, il holds in lis hands the means OF redress"
Yesterdays Wing, in its attempt 10 place The
President in The wrong, makes an admission,
which is fatal 10 all the objeclofs TO the Presidents
course. We make the following extract:
81" said we anf S SS' TDGn a[nn
disclosure Of facts, connected with pending nego-
liatons, may embarass The Executive and defeat
their adorable termination. Bat This position is
more plausible than sound. If the publication of
documents called for Ivy the House Of Reprcsen.
iatives, al any time in The opinion Of the Presi-
dent cannot be properly made public, il is in his
power 10 lay them before that body with closed
doors-lhe members in Tia! case, as when Erecn-
tive business is transacted By The Senate, being
sworn 10 secreSy. Communicated thus to the
House. under the seal OF confidence, il is difficult
TO perceive in what manner the public interests
would be likely TO suffer. We arprehend, il will
appear, whenever the withheld documents shall
see The light, that the President had more reason
to fear the effect OF their disclosure upon PARTY
! than upon the PUBLIC Interests"
Now, does any reasonable man believe, that if
these instructions be communicated 10 the House
they can be KEEP. secret for any limel We have
seen that documents communicated TO the Senate,
a small body, conf entay have always leaked
out and become the property Of the public. How
much more improbable is il that they could be
| kept secret by large body like the House, con
sising OF more than 200 members! The thing
would be impossible. The instructions would
get into The public press, and Mexico would al
once have The whole game in her own hands, and
this Wing manGavre would have the ehec, OF
embarrassing any negotiation Tor peace.
1t is The Wings who have "parly" more Than
"couniry" al heart-but they will make nothing
by their present faclious movement. The trick
is 100 plain, not 10 create current Of indignation
among the members OF their own party. 1t j.,
iha foo 'nct h., oh;
uDjuslifable "parry scheme" they have yet tried