The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-07
MIR. Calhouns Pollcy--A Defensive Line.

We have now, in Mr. Calhoun's late speech, publish
ed in yesterdays Union, and which appears in our coun-
try paper of oday the whole philosophy of this plan of
Mexican policy in so far it is yet matured in the mind
of its author and advocate We say of its author and
advocate because in his view of the subject Mr. Cal
houn stands, as we suppose. almost if not altogether
alone. OF all statesmen most familiar with our affairs
in Mexico, and especially OF all our most distinguished
officers there recently returned one so far as
learn, approves of Mr. Cahoun's suggestion In
Decd though Mr. Calhoun TO have said all that he
now has to say upon the subject his suggestion is not
yet IN shape definite enough safely to command the ap-
prova OF anybody Allowing that people are irrevo-
cably resolved upon having indemnity from Mexico he
wants line to be taken and held not by treaty. but by
armed force and yet subject to negotiation He carefully
avoids inmatng vat line He declines to describe the
process the expense, the practcaby, the peril of
holding it. He declines even to predict that his plan will
bring, much less hasen the negoation which, at
great cost he would yet sit down and await He gives
heed to the great probability that the "od Gothic" OBJ
ssnacy of Mexico feeling that she has every way at
an advantage when thus sat down far from home to
handy frowns and show cenched fists with her across
ne may, instead of negotiating, elect Tin congressional
parance) "to SIT OUT p Yet such considerations amid
thousand other practical difficulties, must come up in
the scommittee" of senators which Mr.. Calhoun pro-
poses to raise, when they assemble maps and oompasses
in hand TO draw the line Of indemnity along which our
bayonets are to hrstle till they rust
To that committee must go the further and capital con-
sideraon that Mr. Cahouns policy neither peace
'ear 1t has not the essential element of peace which is
security 1t has not the essential element of war; which
action 1t is sort of half breed, hybrid hostility in
! vnlyi
its glory IT is perpetual challenge to concentrate hos
tile attack, put forth to peace and possession by
force which must be weak, because it must stragge
along an enemy line OF thousand miles AS means
of compelling negotiations, this line policy is the presence
IN an enemys country of an army chained By the foot
In Mr.. Cahouns repeated phrase (now qualified by an
additional epithet) it is de" as well as "naseyly mac
tivy" applied to the prosecution of demand and to
the enforcement of claim So applied "inactiv,y,'
however ''mastery in its way indeed "ide," in more
senses than When Sir James Macintosh first used
this too famous phrase of "vise and mastery nactiv
y"-as he did in his "Vindieie Galiica in defending
against Burkes defamation, the obstinate refusal of the
French representatives of the Tiers Edt enter upon
the work of Legislation till they could be organized in
one and the Legislative body with the Mobiles and
the Clegy-we venture TO say that that distinguished
HIVE nedTu WITH uUer aStOnlSnmcnt,
even of the possibility of any such mistaken application
OF his words, and heretofore has been intro
duced into the International politics OF America. Mr.
Calhoun would raise committee to apply this
his (may we not say y fired idea to the conduct of
an invasive war! Why limit his committee to the
difficult doing of so bad business Why not enlarge
their instructions to comprehend the whole question
of the best node of securing through war actual
active, and honorable, and not mere dumb saop OF
} war-lhe attainment of just and honorable peace
based as the peace of nations only properly be based
upon the faith OF treaty stpulaons' Such course we
have no doubt will be the counsel OF the high military
II experience and skill which MIR Calhoun would have hi
|, committee consult .1p9 qtf snail grm.
With these impressions Of the noture of Mr. Calhonn
plan 10 meet the present emergency we come next to hi
most extraordinary statement Of the particular object
result, which he s it must accomplish, and in vieu
II OF which he mainly commends and urges it That re
suit is acknowledgement from our present dsturbe