The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-07-08

The proclamation Of the Treaty with Mexico, which we
published yesterday marks most important epoch IN
the policy Of the present administration, and In the hsto
ry Of national progress and growth Adding to our
national domain vast realm teeming with commercial
and territorial MISUNDERSTANDING on Just and hon
orable and highly controversy which,
in various FORMS and numerous causes OF complaint,
involving our national rights and honor has extended
through more than twenty yearsand thus establishing
permanent peaceful relations between the two republics OF
the North American contnentths treaty will doubtless
be hailed with patriotic enthusiasm throughout the
try.
With this momentous triumph of policy and our
arms before us, propose briefly look back to the
transactions of the last three yearsto pass review
that grand series of bearing the relations OF
our country both home and abroad which has been
the high fortune of this administration to devise and TO
accomplish and in which the time -honored principles of
the democratic party have found signal and splendid
an illustration Such retrospect is due from both to
the people and to the Presidents for 1t will enable the
people appreciate both the services he has rendered. and
the senseess abuse which has been poured out upon him
by the INSCRIPTIONS magny OF defeated and dsappoint
ed faction
When the present administration came into power, II
found upon its hands condition of foreign relations
certainly more embarrassing and perous than has
been encountered at its outset by any previous admins
,ration Mr.. Madison placed in power in 1909,
to confront the then imminent Of 1872 The
alton of Texas had been resolved upon by Congress
and our people, and proceeding in the alternative
form adopted by the administration of Mr. Tyler against
English and French and Mexican intrigue and opposi
ton The Oregon controversy, which had foed all the
diplomacy of seven previous administrations, and which
had been laid aside in 1912 as too hopeless and too
barrassing to be embraced topic Of discussion
in the negotiations with Lord Ashburon had reach
ed point at which its prompt adjustment seemed alike
imperative and impracticable. Our long continued dis
pute with Mexico, growing out of whole series of out
RACES inflicted upon citizens and of perfdcs pracsed
towards our gsvernment-which, early as 1885, Gen.
Jackson had declared sufficient to justify on our part
immediate war. and for which, during the two succeed
ing administrations, no adequate redress had been OBJ
tained-had now become greatly embittered and comp-
Gated by the arrogance and resentment of Mexico during
the whole progress of the question of annexation
Nor was the condition of domestic legislation less
confused and unsound The tariff of ls42 with its false
principles and artificial restrictions, lay heavy upon the
business and the prosperity of the country The const
utonal treasury, put in operation for one year by Mr.
Van Buren, had been pulled down by his successor and
the public revenues thus unguarded by any safe system
were scattered among favored banking corporations
through the country.
In this state of things it became the duty of the Pres
dent, in view both Of his principles and of his
pledges the great party which had placed him in pow
err devise and carry into effect at the time For
eign Policy which should maintain our rights and honor
abroad. and Domestic Policy which should radically
reform our commercial and financial systems, and by
rescuing the industry of the country from the burdens
which oppressed and the peris which threatened it,
prosperity and equal rights to all the great in
terests of the people at home. Surely this was a
task demanding all the of wise firm, and
vigorous craftsmanship. even if assured beforehand
of the most cordial aid and cooperation of all par
ties in Congress and throughout the country. How
much more conspicuous, then; is the merit, and how
much more enduring must be the renown of the ad-
minstration, in having most successfully accomplished
it al-underaken in the face Of powerful and
desperate opposition resolved to defeat if possible every
measure of democratic policy; banded together in fierce
determination seze at all hazards, the public author
y and ready to that end the event but too fully
proved, to take sides with the foreigner, against
their own country on all questions of foreign policy,
and to lend moral "ad and comfort to the public
enemy when those questions should eventuate in lust
and unavoidable war
But this was not all with which the President had to
contend Though it might surely have been expected
that the whole party which had united to cothe him with
the vast responsibilities OF power would faithfully sup
port him so long as he was true to their principles, he
had hardly commenced the development OF his policy
before signs OF dsafecton and dsunon appeared in the
democratic ranks By he charged, at
that early day, utterly without color of justification
of plausible pretex with aspiring himself to the
son By others, equally gratuously, he accused of
avorng and aiding candidate Of the party in preference
to another. The most unmportant appointment
al could not take place. the frontiers of the land,
without being caught up and cavled upon lending
countenance to these most unjust accusations. Sectional
ealouses too came into play, and distinguished demo-
cratic statesmen of than one section of the coun
try, from whom better things might have been hoped
often looked cody upon leading of the admins
ration in its foreign its domestic policy and sometimes
planted themselves in attitude of determined, not to
say facous, opposition. But, in the teeth of all
these difficulties and hindrances, the President, true
his principle, and to his country, held on his patriotic
course till now, the fourth year of his adminstra
ton at the opening Of the presidential canvass, he pre-
sents to the people all the leading of his policy
bravely and successfully achieved In 1884, faction ask
ed in derison and "in verse;" "Who James X Polk p
Ard now, in ls4s-amd the hush of perous interna-
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