Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-02-10


Gown yesl.l = "a cosi Of bcswe-n siKiy asds y
cnty ikoaeand men. o. siK Or ,even ,hous,nd =
year. A thst simc i vas tesexsary 10 Val
ibi departure Of 'rain from psi 10 post. us il
Wis unsafe O. move ". lcss ihan NO pieccs Of
-riIlery. and fuil company Of in'sriry. 1hss
state Of things cuniipurd until ie40. when ihe
CaucI ans organiz,d powrrful opnosi,ion 70
tirir conqu,r rs. ard up 10 Il present day have
cont nlsl against them whh aavsnng.T TIE
Caucasus does not CONAN mtrs Than a milllua
aud halt Of inhabitants the Rnssiah t,npire
not less lhan sixty millions. The Caueassions
have no regular army; lhe Emperor six hun'lred
thousand wcll-disciplined troops.
Both the Prcsidcnl and the Secretary build up
system Of line Defence rs il is called. which
ihsy easily overthrow, because no military man
would suggest such m anomaly. They suppose
a frontier can only BE- defended by a chain OF
posts; bordering on the linz; whereas il Is bcst
secured By sr0ng inter.or delences. But did
not intend 10 introduce my opinion on military
matters. Seule what territory YOU intend 10
claim. and tel mexico YOU inieni 10 keep it,
She will b,usier aud protest, but never arark
you. Hzr lenders viii have Ioo much a, axe
10 venture so far from the capital. Shs viii
have no means 10 equip arm 5 and maintain
them oTlong marches and distant campaigns;
and hazard nothing ia saying that two or three
strong places in the Inferior Of our line would
kerp them in check for hal. century. and in
less Iimc wc might buy tile, if thought necrs.
slry. By adopting this plan. Pca6e c would come
al last with present Indemnify. and. instead OF
raising thirty thousand men. you would have
troops enough 10 keep pcaceublc possession Of
our new territory, aEd might dismiss the yolun-
Ieer forces.
To succeed in lcyying the military con,ribu-
lions the President speaks Of, and provisioning
the army by force, the troops must be very
much increased. Il requires a very larg. force
loPrOcuic supplies w.houlpaying i0r them. They
can only be gathered by formidable deiachmcnIs,
and our gtny never was and never will be- sui.
ticiealIy numerous TO enable the commanding
General to srParalcso many men from the main
body.
have gwen youmy opinions very hurricdly,
for il appears 10 me there is very nIle time 10
lose in seuing the cour.e 10 be pursued. We
can al This period Withdraw our forces wilhSuI
dlshonor; nav, such an act would elevate us in
the estimation Of the world. The slightest r..
yer-e-a threat OF foreign inIervcnIion--mighi
render such an act difficult, not impraciicable.
Before our troops evacuae the Mexican terrific.
rs, that people ouI TO be told what we intended
10 do.
1t is barely possible that they might be dispo-
sed to peace upon Witnessing such movement.
With rcgurd 10 the details Of the defence of
the line-not The line dclencc---thcy can be de-.
,ermincl very easily, and think we nigh, he
ccrian Of remaining unmo'e.r.d for twenty
years, and forever. with such precautions as
might be taken al iiule cost.
With great respect and regard, am, my dear
sir yours, truly. J. r. POlNSETT.
Hon. A. P. Butler, U. S. Stnuc,
Washington.