Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-02-19

Mexico could pay this debt in money and therefore
must give teoy and next that she had refused to give
any indemnity whatever for the dbhe President now de
caes that regard certain territories Of that Power
already ovenun by arms and proceed
render them secure and available such The territories have
been already conquered and sbdued arms and
held in military occupation, and the object of the war
must be these conquess and render
them permanent and available. At the conferences in Sep
ember effort made this conquest into an appa-
rent purchase failed, and the transaction is acknow-
lodged as conquest II a conquest all the whe but II
intended to soften its features by cg Mexico to yield
it in the way of sale and for consideration in money
The trick failed and nothing left bat to call BY Its right
name.
Il is true, the President still maniests his nveterae dspo
stion to put disguise the tansacon In the same pa
per- and almost in the BREATH in which he refers to the
territories taken and occupied by forces as conquests
and calls upon Congress and make them permanent
SUCH he ventures quote his language in former
message, declaring that the has no, been waged with
view to conquest but "wth view to obtain an honorable
peace and thereby ample indemnity for the expenses OF
the war, well TO much injured citizens who hold
large pecuniary demands against Mexico" And to this he
now adds Such, in my judgment continues to be the true
policy, indeed the only policy, which will probably secure
permanent peace" The juggle of indemnity is still kept
up Thewar has been waged for indemnify and not for con-
quest and in order to give the faint pasby he
continues to ntimaoin the face Of demonsrabe factsha
the has been prosecuted to obtain indemnity for the
pcnses Of the war;" well as for the claims of citizens
He would have the country believe that the expenses Of the
have constituted one Of his demands against Mexico
that instead of claiming only debt of three five millions,
he had claimed this and hundred millions more, due from
Mexico account of the cost the war; But not word
of this is true He made demand through Mr.. Ts for
these expenses Mr. Trst expressly renounced any such
claim preension in the project of treaty he presented
The President ready stpuate for the payment of
citizens by Government, and for the payment 10
Mexico Of twenty millions more, if Mexico would sanction
and confirm conquest of New Mexico and Upper Cafor
mia by cesson and treaty Of peace and the country should
pay its expenses Of the 1t not rue then, that
the waged obtain indemnity for these expenses and
the Presidents project of treaty rendered to Mexico is
proof positive to the contrary. There stands the luminous
record of that ansacion-the confeencesn Septembeand
there will stand forever confound all attempts that have
been made shall be made to mysty and darken the
nature of this business The only indemnity for which the
could be sad with any sembance Of truth, have been
waged, indemnity for debt Of three five millions Of
dollars No other indemnity asked sought for by The
President; and this indemnify rendered By Merico
and rejected by The President-aifordng clear de-
monstraion that it not indemnify at ALL any shape,
indemnity for just claims, which constituted the
real object of the from the beginning The real object
the acquisition Of territory. Hence the expeditions
promptly foot after the broke out Santa Fe and
California, with orders which clearly indicated, from the
very FIRST the settled purpose of the President merely that
those provinces should be conquered and held by military
cupaon, of inducing Mexico to just
Of accommodation with us but that being conquered they
should be surrendered Mexico" This the de-
sign from the beginning often boldly Denied all along attempt
awkwardy enough, TO be disguised and finally admitted
and avowed Up the time Of the conferences in September
the himself that Mexico in her extremity and
Distress somebody other in Meyico by liberal appliance
Of the money Of this na,o would be brought party
TO compact by which the acquisition Of territory he had re-
solved to Make instead Of standing before the country and
the world naked conquest should put the sembIance
Of free bargain Of sale and purchase In this he dis
appointed, because the Government Of that country would
"to sell Mexican citizens herd Of cattle" or
put price the attachment Of the land that gave
them birth" And this has brought him to his confession
and his final resolution. He recommends 10 Congress
consider and adopt New Mexico and both the CALIFORNIA;
which should surrendered but be forth
with secured and rendered permanent y complete and une
quivoca ofpropetorhp and sovereignty Since Mexico
refused 10 give "indemnity by selling us portion Of
these counties for twenty millions OF dollars must now
"adop to indemnify ourselves" by permanent
appropriation Of the whole TO use without money
and without price In other words, and in truthful Ian
guage, he proposes that Congress shall adopt the il
presents itself TO the country since his rejection Of the
lures Of peace by Mexico, and her offers Of ample nmnity
for pecunay claims, with the unaeabe resolution 10
hold New Mexico and both the Caonasbesdes the coun-
try the left bank Of the lower Rio Crandeas conquered
territory and constituent parts Of own country in de-
fance Of Mexico and without any compensation TO her
therefor but in the abused Of indemnity and never to
make peace with her until she consents TO this humiliation
and dismembermcnt.
Here then, the great practical issue before Congress and
the country We regard il new ISSUE on which Con-
gress be deemed free to act Notwithstanding It's commit
tai to the support Of the previous the presenting Of this
issue. We have said that the war; from the period Of its
renewal after the conferences September was in effect
not because there not all the while wicked
purpose Of conquest and dsmembcment towards Mexico on
the part Of the President but because Congress was in no
way be deemed have been committed 10 such purpose.
The which Congress had recognised and adopted and
for the support Of which il had voted supplies Of men and
money not, far Congress was party TO it. war
for conquest in any but be deemed have been
prosecuted solely for the purpose Of compelling Mexico
to just terms Of accommodation with us TO her
hostility TO account Of the annexation Of Texas
agree TO just and proper boundary between Texas and
domnions and 10 pay us, give full in
demnity for the demands Of citizens on her justice
war; far Congress or the country was party to