Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-01-27

J. II. PoINsETT on THE WAR.-Mr. Joel
r. Poinsctt, of S. c., well known as having
been Minister to Mexico for several years and
subsequently Secretary of War during the ad-
mnistration of Mr.. Van Buren,, has written
letter to Mr.. A. p Butler, one of the L. 5.
Senators from ). G.. giving his views on the
Mexican war. The letter dated at Statesburg,
5. c., on the l2th of December, Is published
in the National Intelgencer, and is worthy of
extensive republication and attentive perusal.
1t is highly interesting, and the views which
it presents are particularly valuable as coming
from one whose personal knowledge and eX-
pcricnce enable him to with authority. He is
moreover friend to the Administration, and
his sentiments therefore are not obnoxious 10
the charge or party bias.
We give below such portions of the letter
rs our limits will permit
! ! have only this moment seen the Presidents S
message and the report of the Secretary of
War, and am surprised to perceive that they
persist in recommending course of policy
which will lead to still farther useless eXpend-
ture of blood and treasure, and will finally have
to be abandoned With the reasoning on the
subject of the acquisition of territory have
nothing to do, especially as the President
Seems to think Congress pledged to these
conauests. can only express my regret and
nv firm conviction that these territorial ac-
quisitions will not add to our strength or pros
perty.
The recommendation that most seriously a
/ 10 io cnntninnI m tho M nh lIhpr
the President says that there can be no doubt
that there exists peace party in Mexico, and
that it NAV become expcdicnt for our command
ing generals to give assurances of protection
to such a party in short, to create a party,
make peace with it, and guaranty it IN the
possession of power. Nothing can be more
chimercal nothing could be more insecure
than the execution of such project, were II
practicable. Such a party would bear no pro-
portion of the nation, and the members of II
would require to be protected from public in
/ dignaton and vengcnce for long years to come,
\ by q force not less formidable than that now III
the country, without the chance of any lndem-
nity, or the power of levying contributions OF
any sort. II the peace government should a.
gree to pay and subslst their protectors, they
must from the nature of things, fail to do eth
cr. PRAY, save us the disgrace of attempting
such an Intervention. The attempt might
lead to an Intervention of a different sort, that
would possibly prove more successful.
The President is apprehenslve of foreign in
reference, first in California, and next i'll the
establishment of a monarchy in Mexico
There is not the slightest risk of the former,
and, if the Mexican people are left to them
selves no chance of the latter.
/ am persuaded that, so long as we continue
to prosecute the war in the interior Of Mexico,
we shall have no peace with the nation, all at
tempts to make peace with faction will
place us in a worse position than open war.
speak with the authority of a perfect know
ledge of the nature of the country and the
character of the people.
| was glad to find that the Secretary rejects
the plan of overrunning the whole country, as
too expensive but ] was surprised to per-
ceve that he only estimates the number of
men it would require to do this, or to maintain
our present conquests, at seventy thousand
men for the first, and some thirty-fivc or forty
thousand for the second. lie says nothing of
the annual consumption of men during this
prolonged contest. In Mexico we should lose
at least twenty per cent. per annum oi regular
forces, and at least forty per cent OF volunteers
| remarked in the isthmus between the Caspi-
an and Black Seas that the Russian forces re-
auire to be recruited entirely in three years ;
and that is to say they require a renewal of
one third every year.
The conquest of that country by Russia af-
fords us lessons we ought to profit by. The
Russian forces ovcrran the Caucasian country
in 1876, and received the submission of the
people. They " conquered peace" Well,
in 1907 passed through the heart of the coun-
try, which had been garrisoned with twenty
thousand men for eleven years, at cost of be-
tween sixty and seventy thousand men, or
six or seven thousand men year.
At that time it was necessary to wait the de-
parture of train from post to post, as it was
unsafe to move with less than two pieces of
artillery and full company Of infantry. This
state of things continued until 1910, when the
Caucasians organized powerful opposition 10
their conquerors, and up to the present day
have contended against them with advantage
The Caucasus does not contain more than q
million and half Of inhabitants the Russian
empire not less than sixty millions. The eau
casians have no regular army the Emperor
six hundred thousand well disciplined troops.
/ Settle what territory YOU intend To claim,
and tell Mexico you intend To keep il. She
will blusier and protest, but never attack You.
Her leaders will have too much at stake to
,,cnturc ~ FAR from the capital. She viii have