Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-02-12

United States informing him what he had dom and STATING
that Mexico would have either to retreat
fight him. From this she had no escape she had alter
native but ingoious retreat battle. Now he would
ask any dspassonate if this not part
Most undeniably il was.
But, again, previous to the attack made Capt Thorn
ton and his command orders had been given Lieut. Porter
and others the country Pursuant to these ORDERS
stated by Gen. Taylor in of his letters Mexican
discovered and the attempt made to drive them away
In this affair two killed This before the
tack Capt Thornton There evidence who struck
the first blow. The statement was that attack made
but said by whom that unfortunate affair was
menceJ In the aao Capt Thornton itappeared that the
Mexicans drawn up and that he charged them
But to return to the march of army and for further
illustration suppose that Texas having her ndepen-
dence for years. should herseo the Mexican
republic, and that the Mexican Government should send her
armies the bank Of the Sabine. opposite New
Orleans, President sent armies the Rio Grande
to take up position opposite Malamoros for the
strictly analogous He challenged gentlemen to show him
any defect in the analogy. WE'LL suppose, TIE Mexican
army approached New Orleans, the citizens of Louisiana
should fly before it, and the Mexican General should blockade
the Mississippi river compel the American forces that
might be in New Orleans either to back and
fight him, would not this be cause of war!
Mr.. BROWN, Of Virginia, inquired whether the Rio
Grande not blockaded by General Taylor on his
authority
Mr. FISHER replied that he establishing the fact and
its inevitable consequences and that all sufficient for this
portion of his arguments but by whomsoever it done it
had been subsequently sanctioned and approved by the Pre
dent of the United States. His purpose to show
that we commenced the with Mexico. IT. then, the
Mexican General should blockade the Mississippi river
General bockaded the Rio Grande he asked the advocates Of
the President and Of the whether it would be ag
gesson the part Of Mexico which would be of
The gentleman opposite said aggression part
do this the Rio Grande and they consistent
and adhered to the principle they sought establish they
yield much Mexico in the he had imagined, if
she should blockade the Mississippi Thus he had sustained
his premises that the principle Of the President if establish
al ha nf
the Texan title should be acquesced in because she had de-
cared the territory hers although she had never subdued
tiff be treated hers because she claimed by
law Of her enactment he again asserted that this would
be to subver all rights territory and also
But again bad been said by gentlemen opposite that
from s43 neither the military Of Mexico her civil officers
had been the bank of the Rio Gand but that
those Of Texas had Now precisely the reverse OF this
the truth No Texan made the bank Of
the Rio Grande without being either captured killed How
them could be maintained that Texas had conquered
voutonzed that territory i was neither conquered
volutonzed, and therefore Texas had right it, and
could not Justly claim it. belonged its original
There four ways by which territory could be acquired
First by discovery; secondly by occupation thirdly, by
quest and fonrthy, by purchase. Wel them Mexico
had an undsputed right this territory, Texas of had
right it, and consequently could not be claimed
American SOIL 1t also shown to be untrue that in this
Mexico struck the first blow. We have proof to the
trary. II demonsabe that the aggessors The
documents which gentlemen opposite had did not
tain the position they bad assumed.
But the advocates Of this war took other ground They
maintain that claim for indemnity for spoiaous the
commerce of citizens jusfabe of But
did they mean contend that the commenced for
the purpose of obtaining indemnity from Mexico Why
this would be admission that the President commenced the
The spoiaons commerce by Mexico not
acts of recent date what right then, had the President to
make for ndemnites This position aggravaton
rather than justification ofthe act Of the President.
But again gentlemen said Mr.. Slide rejected, and
hence had of But would it 6c pretended that
had tho
rejected Mr. Slidel The idea preposterous If how
the President had acted in good faith Mr. Sde would
have been rejected and he believed would not have
ensued. Mexico asked for commissioner to settle the dif
cues existing between the Governments, and Pre-
sden sent minister penpotenary to reside there, and
Mexico refused to receive him in that character she bad
the right TO do Herrera and Paedes both asked for
missioner which President refused 10 send Subsequently,
however, he sent Mr.. Trst commissioner when
involved in war, from all the horrors of which might
have been spared commissioner had been sent in the first
instance
But the President now tells us he has offered them liberal
terms Of peace. But what those terms They knew
nothing about them The President would communicate
Co, gess the orders given Mr. Sidel what
of money Mr.. Ts authorized to pay for the territory
which he instructed demand How, them could they
tell whether the terms liberal otherwise He be-
eved if the President had offered Mexico just and fair terms
opeace that he could have obtained but he had done
So and Mexico would make peace because the Of
feed such honorable nation could submit to- There
doubt his mind that the object Of the Admins
traon the conquest Of the whole OF Mexico and be-
evng he did this subject and he thought every gen.
teman believe who looked the facts free from party
influences that the unusty commenced part
that If carry the conquest Of the whole Of Mexico
will prove destructive Govemment-h asked what
they do honorable and as patriots in such
case II the commenced unjusty, and to carry II
would result in adding Mexico these United Staes which
would be destructive of our republican institutions what
their duty patriots in this crisis Why evidently far
in their power lay it their duty by means,
stop this arocious As just and patriots they
must do this From the discharge Of this duty they had
escape but in wrong doing.
But gentlemen bad argued that the constu
ona made and they conended that the President had
constitutional power 10 invade the territory Of eghhong
nation He had power to rcpe invasion and suppress in
surrecton but he had right send army among the
citizens Of Mexico the Rio Grande Nor there any
evidence that Mexico contemplated invasion. Some gen.
emeA had asserted that Mexico had collected troops great
numbe-to the number Of seven thousandpevious to that
tme the western bank Of the Rio Gande with the avowed
intention invade and reconquer Texas and that they
assumption unsusained nay, the proof established the
contrary be the truth. There collection Of troops
more than ordinarily there before Gen. Taylor
dered the Rio Gande General Taylor told the President
that there scarcely two thousand troops Maamoro
and that there probability Of attack The President
told them that the two nations that time at peace,
the disturbance Of which must have been anticipated
sequence OF the marching of troops to the Rio Grande
And what the condition of things in relation Texas
republic Mexico on her part, and Mr.. Jones, the Prcsi
dent OF Texas suspended hosiies, and they not
commenced until marched troops in her territory As
any protection which Texas required she had while