Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-03-01
fNumber 10.

OUT such policy! The policy is not n
new one. The scheme was tried BY Ma
poleon Bonaparte in Spain. when he over
ran the country with his armies. and pla-
ced his brother on the throne. While we
initiate his conduct. we should profit bv
his example. and take warning by his
fate. Ii we undertake TO carry out this
system. we must expect TO keep an army
Of fiiv thousand men there for ~ least
twenty years.
The course Of the President. in the
prosecution of this war, has not been such
as should characterize the Executive of
free government. Instead Of frankness
and candor as to the designs of the Ad-
ministra.ion. VIC have Witnessed continual
efforts at conceahncn,. Instead oil pre-
+ else and definite statements as 10 the OBJ
iect TO be attained. We are met with high
sounding. general. and oracular phrases,
as unmcannc and indefinite rs the Del
phic responses. We have been told by
the President. while the same lesson has
been frequently repeated 10 Us by ms
friends. that we should not discuss the
origin or objects of the war. because. By
doing we ma, give ''0ja Gnd co-aforf 20
The enemy The paid organ Of the I'd
ministra,ion pours out lis daily round of
abuse of Congress, for not voting at once.
without delay and without debate. all the
means for prosecuting the war which the
! President desires We have called upon
the President. bv a resolution Of the House
to inform us what were the terms upon
E which he authorized Mr.. Siiicll to nego-
,iate with Mexico. He refuses 20 give
Us the information. and tells us. in effect.
that we have no right 10 ask him such
questions
i Shall we. then. in obedicncc to his wish
es, in ignorance Of his designs. which are
so studouslv concealed from the country,
submit to him the continued prosecution
. Of the war, as long lac may desire TO
prosecute it, and vote 10 raise new armies
, as often as he may desire them! If sue"
, is our duty. have mistaken the character
+ of our Government.
:, VERY shortly after tue commencement
, Of the war expressed my opinion on this
, floor of its origin and its objects. stated
then. that the war was commenced for
purposes Of conquest. and that i, would
not be suffered TO end until those objects
| were accomplished. Nearly two years
E have elapsed since then. and the events of
| the intervening period have only confirm
!, cd my opinions. Notwithstanding the
, peated assurances of the President and
a his friends. that the war was not continued
: with any design of conquest, and that j;
, should be terminated as soon as MEXICO
G would agree 10 pay the indemnity due io
us. he has himself shown in his late mes
sage that such assurances arc entitled to
! no credit
r Mr. Trist was sent 10 Mexico last sum.
X MGR as commissioner. with powers tone
q gotiafe IA treaty OF peace. ! will read a
4 short extract from the Presidents message
D of December last, 10 show what were his
I instructions. The President says
l "The boundary OF the Rio Grande, and tho
cession to the United States of New Mexico and
Upper California. constituted an utimatum which
= our commissioner was under no circumstances
TO yield"
We arc thus informed by the President
that he determined 10 prosecute the war for
=. the acquisition of New Mexico and Upper
: California-at least one third ofthc whole
= Mexican territory. His language is direct
). and explicit, and liable to no misconstruc-
= ton. | will read, low. an extract from
= his annual message Of December, 1876,
to show what were the views he then ex-
: pressed of the objects for which the war
. should be further prosecuted:
:, "The war has not been waged will, view 10
" conquest but having been commenced y Mex
0 leo. II has been carried into the cncmy's coun-
II try. and will he vigorously prosecuted there.
with view TO obtain honorable peace, and
thereby secure ample indemnity for the expenses
y of the war. we'll AS TO our much injured c,t-
n xeus, who hold large pecuniary demands against
c Mexco-'
$ He disavowed then. any design ofcon-
d quest, and defined the terms Of The "hon-
), orable peace which it was his object to
: obtain, as indemnity for the expenses OF
e the war and the claims due to our citizens
i Does he show. now. that he was willing 10
0 make such a peace as he had himself said
: would be ''honorable,' II his profession
t Of desire for peace. and hi, disa.o,.ai
If of a design Of conquest. made last 70 ar.
II were sincere, he would have authorized
: Mr.. Trist. his commissioner. - have made
c treaty Of peace whenever Mexico would
y agree to give the indemnity which he him.
G self specified. rs being all We had any
= right 10 demand. But did he give Nj
r Trist such authority. lie instructed him
to make no peace with Mexico unless she
v would agree TO SHE boundary Of the Rio
e Grdnde and the cession to the Tinted
e States Of Neac Me1'co and Upper Cali.
s fornia." Had we any right TO demand Of
O Mexico the cession Of New Mexico and
;. California; Did the President believe
). that we had any such right, The Presi,
;, dent knew well that We had no such RICH,
: He has himself informed US that those
g provinces we're estimated 10 DC Of a great
: err value than the amount Of all The claims
!, which he supposed we had against Mexi-
G co. even including he expenses Of the
: war. Let me read another short extract
= from bis last message, to show what are
e his opinions on this point. He says:
e .'As the territory to be acquired by The bosn-
!! dairy proposed might be estimated 10 be Of great
e. value than fair equivalent for our Just de-
Z raands, our commissioner Authorized 4.
e stpnlate for the payment Of such ajd.ilcuaf pc
V cuna!y consideration deemed r~asona
% BILE"
@ He does not now authorize sfr. Iris.