Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-02-03

with Mexico was the most glorious and ad
vantageous one ever made, excepting, he sup
posed, the Oregon treaty. which this same
fayorite President had made too
4 But the gentleman and nfhei Centle---en staiu
tIiat indemnity for the past aud security iol
/ the future must be secured. How? Mexico
/ has no money TO pay, il was admitted. Wen
/ if we were TO depend upon territorial lndem'
nifty, be wanted to know of the President how
much Of the territory of Mexico was appropri
aied to individual claimants; for Of course, as
far as thus appropriated, i would bring nc
benefit 10 the Treasury; and all the beneii
I that could be received as indemnify, WHeh me
I lands were thus appropriated, would be by
I the imposition Of duties 90 imported good
within those regions. And how did the Ad-
ministration and its friends propose 10 iDdem-
nify US for the waste Of American blood that
consecraed almost every spot where our army
had marched in Mexico 2 And for those
priceless lives OF the very flower OF American
chivalry, as it were, that had sunk down I'M
der disease--disease superndueed by the neg
lect Of this Government--to ingiorious graves,
till every valley and hillside of Mexico were
filed with their Wondering ashes. They pro.
posed 10 indemnify us for the lavish waste oil
treasure. but said nothing Of human life, hui
man suffering, human wreichedness, all the
untold wo and mourning, tears and groans,
that fill thousands Of homes within COR own
land. These seemed to be left entirely out oil
the account by these jealous gentlemen who
were grasping for more sand, more rocks,
more wilderness filed up with impenetrable
chaparral, for more rivers, whose tortuous
and turbid currents de6ed the skill Of the nav
igator. These mighty considerations were
entirely overlooked, while the President and
his friends were talking about indemnity for
the expenses ofthe war and for the debts due
from Mexico And how was this indemnify
to be got not from customs? From the pub
lie lands He had brought forward a resou-
ton, which lay over under the rule asking
what portion Of the territory Of Mexico had
not been appropriated, and he wanted that
answered so that il might be known how much
we could sell when we had finally possessed
ourselves OF it. The waste of blood was not
counted, for who should set down price up
on he blood Of an American freeman2 The
advocates Of the President and his dog-eared
.prerogative," rash and reckless as they were
derelictto all the principles Of American free
dom, dare not.
Then how were we TO get full indemnify
for the vast amount oftreasure already wasted
in that enterprise2 Would the subjugatioR OF
all Mexico indemnify Would not that in
volve occupancy, and occupancy perpetual
wai2 When we looked TO the Castilian or
Aztec races blended in the present population
OF Mexico, did we not find deep-seated feel
ing ofnationality and implacable slubbornness
their strongest characteristics How long
was portion ofSpain occupied by the Moor
ish invader? Pent up in fortified positions for
,sex loo ,l,,t,,
subduing the neighboring Spaniards, in one
prolonged, unceasing struggle, unending war,
he was at last expelled, and the Spanish foo,
so much the Spanish sword as the subtety oil
the Spanish Jesuit that subjected the Aztec
race TO Spanish rule. IT was because they
were induced to believe that their moral CON
diion would be improved by embracing the
religious faith of the Spaniard. and admitting
him into theircommuniiies thustheir political
institutions by gradual approaches. and more
by persuasion than by forces were revolution
ized, and political power concentrated in the
hands of the Spaniards.
When we looked again to their struggle
with Spain for political independence, we saw
the same implacable spirit displayed which
marked the two races blended in them. When
every fortified position andstronghold through
out their land was in the occupancy OF the
royal forces Of Spain, still the Mexicans, strug-
Cling for national independence, were unsub-
dued. Hope and natural pride urged them on
to continued eXertions, even where hope with
other people would seem 10 talter. Judging
from the facts, were we not led to believe that
to maintain our occupation of Mexico in the
event Of conquest, would require an armed
force TO be always kept there, at least as great
as that which was necessary for the conquest
entallDg upon US expenses which never could
be met by the revenues of that country should
we seize them all; and creating a drain for
military purposes upon our population, and
waste OF human life, that never could be COM
pensated for by any advantages that could re-
suit from the conquest; because eight millions
of people, imptacable, revengeful, and faith
less, were TO be held in submission to Gov
ernment forced upon them against their will
Would not the war then be interminable g.
Would not every outbreak and fame OF revolt
have to be quenched in the proudest blood of
American chiyahy? How was that TO be in
demnity for the past or security for the future
How could they talk Of security by means of
treaty when they demonstrated 10 US thatthere
was no Government there with which we
reliance? How could we expect treaty with
an "anarchy"-a mob which deserved not
the name OF Government, according TO their
own representation How could gentlemen
reconcile TO themselves to take such course?
They proved by the Presidents message, as
well as by their own speeches, that they
could not reasonably calculate upon indem-
nifty for the past, nor upon security for the
future; and yet they talked loudly about sin
dennty and security" How was t2
Now, allow him for moment 10 direct the
attention OF the committee TO what was called
for by the resolution Of the House besides the
instructions given to MIR. SLIDELL In ron
nexion with this war, in connexion with this
waste Of bloed> aal treasure of the sovereign
people of the United States, the peoples re-
representatives. had called upon Mr.. Polk 10 tell
them wha; arrangement was made with SAN
IA ANNA in relation TO his return TO Mexico.
He was an exile at Havana, engaged Mr.. r..
did not know whether 10 call it IN very CLASH
cal pursuit or in the high military exercise of
fighting chickens in the cockpit RLmor said
that Mr.. SLIpELL MACKENZIE had been sent
by the Government TO Havana TO negotiate
with SANTA ANNA for the return TO Mexico OF
himself and suite, which he believed consisted
of about forty general officers. This rumor
was credited by the people. and on MIR. Mac
KENNELS return 10 New Orleans, it made him
SO much a lion that his own room was not sa-
cred TO his occupancy and labor. and. TO avoid
the lion hunters, he (Mr. L. was informed by
respectable Democrat of the Southwest, who