The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-08-24
The Latest English View OF the Mexican
Question.
From the London Times. Aug.I1

The President of the United States, in laying
the treaty OF Queretaro before the Senate and
House OF Representatives, accompanied this cele-
braed document with a retrospective view of the
origin and conduct OF the whole Mexican war,
and with Conectural estimate of the advantages
which had accrued to America from this national
transaction. All our readers but those OF the very
shortest memories, will be able to appreciate, al
inos; as accurately as Mr.. Polk himself, the value
and correctness OF the items which appear on his
gigantic balance sheet Every step OF the war,
and every negotiation for peace, have been already
chronlcled In these columns, with a running COM
mentary upon those transatlantic forms of speech
and action which required Interpretation into Eu-
rcpean expressions; but we cannot dismiss the
subject without a passing notice OF the authentic
epllogue which thus concludes the drama
OF course the warwas s'reluctanty undertaken"
and only adventured upon for the vlndication of
national honor, and so forth but upon the partl-
cuar caSus bella possessed by the States, Mr. Polk
veiy wisely made no long tarrying, and prudently
passed once to the undeniable bravery displayed
by his tellowctIzens during the conflict, and TO
the terms and bearing of the treaty which has at
length rewarded their efforts 1t used to be said
that war. was the, only game from which
both paIties rose losers. MIR. Folks war;
however, has been such an exception TO the rule,
that, according to his own representations, both
Mexico and the, States have whereupon to con-
graduate themselves-the former republic having
obtained terms so 60 liberal and magnaaimous"
that her position Is decidedly improved by the bar
gain, and the latter having stepped into such
glorious inheritance that 1t Is scarcely possible to
depicure her future destinles In too favorable
light What is more, all other nations are gam
ers likewise, and "the general interests of man
kind" are so benefclaly influenced by the trans
fer OF California that the debtors to Mr.. Folks
administration will include almost the entire hu-
man race. We shall not be suspected of any
blind Partially for the Presidents policy, but we
are prepared TO admit that, if the motives and
means OF the transaction be momentarlly put out
of sight, and this description of Its purport be
IN ma al n mn rafI
employed on this side the Atlantic there is really
a great deal of truth in the allegations and some
foundation for the yaunts.
In the first place, 1t is perfectly true, as Mr..
Polk asserts, that the ceded territories were ut
teiy useless to Mexico. They had remained un-
occupied, uncolonlzed, and even unexplored, nor
was there any prospect whatever, from the condl-
ton of the Mexican population, that they would
ever be TUNED 10 better account Nothing, IN
fact, but the most exalted Interpretation Of the
rights OF national property could have secured
Mexico in her title TO this immense wilder
ness OF territory, which few OF her citizens had
ever seen, and which not one dared to ira
verse; To them the interior of Upper California
was an object OF about as much importance, and
Of far less interest than is the Interior of the I'M
discovered Australian continent TO the British set
tiers in New Zealand. lfthese vast tracts were
ever 10 be made tributary to the common wants
OF civilization, il was clearly indispensable that
they should pass into other hands than those in
which they had so long laid useless and neglected
Even as IL is, the boundary line between the
American and Mexican possessions will be almost
lnaccessibly distant from the central power OF the
latter country, and, indeed, the whole population
acknowledging that government which Is en-
throned in the Halls OF Montczuma might be
easily located III the three or four provinces con-
tguous TO the capital. There are four times. as
many mouths within the narrow limits OF this
single island are to be tound--SPanlsh, Indians,
mixed races and al!--In that State, which, before
the late cessions, was about five times the size OF
Furopean Spain
Tie two provinces alone. which have been thus
acquired by the United states, and winch certainly
will never be missed 10y Mexico, embrace nearly
Ten degrees, ard extend from the Pacific Ocean to
the Rio Grande-a mean distance OF near
thousand miles AS Mr. Polk truly boasts, they
" constitute OF themselves, country large enough
for great empire and American industry will
doptlless, soon develope those mineral and agri-
cultural resources which the former owners were
never competent 20 ascertain. The PORTS on the
coast will be OF great value 20 the commerce OF the
Pacific, and especially 20 that whaling traffic 10
which the capital and labor of the States is already
SO largely invested, The Islands OF the Pacific
are brought into such immediate proximity. that II
tie Cabinet of Washington should choose 70 take
up any abandoned protectorate Of Oceania, u can
DO so with great plsuslbility; and II line oisteam
efs should be esiab shed, tue communication be-
tween san Francisco and Canton will be etectedi in
about the time now ordinarily occupied by the
sailing packets between New York and Liverpool
Perhaps, even Japan may be introduced into the
commercial community OF nations, by the inauisI-