The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-01-22

IL
can grow up under such Circumstances. IL Il
me incomprehe nsible- | had aiways supposet
that republican government was the spontane
Gus work Of the peopie-that il came from tbs
PeoPle-from the hearts Of the people;--that 4
was supported by the hearts Of the people, and
that II required NO suPport--no protection from
any quarter whatever. But, SIR, il seems tina
these are antiquated notions obsolete IDEAS
and that we may now Manufacture republics ts
order, by authority Of a conqsering govern.
ment. -----..a--s----s--s
But suppose, sir, all these difficulties sur.
mounted. How can You make O. free govern.
ment in Mexico7 Where are ysar mate rialsi
IL Is to be, presume, confedsrased govern.
ment like our own Where is lie intelligence
in Mexico adequate to the construction Of such
a government That is what she has bee n aim.
ing at for twenty odd years, but 10 utterly in.
competent are her people for fhs work, that II
has been a complete failure from beginning 10
end. The body Of .he intelligence aud wealth
Of Mexico 10 concentered in the priesthood, who
ARE altogether disipclined fo thst form Of gov
erment. Then the owners Of the hacie dss--
the large planters Of the country who comprise
almost all fhe remaining mass Of inlelligenee, are
without opportunities Of ceneert--gnd destitute
81 the means Of forming such bverment.---
Sir. such government wouk bdE&possibls--
and u put up, would tumble dora Every mex /
day after our projections vas vish kxas.<s
Il appears to me TO be fsr Nh pyz6slyle
plan il u is determined to have peace, 10 sus-
tain the government that now exists in Mexico;
or rather TO refrain from putting it down. Let
Il grow up and mature itself. have conversed
with several Of the officers Of the army--men of
intelligence-On this subject, and all agree in
the opinion that the mere shadow Of a govern
ment which now remains at Queretafo, will
have no authority whatever, and that IL we were
70 make a peace in any degrees coDforma-
tory to our view Of what a pence ought to
be, the very moment We withdraw, il would
ali be overthrowp; and what then7 The very
country assigned TO US by the peace for an
indemnity, We must either hold defensively
and be brought back ultimately to. the de-
fsusive line, which would be the end Of the
whole Of IL; or, return and renew this war
till IL terminates in the conquest Of the country.
protest utterly against this government I'M
dertaking TO build up any government in Mexi-
co with the pledge Of protection. The party
placed in power must be inevitably overthrow,
and we will be under the solemn bligatiOn to re-
and reiDstate them in power; and that would
occur again and again, ill the country would
fall into our hands precisely Hindostan fell
INTO the hands Of the English. Thin very con-
quest Of Hindostan which we have been censur-
ing for years, ever since | recoll.ct, was the
result Of mistaken policy, leading on from step
10 step, each one deeper and deeper-scarcely
any design Of conquest being entertained, but
ultimately conquest became Unavoidable and il
was necessary not only to hold the cou ntry, but
10 conquer the adjacent territory.
Indemnity-why not take it nOwl We shall
be the sufferers! But suppose all plans fail,
what them The occupation of the country!
It's honor demand. What Is thisl Nothing but
10 establish Government over Mexico In the
form Of Provinces. ThUs her nationality riH
be blotted out! We must either hold the country
As province or incorporate it into our Union.
Shall We do ether That's the question.
II 10 without example or precedent, either to
hold Mexico as q province, or 10 incorporate
her into our Union. No example Of such
line Of policy can be found. We have con-
luered many Of the neighboring tribes Of
Iadians, butswe never thought Of holding them
IN subsection Of Incorporating them in
10 our Union. They have either been left as
IN indepe ndent people amongst Us, or been
driven into the forest.
I know farther, SIR, that We have never
dreampt Of Incorporating into our Union any
bat the Caucasian race-the free white race.
To incorporate Mexico, would be the very first
instance Of the kind Of Incorporating an Indian
race, for more than half Of the Mexicans are
Indians, and the other is composed chiefly Of
mixed tribes, protest against such union as
that. Ours, sur. is the government OF the
white man. The greatest misfortunes Of Span
ish America are to be traced TO the fatal error
Of placing these colored races on an equality
with the white race. That error destroyed the
social arrangement which formed the basis OF
society. The Portuguese and ourselves have
escaped--the Portuguese at least to some extent
and we are the only people on this continent
which have made revolutions without being
followed by anarchy. And yet it is professes
and talked about TO erect these Mekicans into a
territorial government, and place them on an
equality with the people Of the United States. |
protest utterly against such project.
Sir. it is a remarkable fact, that in the whole
history Of man, as far as nay knowledge extends,
there is no instance whatever Of any civilized
colored races being found equal to the estab-
lishment Of free popular government, although
by far the largest portion Of the human family
is composed Of these races. And even in the
savage state we scarcely hnd them any where
with such government, except il be our noble
savages--for noble will call them. They for
the most part had free institutions, bet they are
easily sustained amongst a savage people. Are
we TO overlook this fact1 Are we to associate
with ourselves as equals, companions, and fell
low-citiIens, the Indians aud mixed rice oi
Meyics1 Sir, should consider sseh thing As
fatal 10 our institutions.
The next two reasons which assigned were
that il would be in conflict with the genius and
character Of our institutions and subversiye Of
our free government. take these two tngettI
er as they are so intimately connected; and
now Of the 6rst-to hold Mexico in Subsection
Mr.. President, there are some propositions too
clear for argument; and before such body Al
the Senate, should consider il loss Of tins
TO under take to prove that TO hold Mexico as |
subjected prLvince would be hostile, and IN con
fiict with our free popular institutions, and IL
the end subversive Of them. Sir, he who know
the American Constitution well;--he who hs
duly studied its Characteristic who has looke'
at history and knows what has been the effec
Of conquests Of free states invariably, will re
quire no proof at my hands 10 show tina, !
would be entirely hostile TO the institutions o
the country, to hold Mexico as province
There is not an example on record Of any ire
state even having attempted the conquest Of an,
territory approaching the extent Of Mexic
without disastrous consequences. The nato
conquere red have in time conquered the conquer
ors by destroying their liberty. That will b
our case, sir. The conquest Of Mexico woul
add 10 vast an amount TO the patronage OF thi
government, that IL would absorb the Who'll
power Of the States in the Union. This Unto
would become impe rial, and the States mer
subordinate corporations. But the evil will ne
end there. The process will go on. The sam
process by which the power would be transfer
! red from the States to the Union, will transfe
the whole from this department Of the govern
ment q speak Of the legislature) 10 the Exeeu
tive. All the added power and added patron
age which conquest will create, will pass to tn