Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-03-23

guard were extremely vlgliapt, ana Snol sever
al ofthe attacking party.
FOURTH DESPATCH OF MAJOR DOW
MING,
PRIVATE,
To James X. Polk, President of the Uuited
States, and nearly half of Merico certain,
NTH a pretty tOLerablc fair chance yet for the
1chOle.
CITY OF MEXICO, DOUBTFUL TERRITORY,
February Ia, 1913.
DEAR colonel: If any body asks you that
imprudent question again, ''Whatar are we fight
in for?' jest tell him he's goose, and don't
know what he's talking about, for we nint
mistice, they call it; SO there's no sense at all
in their putting that question to you any more.
We've got the opposition fairly on the hip up
on that question, ifno other; fairly gagged 'enl;
they can't say to you any longer now, 'What
are we fighting for?" This is some consolation
for the shabby trick TRIsT has served us. That
fellow has made bargain with the Mexicans
to stop the war, in spite of the orders you sent
to him TO come right home and let things alone.
! felt uneasy about it when see him hanging
about there so long after he got his orders TO
come home, and | said to him, once or twice,
sMr. Trst, what's the reason you don't go of
boldness of yourn is shameful
'.Why, Major" says he, '.he that does his
masters will, does right, whether he goes &C
cording to orders or not. The President sent
me out here to make peace, and it's wonder
to me if don't fix it yet, somehow or other,
before I've done with it." And then he put
his finger to the side of his nose and give me a
sassy look, as much as TO say, Major Downing
you better not try to be looking into diplomat
c things that's too deep for you.
SaysI, "Mr. Trist, I'm astonished at you;
thought you was man of more judgement, and
looked deeper into things. Don't you see what
advantage it gives the President to let things
now stand jest as they be? He's offered peace
to the Mexicans, and they have refused it
Therefore, the opposition at home can't cry out
against him any more if he goes ahead with the
war. He's shet their mouths up on that score.
| He's made the war popular, and can go into
the Presidential campaign now with a good
chance of being elected another term And
now if you go to dabblin in the business any
more, I'm sure you'll do mischief AS things
now stand, peace is the last thing in the world
that the President wants. You've done your
Grand here and got your answer, and it's turn-
ed out jest right; we can 60 on with our annex
in all Mexico now, without such an everlast-
ing growing among the opposition at home
for we've offered the Mexicans peace, and they
wouldn't take it. So you've nothin to do now
but to be off home, for the war is Jest in the
right shape as it is"
Well now, after all this plain advice-for
felt it my duty to be plain with him-he still
kept hanging about here, day after day and week
after week, and the first thing knew We was
took all back by being told that Mr. Trist had
made treaty and General SCOTT was to order
an armistce. ! couldn't hardly believe my
ears at first. posted right off to Gen. Scorr
TO know what it all meant.
General" says J, ''are you going to order
an armistice?'
and the Mexican Commissioners have signed
the preliminaries of treaty, so of course we
shall have ali armistice."
'Well now, General, says /, ''Idon't think
the President will thank you for that"
Cant help that" says he, 81 must obey the
orders OF the Government, thanks or no thanks.
And when Mr. Trist was sent out here to make
a treaty, was directed whenever a plan of a
treaty should be signed on both sides, to order
an armistice, and wait for the two Govern
ments to ratify the treaty. Well, Mr.. Trist
and the Mexican Commissioners have at last
fixed up some kind Of bargain and signed it,
and of course according o my orders we have
nothing TO do but to stand still and wait for
"But," says /, "Gineral, you know Mr.. Trist
has no right to make treaty any more than
have, for the President has ordered him to come
home; and if ne has made treaty, it's no bet
ter than piece ofblank pape and you shouldn't
mind it,
Don't know any thing about them matters"
says he, 81 can't go behind the curtain to in
qulre what little maneuvers are going on be-
tween the President and his Commissioners
Mr.. Trist came out here with his regular COM
mission to make treaty. He has brought me
treaty, signed by himself and the Mexican
Commissioners; and my orders are TO cease
hostilities. OF course we can do nothin else
but halt and stack arms
"Well,' says |. ''Gineral 1t amt right: it's
bad business; it II break up this grand annexin
plan that was jest going on SO nice that we
mighta got through whit in year or two
more; and then it will bother the President
most to death about his election for the second
term. That treaty must be stopped; it mustn't
be sent home; and l'llgoright and see Mr.. Trist
about it,
So off 1 went and hunted up Mr. Trist, and
had talk with him. Says !, "Trist, how's
this? They tell me you've been making a trea.