The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-09
The Territorial Question.

uotH stCtloHs Vi Tic country IL 10 led-
sonable and just in regard to California;
we believe it to be the only practicable
policy with regard to New Mexico. In
the present state of the public mind, it is
desirable, with reference to a mere matter
of feeling, 10 avoid or evade it, rather
than press it TO an unavailing and peril
Gus issue. On such point we desire
to see no triumph Of one section over an
other. We do not desire to see either
section irritated by the passage of an OBJ
noxious law. The greatest wisdom some
times is TO know when to do nothing.
The universal acquiescence of the WING
press, in the policy indicated by the PRES
IDENT, is sufficient to account for the in
. decency of language with which it is as
sailed by the Opposition. The Union even
goes beyond itself in its epithets of vitu
peration. We quote from that journal Of
the Sth instant paragraph to which We
ask the attention of moderate and thinking
men of all parties. We never met with
an article conceived in baser spirit, or
couched in more Objectionable language,
in any other journal than the Union itself.
Every word in it betrays its reptile origin:
1.-THE plan proposed by General TAYLOR, or more
truly by the Cabinet in his name-General TAy-
LOB being but nose Of wax in their hands-for
the disposition of the territorial question is, TO
leave them without governments, and permit the
people inhabiting them to form constitutions and
apply for admission into the Union. This is sim
ply the doctrine of non-intervention forced upon
the territories by action 1t is the adoption
Of General CAsss principle Of nQn-intervention,
leaving the people Of the territories without gov
eminent until they admitted into the Union.
This is in substance, the wise and cunning device
Of the Cabinet, by which that illusrious body hope
TO settle the territorial question Is there Of
common sense in America who will not say that il
is better give the people Of the territories gov
ernments for their protection and security, until
they have sufficient population and ready
and willing to adopt constitutions and apply for
admission into the Union as States, than 10 leave
them without governments and protectio- IL il
not wiser, more manly, and more statesmanlike,
10 provide governments for the people Of the ter
ritories without the Wilmot proviso than 10 leave
governments, too Who can doubt Who but
child or idiot would propose the latter alter
nativel And Why do the Cabinet advise this
abandonment Of the people Of the territorics' For
no other reason than TO prevent the exposure Of
the shameful fraud pepetrated upon the people in
the late presidential election with regard to the
opinions and course Of General TAYLOR in rcla.
ton TO the wilmot proviso."
We do not propose 10 comment on the
language Of this paragraph. To charge
President TAYLOR in terms with proposing
the scheme of an ''idiot," to escape the
exposure of s1raud," is an effort Of Bill
lingsgate that can be suffered to pass in
pilyior the senile malignity which prompts
it. The portion of the paragraph to which
we now design to address ourselves, is that
which charges the Administration with
permitting the people Of New Mexico 10
remain without government Were il
true, we do not know but that it would be
better TO permit New Mexico TO remain
without a government, than 10 excite civil
dissensions between the thirty States Of
this Union. New Mexico without gov
eminent would be in no worse condition
than she was before the acquisition Of her
territory by the United States But IT is
not true.
Among the documents accompanying
the PRESIDENTS message is a letter to Mr..
Secretary MARCY from Lieutenant Colonel
WASHINGTON, under date Of November
y, 1S4S, which shows that the people Of
New Mexico are in the enjoyment OF 9
government adopted by their own con-
sent. "The system Of government y
says Colonel WAsHrSGTos, "now in force
in New Mexico is that which was estab
lished in 1916, and embraces what Is
commonly called Kearny's code, to
which the people, through their repre-.
sentatives lately assembled in conven-
ton, have happily expressed their as
sent, as will be seen by their memorial
TO Congress, and is considered ddequaf'
TO TIE Uanis Of the country until anofhe'
can be prorided." Even if no sucf
government had been ratified by the peo
nile, New Mexico would not have remained
without a government. She would have
continued to enjoy her old form of gov
eminent, until altered by the new powei
TO which her allegiance had been trans
ferred by the act which transferred he
territory.
We know nothing which leads us t