The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-04-29
The Policy Of Purchasing Another Slice
from Mexico.


from Mexico.
| The return of Santa Anna to the supreme
dictatorship of Mexico places the future destiny
of that long-misgoverned, revolutionary and
unhappy republic in state of doubt and tenn
porary suspense. If, however, we may credit
his recent protsstations of patriotism, he will
die in the last ditch before another square inch
Of the national territories shall be, with his
consent, either taken or bartered away. Upon
his return from his former exile, with that mys-
| ferrous passport from President Polk, he made
similar declarations; and yet, upon the high
authority Of General Scott he was shortly
brought to such overtures to our General-in-
Chief as contemplated the surrender of the
country, en- masse, to the protection of our
constitution and laws. These overtures, as we
have heretofore had occasion to declare. WERE
according to our humble judgment unwisely
thrown away, and for reasons in view Of mani
fest destiny" insufficient to justify the rejection
of that golden opportunity.
1t may be said that the brilliant victories
achieved by our arms, and the acquisition Of
California, were, all together, an ample COM
| pensation for the sacrifices of life and trea-
sure which the war of ACT and the peace
Of '4s exacted-suffcient even to justi-
| fy that stringent clause Of the treaty of
| Guadalupe Hidalgo which bars US against
| any future Entertainments upon the soil Of
our helpless neighbor. And it is true that
we gained much, exceeding in the acquisition
of the gold mines Of California, the most extra
VACANT dreams Of the most gold-loving visiona-
ry Of ancient or modern times But more
much more was lost in rejecting the happy mo-
ment for the annexation Of the whole of Next
CO; for, according to the present aspect Of things
there. is more danger Of restoration Of Mexico
to the Spanish crown than of another offer from
Santa Anna like that which he made to Gene
raj Scott
Gen. Jefferson Davis the present Secretary
of War. if we are not mistaken, opposed the
ratification by the Senate of the treaty of
peace on the ground that the boundary OF the
Rio Grande and the ella was not the proper line
for a permanent and satisfactory peace with
Mexico. He was in favor ofthe more seutherly
line of the Sierra Madre or Mother Mountains,
and thence westward to the mouth Of the Gulf
of California, so as to include the plains south
Paso the vast open country of chihuahua and
Sonora south of the ella, the Cult of California.
and that long peninsula known as Lower Cali
fornia. lying between the Gulf and the Pacific
A few millions more money, we presume,
would have induced Mexico toyield to this line;
and our experience since the treaty of peace.
has proved that a little more hard cash for this
e 4
been proceeding not only Of sound nationa
policy, but finally resulting in very large pc
cuniary savings to the government,
Let US explain. The vast extent Of open
country between the present boundary line
and that suggested by Mr. Davis is but thinly
int abited excepting the string of towns and
villages between Matamoras and Monterey.
But even these settlements, though competent
to defend themselves against the Indians, have
been for two or three years past entirely at
the mercy of Caravajal and his dry land bucca-
neers. But the residue Of this intermediate
country between the existing boundary and
that Of Mr.. Davis has been, since the treaty CT
peace. under the full dominion of the wild 10
dams, and by them nearly, if not absolutely
SF W ''7 "htte seltieTs. Anu tus
great difficulty of reducing these Indians to
submission has been, that we have not had the
right to push or locate our troops amidst the
scenes Of their depredatons. Hence the treaty.
clause guaranteeing the Mexican frontiers
against the incursions Of our plunderng barba-
rians has been of no practical effect aad hence
the many millions Of damages laid against our
government by that Of Mexico in behalf Of her
deeply injured border citizens on account OF
Indian ravages and spoliations, for which we
are justly responsible
These claims, in some way, will have to be
met and satisfied The plan has been mooted
from time to time Of compromising this business
in connection with the Tehuantepec treaty. IT
is highly probable that something of this sort