Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-06-30
THE IGNORANCE OF OPPOSITION.

newspaper.
As regards the territory to be conveyed, we can
not imagine of what adequate available use II en-
ever be to US to warrant such an expenditure lot u
acquisition as that proposed. 1t is mol hrsI"n,c,
ut, for agriculture. because the s"vcrniLom " "mr
r,5-o 6onnain now than will be properly set!ieu ut'
cri,,vatod in n hundred wears. In respect 10 ITS It!!'
~ as n rail road route IL the Pacific, II mas hn' neei
certainly asccrtained whether il IL al al auai'ce' 10
geographically, for any such oIIl.ct. i>cs'ucS, II .n'
entire region had been carefully explored anu sur
waved hv cvmuctcnt engineers, with thai clid III view
i, is still very doubtful whether the government WI
construct, or MD in constructing Il Srcu IRON n.sm
way across the continent; and II even tint point WI,
setis.,c1oruv determined, there Is no probability tiha'
eyperienced and careful examination OF all inc couh'
tn west of the Mississippi would fix upon a Inc
through the Mesilla valley as the most cil"iIh!e "0
practicable one for the purpose contemplated: !,
ITO nav ten millions of dollars for u strip "t SOIL ioi
a railway route, before il is known whether inc ro"'
will ever be built, or if built, whether 1t VIII not nc
cessarilv he located elsewhere, would be III instance
OF political folly and extravaganza wiicli wouu nc
serve the scvcrest Reproductions. Inc rch'".uiilS III
ducements for tho outlay of the vast sum Oi treasure
named. arc not more entitled TO respect than the liant
which Mexico is to convey Us part vi the cquiFaicii
for it. The eleventh article OF the treaty "i "uaaa
lupe Hidalgo contains engagements wflch II WIS ,h"s
uuwise in the administration then III power I" nnft
made. Ii binds us TO the performance OF duties whlcl
may be considered, i'll Il measure, mrfacticahic' al'
il would be fortunate If immediate ana absolute re-
lease from the obligation could he "bt'!Inct on JUS
and EQUITABLE terms. Iut tel Illlou VI N"'"'' -.
exceedingly cxorbitant price to give Tor the recession
OF u single article of Il treaty for which we pad, scrc'
rul years ago, fifteen millions OF money. Moreover
1t IS a subject OF grave question whether tit .'ifeu
States would not find il more economical 10 a'aiunh
all stipulations for q grant of territory, and u treat
specifically for All abroGation of the covenant winch
obliges i, to protect the Mexican frontiers from the IN
cursions ofsavagcs inhabitins within our own ihi's.
The fortv-ciglt thousand square miles. wiich Is
reckou.i TO bc the extent of soil to be- acquired under
the GaIsden treaty, is Il desert wilderness, urcrruh ny
indians, and while there is good reason to believe II
cen never become practically raluablcin any RESPECTED
our peonle, il is morally certain that the duties ana
rights o; jurisdiction over it would dernlre upon the
Government q charge quite equal 10, II not greater
than thar imposed upon II by the eleventh article "'
the treaty of Guadalupe iliLalgo. So that, III getting
the territory agreed 10 be conveyed we Mouiu n ~
ally perpetuate II source of expense and reSponIsinlli'
~, 10 be dispensed from which Is the only really I'M
por;anl advantage OF the convention when MI
Gadsden was employed 10 negotiate. On the wHoie'
the measure which the Senate Is asked !" saiiT!nn -
an eminentlv exceptionablc one in whatever l'giitt
may be viewed. Ii finally ratlIicd. Ii VIII MOI "hiE
involve u gross misHpplication OF the pubhc money,
bat inevitably entail upon the country occasions ~
embarrassment aud difficulty now scarcely fofeseeH'
for which no benefits the treaty will confer, though
they We're doubled d thousand times, can pcSni u
compensate.
The value OF the territory acquired under the Gads-
den treaty has nothing to do with the question. IRE
gidenr Pierce las the Washington Union well rcrnarks)
came into Office with that case made up To his hands
by the American Congress anl by the blunderS ut
Mr.. Filmore's administration and he acted under
the authority OF Congress, which WAS i'll distinct OPP
position 10 President Filnorc's policy. That policy
had surrendered territories which Congress was re-
solved Ia secure. So much for this objection. we
have nor u doubt. however, that II few years will
show that the Mesilla valley is not only one oil the
riches, ACQUISITIONS that could have been made, but
one OF the most essential tn our national progress. If
the North American will read !"r itself, 1t viii ind
how ia. ;his part Of the new treaty was Indicated Ivy
the acton Of Congress before President Pierce took
the r.ins of government, and how far Ii" was t" liam"
il the premises.
.No.h:nr, however, could be n in"r'. 'ii=sracrini
%: ignorance than the following language
of me North Americans: The eleventh article "t Qua
dslupe H:dalgo contains engagements which II was
moot uuwise for The administration then in power 10
have made. 1t binds US to the performance OF duties
which NAV be- considered in Il measure imrracticnblc.
But ten millions OF dollars is an exceedingly cNorbi-
tan price to give for the RECESSION OF n single article OF
4 trsa,y for which we paid, several years ago, fifteen
Millions Of money In the same paragraph this vera
ciou- newspaper tels lis that we are, by this new
treaty with Mexico, TO pay ten millions OF dollars Tor
a "trip Of soil for q railway route" And Immediately
Afterwards, that we are TO pay that amount for the
styora;ion Of the llth article! But this is not all.
TIE North American knew. or ough: 10 know, how
tho treaty Of Guadalupe lIidalGo was made. 1t was
,rade in violation OF orders, by Mr.. IrlSt, ana
~as accepted because il was the best That conid
be 60; NJ u critical moment. Mr.. Polk submitted
il to the United States Senate, and the eleventh arti-
Gle was retained in the treaty ny the votes OF
sach whig senators us Cri;tcndcn. Davis of Mnssa-
,huse,,s, Dayton, Hale, Rcverly Johnson, M@nsuln'
Phelps, Spruaucc, Webster, &C., &c. MI ran
more. administration offered nix millions alone Tor lis
but until the present moment nothing
could lac done with it. The involved, confused ana
contradictory argument of the North Amcric"h VI
this point would disgrace tho vercst tyro. II lsa lar
Of the character of the opposition to the au-
rainistration. Ii first alleges thut ten millions IN Il DC
mid for II .trip of land for II railroad then that that
amount is to DC paid for the abrogation ofthe eleventh
article; then that it was unwisc to treat about the
boundary linc-,hus coniessing gross ignorance "i inc
action OF Congress on that point then that the terri
tory acquired is Il desert wilderness, and Will dcroive
upon the government Il charge equal I" that imposed
bv the eleventh ur.icle; when il is known that, but
for the settlement of that part ofthe dispute involved
in the boundary growing out of the almost fatal error
of MI. FiIlmore's administration, war must have M
evitablv cusued; aud finally onits telling its readers
that the treaty secures to American citizens Il right to
bnild n railroad across the is,lunus of Tclluantcpec,
which rrea, advantage il secured without the cXpcii-
diture Of Il dollar. All this laundering is fifty set oil
By the assertion that we paid fifteen millions Tor the
treaty OF Guadalupe Ilidalgo. and that that ought t"
have boon enough, 10 have given It's Il treaty without
the eleventh article, or 10 have required an additional
expenditure Of ten millions to get rid of that article.
This would have been q most ~wciShtv objection, ii
The North American Rad not LETT California on; Gf is
coug-sorsc,;ing to uld that California cmnc thunder
the treaty Of 1873. We ito not know when we have
seen whis fairness 80 delightfully."- Illustrated"
CANDIDATES FOR CONGRESS.-C. S. Lewis
and Benjamin lsassela, j., tDeinocrnts.) and John j.
Jackson, Jr. (Whicl are candidates to ill the v"cnn-
cy in Congress created By the dcatllot Mr.. Snodgrass.
A Democratic Convention is called for the 2O,l, July,
at Glennvillo, 10 nominate a candidate. Mcssrs. Lew
IS and Bassell have agreed 10 submit their claims t" II
convention. We ugree with the Weston Herald, that
ii .;ho Democratic party wish Ia obtain ;hcir asccn-
dency iu the district, they mas, adhere tn the usages
OF the party, nc; fairly i'll making their nominations,
md when made support the nominee with all their
seal and ability. if. then, any rebellious spiri, ut;
temp;s to play tho part Of II A'<orsa@i;;'', he should
be lcf, 10 ill tho political grave which he Is preparing
10. himself. In no other way can the Democrats hope
TO maintain tho INTEGRITY of the party ,n ,nvg hanarni
wutcl-word, the observance of which has guided MS
safely through many q perilous conflict and its OBJ
servaace r,w. es then, will he attended with the same
happy reaults."
Tue Democrats of Gilmcr lately held n meeting at
Glennriile, and appointed every Democrat in the
county a delegate 10 the Convention proposed TO be
held IL that couuty 20 select a suitable person TO rep