The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-30
THE MEXICAN PRoTECToRATE.


Mr.. Buchanan is as unfortunate in his efforts
to please the South as his rival Douglas. He
naturally supposed that man could not be too
" sound upon the negro question; and So at
one fell swoOp, he proposed to take Mexico and
Cuba, thereby cutting off the possibility of any
body out bidding him. But he is like the In
dams gun, which was 20 straight as to lean the
other way and his policy is denounced by the
great oracle of Southern opinion, the Charles
ton Mercury, as fraught with danger to the
"peculiar institutional"
The Mercury argues, Justly, that military oc-
cupation of Northern Mexico would produce
war with that nation, as a necessary conse-
quence and that war would result in conquest.
We concur equally with the Mercury, that the
free States, and not the slave, will populate
and control the territories we are to SEIZE"
and that the result will be to hem in the South
on all sides by a chain Of free States. The
Mercury says:
"As the head Of the Government of the
United States, the President cannot look to the
antagonist interests of the different sections of
the Union. He must regard the United States
as a whole, and make his recommendations ac-
cordimg TO such a state OF things. But, unfor-
tunately, the people of the United States are
not a homogeneous people. They have war
ring elements amongst them, which render rec
concentrations made with the most patriotic
motives, and apparently equal, dangerous and
unjust. We allude especially to the policy pro-
posed by the President of taking military pos
session of the northern frontiers of Chihuahua
and Sonora, and 'establ ishing military posts
therein 1t is true the President proposes such
an occupation to be only temporary, until Next
co is capable of governing herself and of pay
ing the ten millions Of dollars said to be due by
her to our citizens. But we presume that no
one, in or out of tho United States, will doubt
that our possession of these territories will be
permanent. The President afiirms that Mexi.
co can never pay us the ten millions of dollars
we claim and if she could do so at some future
day, the American population entering these
territories under the military authority and pro-
lection Of the United States would be quite ade-
duate to hold them. So that, in reality, the
proposition amounts to this-to seize two prov
inces of Mexico to pay ourselves for ten mil
lions of dollars which we allege Mexico owes
to us.
% Now, the first question which this course
suggests is thiS--is not this war? Is not forci-
BILE military possession by our country of a por-
ton of another a clear act of war? 1t is true
the President seems to advocate this course as
an expedient to avoid war. To avoid war by
committing an act of war, seems to be queer
method of avoiding it. The only reason why il
will not produce general war with Mexico,
must be the presumed inability of Mexico to
| make or sustain war with u.s. She did how,
ever, declare and make war with us, because
she supposed that we aggressed upon her terrific
ries as part of Texas, May she net do the same
| thing again, under far more insulting and ques
tionahle circumstances And If she accepts the
war we tender her, which nation will lose most
| by the war? Having no commerce herself, she
may grant letters of niarque and reprisal to the
! adventures of every nation in the world, and
sweep the seas of our commerce by her priva
teers and if we conquer her by land, what
then ?? She may be very willing to be conquer
ed Beyond doubt, the greatest blessing to
| Mexico would be her entire conquest and an
nexation to the United States. The course
recommended by the President seems to us t.
be the beginning of this policy, and must ineyi
tably end Ill It's contamination. Standing in 9
very different position from the President, VIZ
of the South must ask the question, what will
be the effect of this policy on the destinies o
the South? Who win populate and control tn,
territories we are to seize? Win not the FIRE,
States take them all ? Has not the Kansas
controversy, have not the late elections at th,
North, clearly manifested that no more say,
! States will be admitted into this Union? Viii
not every province wrested from Mexico be