New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-22

after an additional sbce Of NOrtheIn sleAlcO. IL
has b-een commonly understOOd that the great OBJ
ject Ofthe negotiations in which, ever since hs sc
cessiOD be has been engsged-frst with the Church
party, and when he did not succeed TO biz mind
with thes, then With the Liberals or COnstitu-
tionalistshas been eession Of territory for which
be has always stood ready to pay liberal price.
Money has been, and stu il, the great want Of
both the Mexican factions but the national senti-
ment against any further cessiOns OF territory IA
10 deep and settled that neither Church party nor
CoLstitutionalists have been willing to take the
risk Of rlnnn counter 10 it. The story from Wash
ington now is that Departing Of being able to obtain
the coveted territory by negotiation and purchase,
Mr.. Buchanan is about to seize upon II by force.
II Is asserted that troops have lately been ordered to
the Mexican frontier with this view. Nidaurri, the
reeently-erpelled Governor Of New-Leon and Goa
hula has all along been suspected, II not OF iavorng
an actual annexation TO the United States, at least
Of disposition TO separate from Southern Mexico,
and to set up q Northern Republic under our pro-
lection. If the reported project Of the occupation
Of Northern Mexico by the troops OF the United
States is actually on foot, Yidaurn may perhaps
have something to do with it, expecting by this
means TO return to New-Leon, and perhaps to
regain, under American protection, his former po-
ltical position The pretense to be set up for this
occupation il said to be the holding of the occupied
territory as security for the claims of our citizens
of which a large batch has accumulated since the
last settlement at the time of the Arizona cession-
for spolatons alleged to have been committed upon
them by the Mexican authorities.
II is not very easy TO understand what there ia
in this coveted Mexican territory that has so
strongly excited the cupidty of President Bu-
ehapan. If these northern Mexican States con-
tanned large tracts Of fertile, unoccuped land, as
was the case with Texas and California; if they
had any sea coast or harbOrs or rivers Of any val
ne in a commercial point of view, 1t would be
quite another matter. Such, however, is very far
from being the case. They consist, for the most
mart. Of arid table-lands and mountains, with only
few tracts here and there, of very limited extent,
capabe of being cultivated and that only BY means
of artificial irrigation. These fertile tracts are al
ready reduced to possession. The population OF
these States-a hybrid mixture Of Spanish and
Mexican-though small, compared with their terri
toral extent is already quite as large az the ag-
cultural resources Of the country are capable OF
supporting. Even without the people, the country
would scarcely be worth acceptance as gift. In
habited as il is by population with whom we have
so little sympathy OF community of ideas, what posi-
bic advantage can be expected from its annexationl
There is besides, this serious incumbrance upon 1t:
1t il exposed TO incursons of hostile bands OF In
dians, whohayc made their regular plunder-ground
for many years past BY the treaty with which the
Mexican war was concluded, we contracted an
obligation to defend the Mexican inhabitants south
of the new boundary line established by that treaty
from the incursions aud depredatons OF the Indian
tribes residing within the Territories then ceded to
Ms This obligation was found 30 onerOus that we
were glad, under the Arizona treaty. to purchase
an exemption from il by the payment OF large
sum of money-the amount paid to Mexico under
that treaty being principally on that score. This
obligation, from which we thus purchased release,
would, by the occupation of the Northern MEXICAN
States, be resumed. How onerous 1t would
be- can be Judged of from the case Of New-Mexlco.
The United States military officers in command OF
that Territory have repeatedly suggested that 1t
would be far cheaper to buy out all the inhabitants
and move them elsewhere than to msinta'a their
defense against the Indian tribes to whose depreda-
tons they are perpetually exposed, and who ind
shelter amid mountains and Observation-Disclosures from
which il is next to impossible to expel them.
The only benefit, in an industrial or productive
point of view to be expected from this territory, Is
from the silver mines which exist in some parts of
it, and which are vaguely supposed to exist in other
parts. The silver mines in Mexico even. where the
ore is richest, are very different affairs from the
gold placers Of California. They require immense
capital to work them the proportion OF silver to
given amount Of ore IS very small and the expenses
are so great that the return upon the capital In
vested is far from being heavy per centage. Be
sides. what with California and Pixies Peak have
We not an ample extent of mining ground already,
and is not quite sufficient proportion of our people
already devoted to the search for the precious
metals
II this coveted Mexican territory afforded the
hone of adding new Slave States to the Union, We
could then readily understand Mr.. BuchanAn's
policy Such, however, does not seem TO be the
case. slavery is only profitable with a fertile sod,
able 10 produce staple crops and with facilities for
their transport 10 the countries where they are
needed Northern Mexico has very little soil fit to
produce cotton, sugar OF any other slave staple.
| 1t has no harbOn, no naEigable rivers, no roads