Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-01-19


taon OF the question Of slavery they notonly cheated Mr.
Van Buren, of his nomination that the people desired
but they again succeeded in placing Southern Demo
cat in the chair Mr. Clay another native Of Vr
gnia, and citizen of Kentucky who was the owner
large body OF savesbut who nevertheless bitter
ly denounced as an aboltonist So flushed were they
with the unexpected victory they had achieved the
foremost of all the land and eated the success
OF this ISSUE that they determined to press the
matter of acquisition still further in time for the cam
pagn of lS4Sand utterly regardless of all precedent
constitutional restraint they acquired and admitted Tex
AS as one of the States Of this Union by joint resolution
OF COngre s, which of ordinary legislation
is liable at any time to be repealed; Tor in law it wa
null and void from the beginning for the reason thai
the Constitution gave power the Legislature TO en-
ter into contract with foreign government for the
purchase, SALE surrender of its territory-ln truth
the power did not exist anywhere but there prece
dent in the acquisition OF Louisiana for acquiring terri
tory by the treaty making poT-for which Mr. Jeiier
son subsequently suggested the proprety Of amend
ment OF the Constitution So that II that Joint resolution
| should be repealed tomorrow, Texas would no longer
legally be member Of this confedoracya prae
ticdiy it would have effect her status II State
only refer TO this question to show TO what eXremtes
the Democracy resored for slavery issues to control
Presidential elections
But Texas answered the purposes Of 1874; having
lodged the trgtbrd Uote required for its admission Jy
treaty. they were in hot haste 10 get up issue for
the campaign Of lSiSand they struck upon the expe-
dent of having a with Mexico ITO conquer peace
and or indemnity for the past and security for the flu
ture which would inevitably lead to the acquisition of
additional territory and necessarily the question of
the extension OF slavery into it, which would nfaaby
be resisted by the North as it would be claimed and n-
sisted on by the South And this it that led TO the
Introduction OF the WmOt Provso to be applied any
territory that might be acquired from Mexico but they
were quite artfu in lodging the making power
they had been before in lodging the treaty making pow
eror they knew the war making power could not be ndu
ced to make declaration for the that had
no against Mexico while she had ground
OF complaint against for annexng territory the title
to which she had relnqushed but always claimed
aud whose independence had been asserted only, but
never fully established they managed through Mr.
Polk, inst elected TO send feet of observation the
coast of Mexico and army to Corpus Christi, which
acknowledged to bebe most estern pOnt nOu them
occupied BY Iras distance of $50 miles from the Rio
Grande-a of which intermediate territory then
knowedged by the President Secretary OF Warand
Minister to Mexico Mr.. Donaldson to belong to Mexico
After waiting at Corpus Christi long enough that
Mexico did not mean to make war upon us, this little ar
my marched to the banks of the Rio Grande
fort erected and our guns pointed upon the Mex
lean town of hatamorasaud thus the commenced
without the authority knowledge of the war making
power to prepare the way, for the slavery issue in the
campaign OF 1913.
Mr. Clay having been defeated by Mr.. Polk in A. he
was regarded as "hors du combat" for the succession
whilst Gen. Scott generally looked upon the
probable candidate of the Opposition the position he
held in the army entitled him 70 the command but he
called into service, under such circumstances led
him to remark before leaving home that he went leaving
"a Pre- IN the rear, more Formidable than tie fire IN
frOnt for he knew he sent to Mexico to be sacri
feed. With less than 10000 under his command,
with insufficient supplies OF everything necessary to carry
the war he was required TO prosecute the war into the
Uitdis Of Merico" He bombarded Vera Cruz and took
possession of the city and the FORT he marched Cero
orda where he achieved victory that crowned his
brow with additional laures and the American flag and
the proves Of our arms with new lustre
This more than they had bargained for-and it is
Notifying TO say, than they desired he reap
ing aure rather to fast and too plsntifuly-to conquer
Mexico with such force aud march into the capital
tanning population of 100000 would be likely
spirit of enthusiasm that might sweep everything the
the Presidency included before him. Mexico wanted a
commander, and Gen Santa Anna, who was not then in
Mexico, granted private pass from our govern
ment to enter Mexico and orders sent down to
Gulf fleet to permit him to pass that he might take
command OF the Mexican army and the decree forth
that Scott must be crippled and if crippled super
ceded in his command-it would never do to let these
villanous Wings reap any ADVANTAGE from a war that
had been made by themselves for their own exclusive
benefit and in the midst of his successful career it
soemnly proposed to appoint Col Butler, Lieut.. Gene
raj TO 90 down Mexico 10 take command of General
Scott acknowledged as the first military man of the
age,) and of bis glorious little army The indignation Of
the country at aroused, and the disreputable
attempt to disgrace victorious chief defeated Still
they were not content Scott must be in manner
shorn Of the reputation he acquiring democracy
endangered by it. So they hit upon the novel ex-
pedcnt of appointing fourdemocratic brgadier Generals
three OF whom az least had never any service,
far the country knew had held commission or
drew sword from its scabbard, or attended country
muster, or shouldered an more formidable than
umbrella cOrn-stk-these civil military gentlemen,
(Col Butler had been aid 10 ten Jackson following
the profession ofthe law sent down watch Scott
and report to headquarters at Washington, anything
that in their judgment might tend his dsparagement
But although surrounded with all these Instructions,
difficulties aud mpelimens on, ON, he marched, from
point to point from city TO city, from fort to fort
"conquerng and TO conquer until at last he entered the
capital Of Mexico at the head Of his gallant little band
of men, and planted the flag of the United States in the
halls Of the MontcZuma when TO the eternal disgrace
of all who were concerned whilst standing at the head
of bis elaed and victorious troops be was suspended
from command which transferred one Of the
Gently appointed Democratic Generals aud he Scot the
soldier the warrior the hero of bis country brought
home under arrest, upon charges frivolous and
tempible, preferred by inferior officer against
whom he had preferred charges that dsIegarded
that they not prosecuted although he caimed and
demanded trial.
Never was thssS dsgnceiu occurrence
10 be recorded on the page of history for so igno-
blc end And thank God that his countrymcn
have rcbuked the conduct Of his oppressors, and
wiped ont the stain attempted TO be affixed TO his H.
usrou7 name-hls parypowerless to elect subsequent
" gave him nomination for the Presidency and cast
for him $500 votes at the polls and failing in their
purpose to make him President, have since demanded
and secured to him a military rank and tide never CON
fered on any other than the veneated Washington the
stln-no the sain but the wrong and injustice of
his opnrcsOrS have been wiped out and in his ripe old
age he stands indicated aud honored by his fellow
cOuutrymen.
But whilst they were thus killing off Scott for the cam
piign Of SIS there another old soldier then union
ored and unknown to fame and of whom they had not
thought or no doubt he would have been tried by a
drum-head court martial for whipping this same Gen.
Santa Anna at Buona Vista, and suspended also
from Command; and in him they cayH tdrfdr
then rent ont 10 shear, and came bo,ae shorn" Gen.
TAYLOR selected the candidate in opposition to Gen
Cass and athoggh he was said to have been the
of some two or three hundred slaves he too in turn
was yehemently denounced aboitionst not fit to
he trusted by the South; nor is it probable he would
have been trusted but for the division of portion of the
Northern Democracy in favor OF Mr. Van Buren, who
resent his defeat in the Convention of a. had by this
time made an exhibition Of his Southern principles
very much to the taste of his former admirers in the
South and q ireesOi candidate. Here, then, all
their issues had thus failed in Sis the 2lst rule the cry
of abolition the annexation of Texas the Mexican war
had all avaed them nothing ana for the third time the
'sceptre had departed from JUDAH This they could
longer stand and what was their next resort? Why
nothing short of a dissolution Of the Union and the
ganization of a Southern coniederacy, in which their
title to power would be perpetual and omnpotent, and
we poor devils of the Wing party to be made the
hewers of wood and drawers of for hard task
masters except on the condition offending the knee to
Blal this cry OF Dunion hushed and trodden under
foot by the happy influence of the compromises of 1885,
which they serny resisted to the end and rather than sub
nit to WHICH they called convention ct SaahVile iDr tho
purpose Of initiating movement in favor of dssoutioni
that faino and finding these measures were oVerwhem-