Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-08-03
BRUSHISG UP BFsTORY.
The Philadelphia a. Times Taken to Task for
Recent Slip

nfccpt sup
EDITORS lNTELLIGENCER: In the Time
OF recent issue, under the head of "A Tenn
pest in Teapot" appears an editorial in
reference to the present disturbance between
the United States and Mexico over the ares.
and imprisonment of an editor named Cut
ting. The concluding paragraph of the edit
torial reads as follows:
"We went 20 war with Mexico some FORTY
years ago about ust nothing at all, simply
because we wanted California and other ter
rltory and 1t is possible that many people IN
Texas and elsewhere want to have another
war with Mexico to steal another slice of her
territory but, if so, let us have some better
pretext FOR II than dispute over Bohemian
sdyenturer in journalism, who demands a
war because somebody proposed to start a
rival eight-by-ten newspaper in a Mexican
village"
The Times is certainly in error 10 SAYING
that " we went to war with Mexico some
forty years ago about just nothing at all,
simply because We wanted California and
oLner !erritory.n The bringing about of that
war, the progress and end of which re-
bounded with so much honor and glory to
President Folks administration and the
emerican army, was the result of causes
which had been more or less in dispute be-
tween the United States and MeXi au govern
ments Tor several years preceding. Texas
had fought for and obtained lis ind5-
pendence in 1886, and for nine years was a
separate republic. In 1874, il resolved to an
mex itself to the United States, and in ISIS il
was annexed TO this republic. Then arose a
dispute az to the boundary line, whether it
should be the Neuces or the Rio Grande,
and finally the latter prevailed. The
Mexican government had been concentrat-
ing lts troops along the Texas frontier
Tor considerable time, and in the summer
OF ls45 General Taylor was sent there with
what was called "the Army of Observation
comprising regiment or two of dragons,
VA n IN nan aFt
three regiments OF infantry-altogether not
suihclent TO have made a respectable-sized
brigade in the late civil war. The war was
brought on by the Mexlcans, who made
predatory excursions on the soil of Texas
DONG all sorts OF deviltry. 1t was fought
from May lsiG, TO the beginning of 1913, when
AZ honorable peace as was ever framed was
brought about between the two republics.
The United States had a perfect right to
annex California and New Mexico. bur for
the former 1t paid liberal sum to the Mexi.
can government So that the charge of a war
hold good.
The wisdom and foresight OF the admins
tration OF President Polk during that inter
esting struggle can never be too highly com
mended or appreciated. The Wing party,
with a few honorable exceptions, was strong
~ opposed To the war-but there was no
imprisonment or banishment OF the members
ol that party Tor expressing or printing their
opinions as to the policy OF President Polk
not even when Corwin stood up in the halls
VI congress and said "If he were Mexi-
oan as ne We're an American, he would well
| come the American soldiers with bloody
nsnds 70 hospitable graves" That was ana
- .ne uinefence between the great war or.
t,,n tas.ion and defender of the liberties aud
,ns'uuons .,as % OF i,s country, and the one which
| was only warlike when a struggle ensnsd
calculated TO bring about dissolatio of tbs
American Union. o
HARRISBURG, July Is, 1856.