Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-12
POLK and MKINLEY.


Mexico and our Mexican war have +
all along been stone of stumbling and Fl
4 rock OF offence to our latter day Inn il
nerialjsts. Their leading political doc v
frines we're distinctly Iepudiated, one O
after the other, by this country IN 4
isaiah. The flag was up over vast @
territory completely at our mercy, but 1t
was hauled down. As at the end OF the |
Spanish war, the opportunity to bless !
al, inferior people by robbing them OF 4
their country was tempting haif.
century ago. Bishop Potter's new lignt
about the duty of strong nation TO |
taka over the goods of a weak one, is
nnlv ieyamping of Birdofredom
Sawin's great moral discovery made
in Mexico itself
49, our nations bigger'n theirn an SO its
rights air bigger"
The danger that Mexico would fall
| into helpless anarchy was. lust as great
as that the Philippines would; and
! President Diaz's dec aratiop the other
/ day that his country is now enjoying
eat prosperity and showing every
| sign OF contentment and progress, IS
/ the sufficient comment on the futility
of such prophecy.
i All these things, We say, have been
difficulties to the aigumentative I'M
perialist of our day, who has met them
| In the good old way of looking them
4 full in the face and disoreetly passing |
py. But Prof Bourne of Yale Uni
4 yersity has given a new point TO the
n Mexican analogy by his paper in the
April American Historical Review, on
iiThe United States and Mexico, 1877
! lslo, = What he abundantly shows by
his researches in contemporary doou-
ments is that there was, is l847,
!, nowerful movement for the annexation
Of AL of Mexico 1t affected both
parties, and was, found in all parts OF
the country. 1t had its spokesman IN
4 the press, in Congress, in political con,
, veutions, even in the Cabinet. AND an
the arguments which were USED 10
!, 1898 to Justify the taking of the Philip
!, mines we're brought into play in 1877 to
force the absorption OF the whole OF
Mexico. The reason why the earlier
clamor failed while the later succeeded
is TO be found, ultimately, in the fact
that In 1S47 man was living In tine
IT White House.
,s Glance for a moment at some of the
r evidence which Prof. Bourne collects
:. in his striking article, going to prove
n that president with his ear to the
ID ground in 1S47 would have get an inn
perative command to annex all Mexico.
to England wanted it, as we know she
M wanted us to take the Philippines.
n People are beginning to say wrote
(. Bancroft to Buchanan from London,
p. Hthat it would be blessing to the
er world il the United States would
ms assume the tutelage of Mexico. Re
en- lipion and humanity were made
h. cloak for greed, fifty years ago as now
Equalization and Christianity" wer'
of invoked against the policy of with
ise drawing our troops and leaving Mexic'
IS. prey to "Earbarism and anarchy.
lite The military forwards were for keepinl
led all. Gen. Quitnan posted to Washing
ton in hot haste to urge upon tn
led President plan for the permanen
ut. occupation Of Mexico, Sommooor
Mt. Stockton, 1.-THE Dewey of the conques
RS. II California" as Frof. Bourne haE
pily calls him, was for an indefipit
occupation OF all conquered territory
Not even the "strennous" arRumer
uni was wanting. The Hunker Democrat
F., of New York came out in state col
uty yeption, with language which clsai
ell: marks the political ancestry OF Il
nd, present governor, and asked, respectir
att; The field opened in Mexico, "Shall Y
rer, occupy its Shall We now run, wi
Der; manly yigor the race that is set befo
ma usY Or shall We yield to the suggestio
>. of sickly fanaticism, or sink into
e., enervating slumberp" Lest any read
sgie should think this an nnblushil
ley plagiarism from the man who thin
s., with his fists" Prof. Bourne gives t
geie refer ence to Niles Register
rec 4; The final crisis in lS47 was reach
lees, in the White House. Folks u
her, published diary, Of which Pr
Bourne has had the reading, sho
how uncertain and divided were
Cabinet and the Senate, and how
nole- was led up into high mountain to
nsyi. tempted, as was his latest successor
held Office. The situation was awkwa
,hia, The Mexioans,. though helpies
for beaten, had refused the Presiden
,ews' terms OF peace. 1t was necessary
resi- step. What should be the tenor
!. j. his message2 That was the quest
ecre- an xiously debated by Polk and
!. F. Cabinet all through the month
Wall November, 1s47. Finally, on the 20
Lip Buchanan, who had been. asked
make draft of this part OF the a
SAGE. advised the President to
Congress that, in case the Msxic
ngton continued to stand out, 1--WE N
'lphia fultil that destiny which Provide
Of an NAV have in store for both couptrie
I'M There il was-Destiny, with its
The lieiuus attachment Annexation
Sum inertia and drift! But Polk, inst
!, and of putting his ear to the ground,
shall it to the Constitution and his
r con- sense of personal dignity and respo
Della biIity, and told the Cabinet, Of
y pro- wi ote in his diary, 81 thought
IT would be too indefinite and tina
n would be avoiding my CONSTITUTE
responsibility. Strange idea
ich is presidents duty! And Polk
or the eyen further 10 his eccentricities,
nix is declared that he would not consel
b sug- any result of the var inconsistent
of his its avowed object, and actually
bricks Buchanan that II did not desire
bidder anything / said in the message sh
pride, be So obscure as to give rise to d
not N or discussion as to what my true n
aterias inc vast Evidently the temper
md the ia, 'g - ne ex Speaker Reed
him, bad not then mounted the tn
.rui. bourne does not press
EFT. de to fabula. He leaves his rae,
pastor Instructive material to speak for !
Balti- We can but initiate him in this;
nee IN remarking on the fresh proof he
" Bart given us OF the immense place '
atholie personality. after all, holds in pol
ie lad evolution. Polk has long been b
ty VINO Republican vituperation. but "
regret. giant OF frmness and courage
pears beside that reed, shaken
wind and tossed, which the Repul
aged so 49,, IA. of last nut in the