New-York tribune., 1905-03-07
"MANIFEST DESTINY"
Hopc a Great DOMAIN, Was Acqtnred
at Great Price.

THE CONQUEST OF THE SOUTHWEST IVES I; ,,a,1e Inc
Story OF Great sPoliation BY cyPnss us f,SsSv T9Tn
illustrations fr2m & paintmgS ase series Emo Do
xiv. 2es. ID. Appleton & Co
rrnder the above title DR.. Brady tells the
story of the ACQUISITION by the United States OK
the vast territory included in Texas California
New-Nesico Arizona and Nevada and parts OF
Colorado. Kansas oklahoma and wyoming anu
of the events leading up to 1t. 1t Is not aso-
rether a pleasant story. nor does 1t form ehe
most creditable chapter in the history or our
national expansion. DR.. Brady does not pihR
the facts or seek 10 palliate the action OF
our government in provoking the war with
Mexico for the thinly veiled purpose OF ado-
,nr tn our territorial possessions their largest
single increment not even excepting the Loulsi-
ana Purchase He characteriZes the conouct OF
the United States as wholly indefensibie" IN
a large part of the operations which he discusses
in his volume conduct Of which no truly pa'il-
ptic citizen can think without an abiolhs sense
Of shame Nor" he adds, ''can our mort'hcd-
ton be diminished by our recognition OF the la''
that in many particulars the conduct OF Mexico
during the period was an affront to civilization
Beginning with the treaty of 1913, the authoI
carries the reader down TO the Compromise OF
1880 The book Is divided into two parts. the
srst dealing with the beginnings OF Texas, inc
F,-edonjan War the revolution and the states
ten years existence as independent repuo-
lie. The second part is devoted TO an account
Of the causes leading UP TO the Mexican war;
a brief review of that contest and its maj set
tlerent and closes with the admission OF Texas
and California into the Union. Dr. Braoy mas
been successful in steering a safe course
through the storms of contemporary sectional
Ism and in presenting a clear. succlnct' olS-
passionate and we'll balanced discussion OF the
-ivFa in
fluent style and is Ightened here and there
with anecdotes Of the many interesting char
acters who figured in moulding the events that
he describes such as Austin, Houston, Santa
Anna. Travis Davy Crockett. Zachary Taylor
and General Scott.
The author has made a careful analysis of
the size of the region added 10 our domain by
this "spoation of a weaker power" as he
terms it. and OF its aggregate cost 10 the United
States in dollars and cents. Comparing 1t with
the Louisiana Purchase he finds that it is
larger than that immense tract by l24o95
square miles. and cost in all. including the ex-
traordinary expenses Of the army and navy and
pensions. 6s.670.505 81, against S15ooNOOO
paid for Louisiana. This estimate. of course
does not take into consideration the disorgani-
zation of industry and consequent loss neces-
sarily incident TO the carrying on OF war nor
the loss of life ON both sides. amounting in the
case OF the United States to nearly thirteen
thousand men. There are, besides, still carried
on the pension rolls five thousand survivors OF
the Mexican War and eight thousand widows
OF veterans.
II Is easier now TO calculate how much bet
ter of we should have been had we. convinced
that wa must have this territory to round out
and complete our national domain. offered TO
buy It from Mexico for any amount from S25,-
100000 even up to s170.oOo.OoO. The indignation
Of the country at Mexfcos gross misconduct in
the butchery Of the Alamo and the massacre at
Goliad obscured the moral issue. "A nation.
gays DR.. Brady. referring to Mexico. may have
a righteous cause, and yet forfeit the good
opinion OF its neighbors by unrighteous con-
duct in its endeavor to maintain it, He adds:
Thsre are times apparently. when nations must
Aeht. but they should realize when they do fight
that they are induging in a luxury. and that they
are attempting 20 adtudcate their differences by
the most costly of all methods. This is material
argument for peace that is not without weight
Nations may do well TO ponder it before they have
recourse to arms.