Year: 1861




THE ADMISSION OF NEW MEXICO.


The Kennebec Journal, the Republican organ
at the capital Of Maine, says, February 9Th:


"Charles Francis Adams has made very
able and statesnanlike speech in the National
House of Representatives on the pending issues.
We can see no serious objections to his plan of
admitting New Mexico as a State. Taylor's
Administration was in favor Of similar action
more than ten years since, and that policy was
then satisfactory to large majority Of the peo.
pie Of the North, while it met the bitter hostili
ty of the dangerous men Of the South. The
measure does not conflict with the Chicago
platform, nor with the views Of a large majority
Of the men who voted for Douglas in Novem.
ber. The platform Of the Bell and Everett
party is not adverse to it. and why should it not
be The bond Of harmonious action Of oil true
friends Of the Union TO prevent the Breckn-
ridge platform being forced into the Constitu.
tion Of the United States, and to resist the
whole batch Of traitorous schemes Of the Dis.
unonists? While we can see no substantial
objections to the Adams plan, we confess to
preference to the Inauguration Of Abraham Lin.
coin, without any other terms and conditions
than the Constitution and the Laws just as they
are"


This question of the admission of New Mexi.
co is one Of practical .expediency, and not Of
principle, and there is no occasion for the heats
which have been gotten up in the Republican
party in relation to it.


On the one side are the objections connected
with the paucity and character of the popula-
ton Of the proposed State, and on the other,
the advantages of extinguishing the territorial
question, as the subjectmatter of dispute, Of
uniting the North by method Of procedure to
which the Northern opponents of the Republi
can party are committed, and Of Ito some ex.
tent) strengthening the hands ofthe Union men
ut the South, by leaving nothing of terrific.
rial nature for the demagogues to clamor
about.


There is, undoubtedly, in the free States a
good deal of the sort Of feeling which is indi'
Gated in the last sentence Of the extract we have
made from the Kennebec Journal. That is to
say, many who would see no special objection
to the admission of New Mexico at any other
time, feel degree of reluctance to do anything
at this time, which may wear the possible as
pect of capitulation.



Tribune has been most unjust to others, and
most demoralizing to the Republican party. 1t
abuses the influence of its large circulation in
propagating through the country the untrue
and most damaging impression that consider
able portions of the Republican members Of
Congress are ready to abandon the principles
of their party, and can only be held up straight
by a pressure from home.


How completely unfounded such an idea is,
ought to be apparent to the country from the
published debates, as it is known here by every
body in intercourse with public men. Precisely
the contrary charge is wade from the other
side, that the Republicans will do nothing, and
manifest complete insensbility to the dangers
menacing the country.


Both charges are equally true. The Re-
pubicans, both from patriotism and from their
approaching access to power have been and
are most anxious to preserve the Union peace.
ably, but they have not been able to see that
Mr. Crittenden's scheme, or any similar scheme,
promised any good. They have comprehended
that the secession which has broken out in the





too deepseated to be treated by emollients, and
that it must be cured by an experience of
its effects. If a portion of them are willing to
admit New Mexico as a State, it is not as con.
cession that they favor it, but because they re-
gard it AS a disposition of a public question,
cenceding nothing in point of principle, but
promising some advantages as matter of ex.
pediency. A portion of them, equally entitled
to respect, see no advantages in it, while they
fear that it may have the seeming of yielding
something to threats. division of opinion
like that is to be settled first, by debate, and,
finally, by voting, and it offers no just occasion
for ordinations and recriminations, which must
impair the unity and strength of common
party.