MEXICAN LETTERS
WRITTEN
DURING THE PROGRESS OF THE LATE WAR
BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES
AND
MEXICO,
PREFACE.
One who thinks for himself, is very apt to thinkalone, or with a minority, especially in our free republic,where there is such proneness in opinion torun into party. The individual is restrained by partytrammels from asserting his independence, and hemust adopt all the articles of political, as well as religiouscreeds, or be expelled from the church.Although agreeing with the whigs generally, Icould not agree with them in our late war withMexico, that justice was on the side of that republic;still less could I approve of the constant condemnationof the war in which we were engaged. I appliedthe same principle to that war that I did to thelate war with Great Britain, that is to say, that it becomesevery citizen to sustain his country againstthe common enemy, both by word and deed.
The letters now collected and submitted to thepublic, were written in this spirit. The author hasendeavored to treat with respect the opinions ofthose who differed from him. He does not think hecan be justly censured by any one for attempting toprove by fair and honest reasoning, that his country4was in the right, and the enemy in the wrong. Hemay be condemned by his party at the present day,but at a future day the judgment may be reversed.These letters may serve as materials for history.There will be no difficulty in finding the records ofthe arguments of the administration party, which promotedand defended the war; or of the opposition,which denounced it. But before making up a verdict,the voice of the small number dissenting fromthe latter ought also to be heard. It is with thisview chiefly, that these letters are collected and preserved.There is, besides, usually a freshness inthe commentaries on contemporary or passing events,which cannot be attained by historical compilation,however elegant and philosophic, while the former,may be but rude and unpolished.
The author, although desirous of the annexationof Texas, was fearful of the consequences of any acquisitionof territory on our southern borders, for thesingle reason, that it might endanger the harmony ofthe Union. He foresaw great evils and dangers arisingfrom the quasi independence of Texas, andfrom the certainty of the occupation of Upper Californiaby Great Britain, in case it did not fall i