The New Era

THE INTELLIGENCER AND MEXICO.

Notwithstanding the positive denial of the Union, the recognized official journal of the Administration, that the President has in any way made overtures of any kind to the Government of Mexico, we find the following bold and positive annunciation in the National Intelligencer of the 13th instant: "Notwithstanding the menacing and, under the circumstances, most unbecoming tone of the agents of the Administration, whether writers for the official paper in this city, or correspondents for papers in other cities, we are satisfied by concurrent information from Vera Cruz, by way of Pensacola, New Orleans, and New York, that the Executive of the United States has actually made advances to the Government of the Republic of Mexico for an amicable adjustment of the differences between the two countries, offering, should Mexico accept the overture, to send a Minister Extraordinary to Mexico for that purpose; a proceeding which we approve as heartily as we have disapproved the alternative, which the Executive appears to have had under consideration, of taking 'the way the French took' to adjust our differences with that Power."

It becomes of some importance to us at a distance, to know by what authority the Intelligencer speaks thus positively. It has been charged that that paper is in the pay of the Mexican Government, and from the above it would appear to be so, and if so it is by Mexican authority it speaks thus unequivocally of the secret acts of our administration, which, if true, are thought of sufficient importance to be denied in an authorized channel. The article too from which we quote the above, goes on to speak of the modified feeling entertained by Mexico towards the United States, "under the influence of time, and other circumstances," which induce the editors of the Intelligencer, to believe that there is "now some prospect of a negotiation for a peaceful settlement of the differences between the two countries."—

What those "other circumstances" are, we are not told. We hope it is not by any low or fearful overtures made by our Government.

The Intelligencer speaks of the fact as "known," that the Department of State has received despatches "direct from Mexico, the contents of which have not been officially disclosed, but of which we have received information, believed, as far as it goes, to be correct. The Mexican Government is said to propose, or to consent to, a renewal of diplomatic relations, and to negotiations, as well concerning the boundary between the two countries as the claims of the citizens of either on the other. Preliminary to which, the withdrawal of the American naval forces from before Vera Cruz is said to be asked."

It is hardly possible that the Government or its agents would put the Intelligencer in possession of information, which it withholds from the Union, and we must, therefore, conclude that the Mexican Government is in direct correspondence with the editors, or with some friend who has the ear of the editors, and who can control their columns. The latter we believe to be the fact, although it points to Vera Cruz, New York, &c., as the source of information, and if it be so, the public will know what confidence to put in a journal, that, in the very heart of the nation, always directs its arguments against the policy of our Government, and in favor of any foreign power we may come in conflict with. We care not what policy the Intelligencer may pursue, but we wish to know the motive power by which it is directed, as we will be thus enabled to give due weight to its arguments and its declarations.

The article under consideration, closes with a flourish about the "Mexican Indemnity," which our readers will recollect were asserted by the Mexican Government to have been paid upward of a year ago, and which the Intelligencer now endeavors to impress upon its readers as positively paid: but the following, from the Union, will show that it is just as much paid now as it ever has been—and no more: -

"The 'Tropic' states, as a piece of information, that 'the indemnity, of which so much has been said since Mr. Shannon's return, it would appear, Mexico has paid. According to the correspondence of our government with its agents, the payment was made on the 27th August, 1844; whereas a copy of the receipt, certified by the United States agent, bears date 20th of September, 1844. Mexico seems to have paid the indemnity in good faith, and the amount though it never found its way into the United States' treasury, must be paid therefrom to the claimants.'"

"This statement, says the Union, is founded on misinformation, as we are advised. We cannot understand that the instalments have been paid by Mexico; and, therefore, we do not see the obligation on the part of the Executive of the United States, conformably with the law of Congress, to pay the Mexican claimants. On their account, we sincerely wish that the amount of the instalment was snugly in their pockets."