The New York Herald

President's Message on
the

Treaty

of

Peace.

Mr. Polk's message to the Senate and House of

Representatives, accompanying the treaty of peace,

which has recently been ratified by the United

States and Mexico, has been before the public two

three days, and is commented upon in various

ways by the whig and democratic papers. It enu-

merates at some length the advantages which have

resulted from this war to the United States, as

well as in our domestic as in our foreign relations;

mentions the cost of the two great campaigns.

and recommends to Congress the importance of

husbanding all our national resources, of limiting

the public expenditures to necessary objects, and

of applying all the surplus in the treasury to the

redemption of the debt.

Mr. Polk is right, when he says that the results

of the war with Mexico have given to the United

States a national character, which our country

never before enjoyed. Our power and our re-

sources have become known, and are respected

throughout the world, and we shall probably be

saved from the necessity of engaging in a foreign

war for a long series of years. This is, indeed,

very flattering to our national spirit and pride as

Americans, but no more so than it is true. We

may challenge the history of the world for a simi-

lar instance, in which a campaign was so suc-

cessfully conducted at so great a distance from

home; in which resources were not found wanting.

either financial or physical, during its continuance.

or which was ended more brilliantly; whether we

look at the crowning acts of our gallant army in

The capture of the enemy's capital. or in the

treaty of peace which has recently been concluded

by the belligerent nations. It has unquestionably

elevated the United States in the opinion of the

world, and placed us in a position to demand and

be worthy of the respect of every other country

Mr. Polk, however, must not identify himself too

intimately with these great results. He had no

conception of them when the steps which led to

the war were taken; neither did he suppose for a

moment that the war, if commenced, would have

lasted so long; or, if so long, that it would be at-

tended with such brilliant results as we have ac-

quired from it. He bungled the country into hos-

tilities, and from the time when the battles of Palo

Alto and Resaca de la Palma were fought, until

the entrance of our troops into the city of Mexico,

all was but a series of bungling and blundering.

He commenced that war for the purpose of

strengthening himself and his administration, and

for perpetuating the domination of the democratic

party; but he bungled in this, too, for he raised up

a man to succeed him, who will sweep the country

like a hurricane. This man, General Zack Tay-

lor, at the breaking out of hostilities, was compa-

ratively unknown; but, in consequence of the bril-

liancy of his deeds, and the soundness of his intel-

lect and patriotism, he has been selected by one

of the great parties, and four or five of the small

parties into which the country is divided, as their

candidate for the Presidency, and, from present ap-

pearances, will undoubtedly be elected to that high

office by acclamation. This was the object which

Mr. Polk had in view at the commencement of

that war, and at its conclusion he finds that instead

of himself and his party being more secure in their

position, they are weaker than ever, and will give

place to a new dynasty under the direction of Ge-

eral Taylor, on the fourth of March next. This

is a subject worthy of much consideration, and it

is to be hoped that Mr. Polk's failure in his de-

signs will be an example to all ambitious Pres

dents hereafter. Instead of securing a re-election,

he brought forward a plain, humble and unaspi-

ring, yet sound, sensible and patriotic man, to fill

the place a continuance of which he was striy-

ing to procure for himself.

Now that the war is over, and the cost of the

glory and the new territory known in dollars and

cents, the next thing is to devise ways and means

to pay off the national debt which it created. In

order to provide means for that purpose, the utmost

economy should be used in every department of

the government; all useless and expensive offices

should be abolished, and a system of thorough and

complete retrenchment entered upon. If it be

found necessary to modify the tariff or the cur-

rency for that purpose, it should be done, and no

plan by which the expenses of the government

might be reduced, consistent with the maintenance

of a powerful naval force, to act as emergency

might require, should be left untried. All these

things will come under the notice of General Tay-

lor, when he shall have assumed the occupation of

the White House; and we shall expect from him

recommendations for measures calculated to pro-

mote these objects. Let us have new arrange-

ments of the tariff-of the currency-of the public

expenditures, so as to meet the new condition of

the country.