Sentinel Of The Valley

INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.—THE VIEWS OF GENERAL WORTH ON POLITICAL QUESTIONS.

TACUBAYA, (Mexico,) April 12.

My Dear Sir:—Your favor of the 18th ultimo reached me last evening. The return courier leaves in a few hours, and as another opportunity will not probably occur in the next two weeks, I hope you will excuse me for substituting the enclosed copies of replies to two other friends, as answers, in part, to the inquiries you have addressed to me. To many communications on the same subject, from citizens of different States, these are the only answers, other than simple acknowledgements of civility, that I have felt at liberty to make. In each case, the writer was already named—or looked to be named—a member of the Democratic Convention, to meet in May. To that extent these replies embody, distinctly and truly, my sentiments and opinions. In respect to the additional points presented by yourself, I shall now as distinctly and truly answer.

1st. "Graduation and reduction of the price of public lands."

I would vote any reduction necessary to place farms within the reach of industrious bona fide settlers or emigrants, regarding the early occupation and cultivation of the public domain as the richest public treasure; hoping still to see an annual surplus over and above expenses of administration—as surveys, sales, &c.—carried to the public treasury, to be appropriated, among other national objects, to the improvement of our great lakes and rivers, to the extent of constitutional permission. It is my settled conviction, that within twenty years the commerce of the great lakes and western rivers will reach a magnitude far exceeding, and ever thereafter taking the lead of, that flowing to and from the Atlantic: and when our line of communication with the points now attained on the Pacific are once established and opened to the enterprise of our people, there will hardly be found a term of comparison. We shall exhibit the extraordinary spectacle, under our free and glorious institutions, of clutching and controlling the commerce of Europe with one hand, and the riches of China with the other. I speak of riches; but the fulfilment of our high political and social destiny is the prominent and grand consideration.

2d. "The Veto power."

This I regard as the tribunitial power, essentially democratic, popular and conservative—placed by the constitution in the hands of the Chief Magistrate, to represent, in his person, the absolute sovereignty of the people; and it must be an extraordinary abuse, of which we have had no example, that would induce me to vote any change or alteration. I have supposed that the Constitution only looked to its exercise in the case of hasty or unconstitutional legislation, or in an insupposable case, fraudulent or treasonable legislation.

3d.

"The right of the people of the different sections of the Union to carry their property" [of whatever kind or complexion] "to, and participate in, the territory about to be acquired from Mexico," [or acquired from any other quarter on this continent,] I cannot suppose to be seriously questioned. When the acquired territory shall be admitted into the sisterhood of States, it will be for the admitted States to determine all things relating to their own social condition. Congress, in its recognition of these views, will doubtless ever recur to the principles of that great landmark—the Missouri Compromise—to guide its decision.

I remain, my dear sir,

Your friend and ob't serv't.

W. J. WORTH

Hon. F. W. Bowden, M.C.,
Washington D.C.

P. S. —May it not be well doubted, whether the public domain and the Post Office Department are legitimate or other than incidental sources of revenue?—our policy being to people the former, and to make the latter (as it was designed) a convenience to the whole country, by the rapid transmission of intelligence. If either defrays its own expenses, will not the national objects be fulfilled, aside from surplus for other great national objects?

with W.J.W.

W.W.