402 



REASONS WHY GENERAL SCOTT PROPOSED 



There are critics and politicians who are never satisfied with 

 results, and, whilst their prophecies are usually dated after the 

 events which they claim to have foreseen, they unfortunately find 

 too much favor with the mass of readers who are not in the habit 

 of ascertaining precisely what was known and what was not known 

 at the period of the occurrences which they seek to condemn. 

 General Scott has fallen under the heavy censure of these writers 

 for offering the armistice and avoiding the immediate capture of the 

 capital, the practicability of which they now consider as demon- 

 strated. We propose to examine this question, but we believe that 

 the practicability or impracticability of that event does not become 

 one of the primary or even early elements of the discussion. 



If we understand the spirit of this age correctly, we must believe 

 that mankind, purified by the progressive blessings of Christianity 

 and modern civilization, desires the mitigation rather than the in- 

 crease of the evils of war. It does not seek merely to avert danger 

 or disaster from the forces of one party in the strife, but strives to 

 produce peace with as little harm as possible to all who are engaged 

 in warfare. It is not the mission of a soldier to kill, because his 

 profession is that of arms. It is ever the imperative duty of a 

 commander to stop the flow of human blood as soon as he per- 

 ceives the slightest chance of peace ; and if his honorable efforts 

 fail entirely, through the folly or obstinacy of the foe, he will be 

 more fully justified in the subsequent and stringent measures of 

 coercion. 



The Mexican masses, mistaking vanity for true national pride, 

 had hitherto persevered in resisting every effort to settle the inter- 

 national difficulties. Diplomacy, with such a nation, is extremely 

 delicate. If we exhibited symptoms of leniency, she became pre- 

 sumptuous ; — if we pushed hostilities to the extreme, she grew 

 doggedly obstinate. On the 21st of August her capital was in 

 Scott's power. His victorious army was at her gates. Two terrible 

 battles had been fought, and the combatants on both sides had 

 shown courage, skill and endurance. The Mexican army was 

 routed, but not entirely dispersed or destroyed. At this moment it 

 doubtless occurred to General Scott, and to all who were calm spec- 

 tators of the scene, that before the last and fatal move was made, it 

 was his duty to allow Mexico to save her point of honor by negotia- 

 ting, ere the city was entered, and while she could yet proclaim to 

 her citizens and the world, that her capital had never been seized 

 by the enemy. This assuaged national vanity, and preserved the 

 last vantage ground upon which the nation might stand with pride 



