Many-a successful plaintiff has found, to his mortifi- cation, that he has impoverished his adversary without enriching himself, and that the fruits of his victory have been pocketed by the agents he employed. A similar discovery may be in reserve for the American people.
The question what tkei/ have gained by the war, will in time force itself upon their attention. To this inquiry, no other answer can be returned than glory and territory.
Before we proceed to investigate the true value of these spoils of victory, let us dwell a moment on their pecuniary costs.
The direct expenditures in waging this war, from the departure of Taylor from Corpus Cliristi, to the exchange of the ratifications of the treaty of peace, cannot, at the most moderate estimate, be less than $;100,000,000 The money to be paid Mexico, for ceding the re- quired territories, and thus saving us the cost ofprotracted hostilities, is ... 15,000,000 The cost of the army from the conclusion of the war, to its disbandment, including its trans- portation home, say 2,000,000 The extl-a pa,y for three months to all soldiers who had been engaged in the war, allowed by act of Congress, estimated at 3,000,000 Every soldier, or his heir, is entitled to 160 acres of land, or in Iteu thereof, at his option, flOO.
Supposing only 75,000 claims to be presented, and to be paid in land, the value of the 21 ^ land, at the price fixed by Congress would be !$15,000,000. But to avoid the semblance of exaggeration, we will suppose these claims com- muted at $100 each, making 7,500,000 The award under the treaty of 1839, due by Mex- ico, and assumed by treaty of peace, with ^ interest, 2,000,000 The Government has also assumed, by treaty, the payment of such unliquidated claims against Mexico as may be found valid, not exceeding p,250,000, out of $6,455,462 demanded. Should none but valid claims be allowed, the sum to be ] paid may amount to 500,000 Making the total cost, in money, of new terri-