The remainder, in the popular judgment, was divided among mountain gorges, the arid plains of the middle, and the uninviting region in the north, which the French _voyaguers_ had classed under the comprehensive and significant title of _mauvaises terres_.

With only three States anticipated from the great area of the north-west, it was the evident expectation of the Southern men who then had control of the government, that, if war with Mexico should ensue, the result would inevitably be the acquisition of sufficient territory to form slave States south of the line of the Missouri Compromise as rapidly as free States could be formed north of it; and that in this way the ancient equality between North and South could be maintained.
OUR RELATIONS WITH MEXICO.
But the scheme of war did not develop as rapidly as was desired by the hot advocates of territorial expansion.

A show of negotiation for peace was kept up by dispatching Mr.John Slidell as minister to Mexico upon the hint that that government might be willing to renew diplomatic relations.

When Mr.Slidell reached the city of Mexico he found a violent contest raging over the Presidency of the republic, the principal issue being between the war and anti- war parties.

Mr.Slidell was not received.