The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-19
From the .Ne,u York Sun.
LET US PROMPTLY PREPARE FOR THE
WORST.

Our readers know how earnestly dcsirs Paace--
how cheerfully and how ardenty we would advocate
any that would insure it without the loss OF
our very existence an independent nation. We
have vivid idea of the almost unspeakable horrors
of war-of &C cities sacked-felds ravaged-hearths
profaned y but although these fearful calamities,
they light compared to the fortunes, the lingering
death, the long agOnies OF national degradation which
slowly but steadily eat their way to the hearts of
whole people. If such is the alternative presented
to America, there can be no doubt as to the position
that she will choose. The sincerest advocates of
peace would instantly appeal to arms and the God
of battles
We do not vet wholly despair Of an amicable ad-
iustment of our difficulties with England. We will
not cease to hope for such result until every posi-
bility of it shall have passed away But the time has
gone by when the nation should be allowed to slum-
Der on in false security. The crisis is momentous-
the danger imminent. Not week, nay not day,
or hour should be lost in rousing the public mind
and preparing for the worst. Within six months
hostile fleets may be lowering upon our coast In
deed they are doing already. These Royal Mail
steamers from the West Indies nothing but war
ships in disguise They built for the purpose of
being turned into ships; we should not be sur
prsed to learn that their armament was already con-
cealed board they sail along our coast and stop
at principal sea ports under pretence being mail
carriers Idle subterfuge! There are no mails for
! them to carry They cannot make money enough at
that business to pay for the Goals which they burn
We tell our people honestly and in all sincerity that
they will yet find these West India mail steamers
mere "Troian horses" When the proper time ar
rives they will discharge broadsides instead of mails
and deliver shot and shells instead of letters.
We know there very many who think it not on
ly improbable but impossible, that we sbodId have
war with England They reason plausiby. They
say a war would be Iuinous to the commercial in
terests of both nationstha the matters in dispute
are trifing compared to the cost of single CAM
| paign-that the world has become more humanized
and Chrisanized than it was-that the dreadful ca
lamiies of former wars are remembered-that both
| nations would lose more than they would gain-and
that they too intelligent, too moral and religious to
be guilty Of the folly and wckedness Of pluHgng into
war which must bring such widespread misery on
| the human race. These are great and good reasons
| against war They ought to prevail, but they will
not prevail until in the course of future ages that
happy time shall come when the human heart shall be
purified from all the bad and stormy passions which
for thousands of years have deluged the earth with
the blood of husbands ami fathers and the tears of
| widows and orphans
We cannot deal with the world as it should be, for
it is not So and cannot be made at We must
take it as we find it. AS regards America, the
above alluded to would induce her to yield eve
ry point of mere expediency rather than 60 to war
at when it becomes matter of principle and of ma
tona existence, she must and she will resist all ag
gressons to the very last extremity.
The question then is, will England be induced by
these to abstain from d hFlHple for which We
smisy MiI Shf o SieAl Ereoel and will she yield
| the hight OF ScaIch Ii 80, II Will oe an aoaAuoh-
| ment on her part Of the exclusive dominion OF the
seas which she has long been determined to main
tain and all will 90 well. But fear that she will
resolve to maintain this dominion and will consider
| its maintenance important than all the interests
that she will enJanger by going to war; If So the
Rubicon is crossed. No other considerations will re-
| strain her. The bloody and relentless war which she
is at this moment waging against China shows that
we can make no calculation upon her morality rel-
gion, or humanity. A war against America would
not be half as wicked as that against China.
f Nor will the remembrance OF the calamies OF
former wars 20 far towards preventing new conflicts
Europe has vivid recollection of the fields of Arcoa
f Marengo Hohenlinden, Austerlitz, Moscow, Water
loo and hundred others-but with all the carnage
and horrors of those appalling scenes before them
and with many public still the stage Of action
D who participated in them, it is but year two
since they were the very point of repeating them
single spark would have caused conhagraton that
, would again have wrapped Europe in flames.
We do not say these things for the purpose of ere
atng unreasonable alarm, but to impress upon oul
, Government and people the tremendous necessity o.
making immediate and vigorous preparations for de-
fence In our opinion delay would be madness
England has already prepared for and actually begun
The conflict. Her policy is to annoy inc South D.
means of the slave population 10 tins end she es
ablishes depots and fleets of armed steamers IN tn
West Indies. She invites the slaves TO revolt, ant
every assistance and protection is offered them W.
are already assaled, and we must prepare 10 act OF
the defensive The truth Isl our last war was on
half fought out we entered INTO truce upon th
main pont involved in it, the fright Of search" AM
now we shall probably be under the necessity Of finish
ing the contest Let Congress al once lay ASIDE al