The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-03-30
20. =,

But thar England has pf06deFea and ~
| robbed her creditors Is surely nd f6dS
sons Why we slouId do the same wiiIl ..
ours; nor should we be at all surprised
that she is the firsf 10 invoke the Justice .
of nations against us for ii, The spirit
ofthe old pfovefb, for such eases made {
and provided, should lead as TO expect
il; for . rohber always shouts 'fsiief' IouA =
dest, and is foremost ia the chase. ss1f'
But we protest against The slightest
attempt 20 justify the conduct or our
svindlin States BY the example dofazl
Great ytitain. We protest agsfnss -
binding the eyes Of. our people Who
are recreant to their duty to the eit6f.s 1
nifty Of Aseir breach Of faith by showing 4
precedent for ii 10 other Iands.a4ThS q
question for US IS not whether oilief
nations nay their debts or not. BdE =.
whether we shall pay oars. Shall We
abide by contracts into which we have
solemnly entered, or throw them off and
then hunt through history for examples. =
to whitewash our iniquily? Shall we
discharge our Notwithstanding OPP.
On us BY every consideration of morale
ty and of law--obligations which eve
ny citizen should deem of as solemn +.
force as if given under his own hand
and seal-shall we thus pay to others
the money they have loaned TO Us, or
cast them off penniless and hopeless,
and then seek refuge from conscience
and the detestation of honorable men
by proving that we are not alone in
this game of villany?
The honor and credit Of the natiou
cannot be indicated by solemn reso.
lutions Of Congress, nor will unaui
nous vote OF both Houses, that they
are untarnished and uninjured, make
them so. so long as we shamelesly swim
die those who have befriended US out
Of the loans they made. Calling as
it is to the national pride. and humilia-
ting "a is the confession. the fact is
beyond dispute, that the American
honor is not unstained; American faith
is not unsupported. We may censure
the President as we please Tor pro-
claiming to the world that foreigners
will not trust US; but the proprieIy of
his Loing so is not the FIRST point which
should engage our thoughts. Have
they reason to distrMst Us, is the ques-
ton that most nearly concerns our psO-
pie. And ifthey have, the first and
sole impulse Of the nation should be
TO wipe away the stain,-to vindicase
our honor by our acts,-to pay our
debts and thus rake away the ground
Of their reproach.
No man can deny that some OF the
sovereign States Of this great confed-
eracy, bound to the Union by the stron.
gest and closest ties that can unite them
their prosperity, their security, their
honor linked TO those of the Republic
bv the bonds ofthe Constitution, which
cannot be dissolved while the Republic
exists, have openly and basely viola
led their high engagements. Thattliis
stains the honor of the American Re-
public every member oil that republic
feels; and every hour spent in endeav-
oring 10 shuttle off the CALLING sense OF
a base wrong, an outrageous robbery
deliberately committed, adds TO guilt
by persisting in ii. Most earnestly do
we trust the day is not far distant when
the effort will be made to wipe away
the foul disgrace instead Of covering It
over with glozing lies.