The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-05-08
s are henceforih to be regarded as one Of

States are heneefoHh TO be regarded as one Of
the belligerents9
We must look at this matter as il really stands.
We shall act under the eye Of an intelligent, OBJ
serving world; and the affair cannot be made to
wear different aspect from what it deserves, if
even we had the disposition, (Which we have
not,) to throw over il DISCUSSES of any kind. We
should consider whether there is any way in
which the peace of his country can be preserved
should an immediate annexation take place, save
one-and that is, according TO present appearan-
ces, the improbable event that Mexico will be
deferred from the farther prosecution ofthe war
by the apprehension of our power. How does
that matter stand2 She has caused us TO be in
formed both at Mexico and here, in a manner tho
most formal and solemn, that she will feelher-
self constrained, by every consideration that can
influence the conduct of nation, to regard the
fact of annexation as an act of war on the part of
the United States, and that she will, notwihstand
ing, prosecute her attempts TO regain Texas re-
gaTdless of consequences. Exceptions are, how
ever, taken by the President, and think very
Justly taken, 10 the manner in which this deter
mnaton has been announced. The Mexican
government should certainly have applied in
becoming spirit TO ours for explanations of inten
ton. If it found this government under the i'm
preston that Mexico, although il might not be
willing to acknowledge its independence, had
abandoned all serious hope of reconquering Tex
as, Mexico should have assured us of our error,
and demonstrated against any action on our part
based on that erroneous assumption, declared
4 firmly, if ii pleased, but in that courteous and
respectful manner which is alone suited to the
intercourse between nations who profess TO be
friends, its determination to oppose us. Instead
of taking course, the propnety of which was SO
obvious, she at first assumes, upon grounds which
were neither proper nor safe for her to act upon,
/ that this government had designs upon Texas;
| then denounces the annexation as a great naton-
al crime, and forthwith proclaims instant war as
the penalty of our persisting in such an attempt;
and all this in language bearing certainly, (al-
though subsequently disayowed, every appear
ance of menance.
But this is a besettng and very ancient toible
of the mother country, as well as Of her descen-
! dants, in their diplomatic intercourse. Every
one conVersant with the subject of Spanish rela-
tons, knows that, at least from the time of Don
Luis d'Onis to the present day, this government
has been trequently-not TO say continually
Subjected 10 this species of diplomatic dogmat-
f ism. Partly i'll consequence Of tho genius of
their language; partly from their peculiar tenn.
q perament much from habit butmore from a rad
ical defect Of judgment, they continue the use
? of language in their state papers, which better
tempered, if not wiser diplomatsts have almost
every where laid aside as worse than useless.
Fl But at no time has our government suffered IFS
action upon great national questions 10 be intlu
enced by such petulance. From the time of the
modest, yet firm Madison, TO the late Mr. Upshur,
(whose melancholy fate is so justly and generally
= amented) has every Secretary Of State acting
under the direction Of The executive, deemed it
sufficient to place the government and minister
5 employing it in the wrong, by showing its inlus
tice as well as its futility. We have then here
, toiore, as hope we shall now decide TO act in
, the matter under consideration in amanner which
was deemed due to justice and to cur own char
{ acter, without being in any degree influenced by
5 such unavailing menacers 1t is foreign to my
: habit, and repugnant to my feelings, TO say any
l thing that should offend the pride of any natiof,
= if the declarations of individuals could possibly
= have that effect; being sincerely desrous that
the United States should cultivate friendly rea-
l tons with all. But with population not equal
: to half that Of the United States, and laborng
: under many and serious disadvantages, from
& which we arc comparatively free, Mexico could
not, with propriety, be offended by the assump-
ton that this government may act as il would
4 have done had no such menace been made, with
/, out the slightest danger of being regarded by
4 the rest of the world, as having been intmdated
!! by threats Of war from that republic. So at least
should act, if the direction of public affairs
&, in my hands. The question then recurs, if, as
/, sensible men, we cannot avoid the conclusion
. that the immediate annexation of Texas would,
8 in all human probability, draw after it a war with
3 Mexico, can it be expedient to attempt it? Of
] the consequences of such war, the character it
: might be made to assume, the entanglements
with other nations which the position of belg-
erent almost unavoidably draws after it, and the
r undoubted injuries whichmight be inflicted upon
each notwithstanding the great disparity of their
0 respective forces, | will not say word. God
n forbid that an American citizen should ever count
S of any appeal to what is appropriately denomina-
: ted the last resort ofnaons, whenever that resort
: becomes necessary either for the safety or to
II vlndicate the honor of his country. There is, |
Y trust, not one so base as not to regard himself
, and ali he has, to be forever and at all times sub
II lect to sucha requisition. But would war with
5, Mexico, brought on under such circumstances,
c be a contest of that character? Could we hope
G to stand perfectly justified in the eyes of man
o kind for entering into it; more especially if its
l. commencement is to be preceded by the appro-
priation to our own uses of the territory, the SOW
" ereignty of which is in dispute between the two
4 nations, one of which we to onin the strug-
II gle? This, sir, is matter of the very gravest
ofI import--one in respect TO which no American
ID Statesman can possibly be Indifferent We have
h. a character among the nations of the earth to
IN maintain. All our public functonaries, as well
of those who advocate this measure as those who
oppose it. however much they may differ as TO its
n effects will, am sure, be equally solicitous fol