Hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1843-1845, 1844-05-16

wv "Os'OOM OpOu ~ tHuS IgnUys ! re
gard all wars as great calami,ies, to b
avoided, if possible. and honorabl
peace az the wisest and truest polio,
of This country. VIVA, the Unite,
States most need are union. peace an,
patience. Nor do think tina. tn
weakness Of a power should form
motive. in any case, for inducing u
to engage in or to depreciate the evil
of war. Honor and good faith an.
justice are equally due from this coun
try towards the weak as towards tn.
strong. And, if an act Of injuslic,
were to be perpelra,ed towards an,
power, it would be more compatible
with the dignity of the nation. and, in
my judgment, less dishonorsble to in.
fiic' 1t upon a powerful instead of Ia
weak foreign nation.
But are we perfectly sure that we
should be free from injury in a state OF
war with Mexico? Have we any Sc
curity that countless numbers of for.
elgn vessels. under the authority and
flag of Mexico, would no, prey upon
our defenceless commerce in the
Mexican Gulf, ON the Pacific ocean,
and on every other sea and ocean7-
What commerce, on the other hand,
does Mexico offer, as all indemnify
for our losses, TO the gallan,ry and en-
terprise of our coun.rymen! This
view Of the subject supposes that the
war would be confined to the United
States and Mexico as the only bellig-
crents. But have we any certain guar
aHiy that Mexico would obtain no al
lies among she grea, European powers?
Suppose any sach powers, jealous Of
our increasing greatness, and disposed
to check our growth and cripple us,
were to take par, in behalf Of Next
co in the war, how would the differ
ent belligerents present themselves
10 Christendom and the enlightened
world! We have been seriously charg.
ed with an inordinate spirit of territori-
al aggrandizemen,; and, without adj
hitting the justice Of the charge, it
must be owned that we have made vast
acquisitions Of territory within the last
forty years. Suppose Great Britain
and France, or one Of them, were to
take part with Mexico. and. by man.
iies,o, were TO proclaim that their ob-
jecls were to assist weak and helpless
ally to check the spiri. of encroachmen.
and ambition Of an already overgrown
republic, seeking still further acquisi.
tons Of territory, to maintain tho indie.
pendence Of Texas, disconnected with
the United States, and to prevent The
further propagation Of slavery from the
United States, what would be the ef-
feet Of such allegations upon the iudg-
ment of an imparlia, and enlightened
world!
Assuming that the annexation Of
Texas is war with Mexico, is i. com.
pe.ent to the treaty.making power 10
plunge this country into war, not only
without the concurrence of, but with.
out deigning to consult congress, TO
which, by the constitution, belongs
exclusively the power Of declaring
war!
| have hitherto considered the ques.
ton upon the supposilion that the
annexation is attempted without the as.
sent Of Mexico. If she yields her con-
sent, that would materially afec. the
foreign aspect of the question, if it did
not remove all foreign difficulties. On
the assumption Of tina. assent. the CUES.
ton would be confined to the domestic
which belong to it, en-
bracing the terms and conditions upon
which annexation is proposed. l do
not think that Texas ought to be re.
ceived into the Union, as an integral
par, Of it, in decided opposition to The
wishes of considerable and respecta,
BILE portion of the confederacy. l
think it far more wise and impor,an. TO
compose and harmonize the present
as it now exists, than TO
new elemen. Of discord and
into it. In my humble O.
pinion, it should be the constant and
earnest endeayor Of American states
men TO eradicate prejudices. to cult
va.e and foster concord, and to produce
general con.entment among al parts Of
The confederacy. And true wisdom, it
seems to me. points 10 the duty Of rem.
dering its present members happy,
and satisfied with each
other. rather than 10 attempt to intro.
duce alien members, against the com.
mon consen. and with the certainty Of
deep dissatisfaction. Mr. Jefferson ex-
pressed the opinion, and others believ.
ed, that it never was in contemplation
Of the trainers Of the constitution to add
foreign territory to the confederacy,
out Of which new States were TO be
formed. The acquisition Of Louisiana
and Florida may be defended upon the
peculiar ground Of the relation in which
ihsy stood 10 the States Of the Union. |