The North-Carolina standard., 1844-05-08

desirousthat tls uaiteds States should cultivate
friendly relations with al. BIZ with population
equal to half that ofthe United States and labor
i6e under many and serloHs disad dvantdges; from
whichrwe sare rotnparatiVely y wee Mexico! couis
not with prepVbtYs be offended by the The dS;
sumption that this government may aet as i.
would haveGdone had no such menace been made,
without the siightess danger of being gafded by
the rest of the world, as having been intindated
by threats of war rom that republic So al least
should act the direction OF public affairs were
in.rny hands. The question then recnrs, II, as
sensible men, we cannot avoid the conclusion that
the Immediate annexation Of Fexas would, 4n all
human probability, draw after liza war with Mex.
leo can it be expedient to attempt if2 OF the
consequences of such a war, the character =
might be made to assume, the entans lements With
other nations which the position Of bellfgerents
aIu,ost unavoidably draws after it, and the unqo6t
ed i6firfes' which might be inflicted unon each,
notwithstanding Nhe great disparity of theft res
pechve forces; Isgih not saya word God forbid
that an American citi5ef should ever count The.
cost of any appeal to what is appropriately de-
nominated the last fesoaof natiens, Yhenever that
resort becomes necessary either for The SAFETY or
to vinaicate the honor of his country. Fherejs,s
Iarust, net oAe so base as not to- regard hrnst4,
aad ali he has to be- forever and at all times sub
iect 10 such requisition- But would war with
Mexico, brought ON Under such circumstancss- be
a contest of that charactef Z CoudSw hope 10
stand perfectly justified ia the eyes;gf nankind for
nent is TO be preceded by the appropriatica to
our own uses Of the territorY, the sovereignty Of
which isin dispute between two ,natiops, oueOh
which we are TO join,fn che strugglE2 This, sf;,
is matter, of the very gravescimport-o IN re-,
Spect to which no-Amsrican stntesman or citizen.
.can possibly. be Indifferent We have ehafae-
ter among the nations Of the earth TO malntain.
All snf public fuGc6onaries as we'll those zxho
advocate this measure as those who oppose II,
however much they may differs to. its effects,
will, am sure. be equal soldio1s for the per
forance Of This frst of duties. 1t has hitherto
been our pride and odr boast, that whilst the lust
of power with fraud and violence in ts<trains
has led other and difercntly constituted gevern-
rdeats to aggression and cohquest, our noveaeats
IN these respects have always been Regulated by
reason and Justice a disposition to detract from
our pretensions in this respees Wf 10 tlrenat1re
of things, be always prevalent elsewhere; and
has, at this very moment, and from special CAUSES
assumed IN Some quarters, the most rabid chaEac-
ter Should not every one then, :who sincerely
loves his copntry-who venerates its time:honoT-
ed and glorious nstitnions-who dlEelIs with
pride and delight associations connected with
: onrsrise, progress, and present eondlien--on The
steady step with .Wrhich we have ADVANCED TO our
present eminence in despite Of the hostility, and in
contempt OF the bitter revlings Of the enemies of
freedom in all parts Of the gle6e,-consider; ana
that deeply, whether we. would not, by the imme-
diate annexation Of Texas place weapon 10 the
hands Of those who now look upon US ana our
institutions with distruslfp and envious eyes that
would do US more <eal, lasting injury as nauen,
than the acquistop of such territory, auable as
it undoubtedly is,couId possibly repaiE? his SAID,
and truly said that This war hctwee1 Texas and
Mexico hasalreadp been of too long duration, We
are and must continue to be more or less annoyed by
itseprosecutioa and have undoubtedly, as has been
remarked, an interest In seeing i terminated. But
can we appeal TO any ,priRciple in the law Of ma
tions, to which we practise scrppuous adher-
ence, that would under prese6t circumstances, JUS
tfy US in interfering for its suppression in man
ner that would unavoidably make Us party. to its
further prosecution Can this position be made
clear to justify US committing the peace and honor
of the country to its support
In regard to the performance by US Of thatdu-
ty so difficult for any goVernmet to perforr--the
observance of an honest neutrality between ma
tions at war-we can now lock through our
whole career since our first admission into th4
family of nations, not only without a blush, bu
with feelings Of honest pride and satisfaction
The way was opened by President Washing gton
himself under circumstances of the most difficuh
character, and at no less hazard than that of ex
posing ourselves to plausible, yet unjust, inPHtu
lions ofinidelity to treaty stipulatons- The path
-
he trod with such unfaltering steps, and (which
led to such beneficial results has hitherto been
pursued with unvarying fidelity by every one Of
his successors of whom it becomes me to-Speak
If our sympathies could induce departure
from policy which has SO much in its com
mencenent to consecrate it, and such advaatages
~ to recommend its continuance, they would doubt
less draw US to the side Of Texas That the hap
iness Of her people would be promoted by the
maintenance of her independence. L haYe nc
doubt Few,if any, efforts for the extension d
the blessings of free. government in -any~part o
the world have been made since the estab ljshnent
of our own Independence, that have failed to ex
cite earnest and sincere wishes for their slic
ces. But they have never been permitted to with
draw US from the faithful performance of our du
: ty as neutral nation. They were excited. ant
deeply, too, at the commencement of.the French
revolution; they were revived in the strpeIe %
the South American ststes1or-the establishments
their independence they have been. put to thei
severest trial in:this very contest between. Texa
and Mexico .Yes in that Yhele period of tim,
amidst the cenvulsOns of empires, and the law
lessness Of power by which many Of its possessor
have been distinguished, it has been cardina
point in the admipistFatfos of she affairs of1thi
republic TO adhere with the strictes fidelity to th
rule which was laid down. BY Washington en-
forced by leffersons aad respected, with asabate
sincerity, by their successors. - -.
Thara anofhar ,,,a1