The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-11
From the N. o. Picsyune. August .
THE MYSTERY OF INIQuITY:
AS SEEN IN A NEW PHASE.

The Philadelphia North American copies para
graph from this paper, announcing the arrival, In
this city, of ten companies Of the United States in
fantry, en- route to Corpus Christi, and heads il
progress of iniquity." The North American may
have its own ideas Of iniquity and its progress bu.
we suggest that they must differ from those Of our
standard photographers and, indeed, from the com
mon acceptation of those terms. Webster-Noah
we mean, not Daniel-dehnes inquity as injustice
or unnghteousness; and wherein, we should like TO
ask, lies the iniquity Of body of soldiers in COM
piance with orders which they have sworn to obey,
American calls il the progress of iniqulty-thus
stamping the arrival Of the troops here as an act
which leads to its consummation. Now, the ques-
tons recur, Whittier go those troopss What is the
niquity which they have in contemplation Is their
errand one Of despoation and plunder' Is their
purpose ruthless massacre and unreenting extermi-
natlon' Go they to interrupt the proceedings of
peaceful labor, to harass the aged, to alarm the
young, or despoil the virtuousl Far from it; their
mission is emphatically one of peace--ther object
one of projections; and, although bearing along with
them all the dread appointments of battle, their ear
nest desire is that they may not be called upon TO
use them. How, then, or in what manner, does
their movement develop the progress of iniquityi'
What are, briefly and clearly, as lawyers say, the
facts OF the case' Two independent adjoining ma
ons--the one powerful possessing and welding all
the resources that lead to national supremacy and
contribute to individual happiness and protection;
the other, although independent, yet lacking that
vigor which would enable her to profit by her dis
tnct nationality, exposed to the incursions of saw
age foe which she found it difficult to repe and a
threat of subsection from semi-civilized and not
more generous enemy, held, and to be held perpetu-
ally, in terorem the devoted heads of her cti
zens; her rich fields and fertile prairies which court
ed as It were, the industry of the agrculturst in
state of wild unproductiveness, and necessarily
unsettled and improvident spirit pervading the peo-
pe;-two such nations, influenced by the same wise
and prudential motives which dictated confederation
tn the old thirteen States of the Union seeing that
it would promote their mutual interests-knowing
that, while it would give safe and less assail-
able boundary to the one, and greater strength of
nationality, it would afford TO the other ample pro
lection from abroad and diffuse the blessings of in
dustry and peace at homefor good or for evil, uni
ted their destines
These, now, are the facts of the case. Will the
editor of the North American say they have been
msstated? And if they have not been, where does
he discover "the progress of iniquty" in the pro-
ceedings Did the stronger party coerce the weaker
ones or was the latter, contrary to the will of her
people, and in disregard to their opinions, or by
means of bribery and corruption, decoyed into the
alliance? Surely not; coercion there was none, and
the bribery and corruption was all on othe other
side" In our opinion, the great though intangible
cause that led to annexation was the fraternity of
feeling social and POLITICAL that existed between the
two people, and the identity of interests growing
out of it. But whatever has been the cause, medi-
ate or immediate, the act is consummaed; the par
ties have subscribed to it, promising in good faith
to abide by the conditions. And is our country in
doing so, to be accused, by of its own citizens,
of iniquity' Is it inqutous, forsooth, to protect
our adventurous countrymen, and their wives and
families, on the western and southwestern frontiers
of Texas, from the arrow and the tomahawk of the
treacherous Indian, and from the muskets and sa-
bres of the equally treacherous, but more coward
y, Mexicans' If this be iniquity, we take pride in
being placed among its abettors.