Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-08-22
From the Ns,O Bedford Mercury.
"WhO's the next Customer"

The time was never known when political
ethics were at so low an ebb in this country
as the present. The dominant party appear
to have lost alb sense Of shame, and boldly
avow themselves in favor OF wholesale land
robbery We believe Mr. Buchanan or
Chas. j. Ingersoll was the first TO declare
that the United States must absorb the whole
Of North America. A sort of divine right
was thrown around the spoliation of Mexi-
CO. and the will ofheaven was stolen to cloak
the villainy of men. The "destiny"-that
was the word-the destiny ofthe Anglo-Sax-
on race was preached by every demagogue,
aud Texas was stolen with a sort Of sublime
resignation to the will Of God. The ques-
ton of right and title did not disturb the
conscience or distract the logic Of those
prophets. They did moi deign tn consider
that the Spanish race had older and better
rights than the Anglo-Saxons. Like the
Jews Of old they were in favor ofspoiling the
Phillistines and conquering by fraud or
force Cd all hands upon the plea that this
land was their inheritance and that their en-
emes--meaning the lawful owners-had
deed is the Anglo-Saxon sprit-such is the
Roman spirit-a spirit of conquest and uni
versal dominion. The descendants Of Hon
gust and Hersa, and Of William the Con-
queror, are all by instinct land-thieves.--
The Gallo and Anglican races are alike in
fected with this land distemper. The whole
history Of France and Britain has shown
their disposition to annexation" Both had
great possessions upon this continent Eng
land drove France from the Northern part
oft, and finally we bought out the claim Of
France to the South. England annexed
Scotland and conquered Ireland Napoleon
mastered the continent of Europe, and would
have ravaged Asia by land as England has
done by means Of her superior naval power
But while England is subiugatng Asia,
France is seizing upon Africa and the Pa
ci6c Islands. The same spirit exists among
u.s. We have driven the Indians to the set
ting sun, and while our States are not half
populated, we are forcing our conquests to
the Pacific. by purchase we have acquired
Florida and Louisiana-by fraud we have
obtained Texas. And now the question is,
"Who is the next customer :" The New
York Morning News, rabid locofoco pa
per, recently put this question with the addi-
tional query, Canada or California; Be-
ing called to account for this raseal!ty by the
Tribune, it Hippantly argues our right to the
whole continent, and repeats the prediction
that the whole will and must be ours. Cam
ada the locofocos dare not touch at present
but we doubt not that California will soon
become our prey. Oregon they dare not
seize, but the department Of Mexico border
ing upon Texas they will probably capture.
Our southwestern banditti will pour first in
to California, and without proyocation throw
off the imaginary yoke of Mexican bondage.
They will maintain their stand against Mex
ico-sheir independence will be acknowl-
edged, and they will then ask, and not in
vain, to be annexed" Thus province by
province will Mexico be despoiled until she
is wholly swallowed up. Then we shall want
the volcanoes Of Central America. for volca-
noes do not abound in the United States.
We shall also wish TO extend the area Of
freedom to the Isihmus and open canal
connecting the Gulf ofMexico with the Pa
ei6c. Indeed good reasons will not be want
ing for pursuing our claim to all that lies
sonth of us to the boundary of South Ameri-
ca. England may engage in some European
war, and then we shall be able to stir up re-
bellion in Canada and "annex" her also-so
that in the end we shall have all the CONT
nent, and once having that terrible contest
between the Slave states and the Free States
will create two "Anglo-Saxon" Republics
Thus do men talk, and shudder not at the
atrocity Of their thoughts. Public virtue,
the national honor which not only respects
our own country, but the rights Of others, is
dying out. Can nothing be done to arrest
this flood ofimmoraliiy and profiigacy which
threatens to drown the land in one great o.
cean ofcrime?