Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-07-23

An examination Of the documents suDnihted 10
Congress by the President, convinced us that this
Mexican war entirely unnecessary, at least for
the presents that it might have been either avoid
ed with honor or at least so managed as to be en-
tered upon and prosecuted honorably; that it was
provoked by the cabinet at Washington, and com
monced in hot haste and without preparation. We
then anticipated that this would be prosecuted,
so far as the Government is concerned, in just the
careless, reckless, slouchng style of the Disgrace
full Florida campaigns. This was not looked upon
by Polk as contest for brave and mugnanimous
nation to provoke; not as a case where the rights
of this nation had been grossly infringed upon,
nor even its honor questioned: the main end aimed
at did not lie in Texas or in Mcxlco-it was not
the possession Of the territory on the Rio Grnnde,
nor the enforcement of indemnity from Mexico; ;
but it was simply the killing off of political rivals,
at home, and the reelection of James X. Polk in
1913. For that the nation has been recklessly and
wickcdIy committed TO this war; for that, the EN-.
Payments of the people have been disturbed and
the business of the whole country seriously injur
cd for that, the money Of the nation is to be
squandcrcd, and the lives of thousands of human
beings are to be sacrificed. While VIC have ac-
knowlcdgcd, and do acknowledge, the duty of eve
ry citizen to yield obedience TO his rulers, long
as they are entrcnched by legal and constitutional
authority--our opinion of the true cause and end Of
the war is precisely such as we have now express
cd. Under any circumstances, the neglect of the
government TO take care Of its armies and TO afford
all the requisite for their successful opera
ton in the field, should not pass without notice /;
but when the government has had the choice of its
own time in commencing hostililies, and has order
ed its army to make offensive war, as in the in
stance before us, it IS entirely without excuse for
neglects of this kind For the time and money lost
by the delaying of Gen. Taylor's operations, and
for the lives sacrificed to the diseases attendant up
on the rainy season in the swamps of Mexico, the
government is solely responsible. They were not
Ignorant of the difficulties to be encountered or Of
the wants of the army: it was Gen. SCOTS declar-
alton that effective operations could not be safely
counted upon before autumn, and more than this,
the gallant Gen. Taylor warned the government TO
the same effect, months before the war was com
menccd. In despatch from Corpus Christi, Nov.
Z, 1915, General Taylor slid:
con the hypothesis of an carly adjustment Of
the boundary, and the consequent establishment Of
permanent frontier posts cannot urge too strong
ly upon the department the necessity of occupying
these posts before the warm weather shall set in.-
large amount of sickness, is, fear, to be appre
hended, with every precauton that can be taken
bH! he Information which l obtain leads me 10 be
here that summer Increment ,coiid be attended ciH
great expense Of health and life As in Florida, the
winter is the best for operations in Texas"
Such was the information given to the govern
ment by Gen. Taylor; but in spite of it, he ha
been ordered TO u summer movement" and upoi
the very Threshold he and his gallant men ar,
caught by the rainy season, without the means Ell
Their of tolerable eDcampment IN the McXica!
swamps, or the power of moving 10 higher an,
healthier regions