New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-06-17
From he Trov BUDGET, ION inst.
The Country, Right or WronE.v

L.
From ns Troy Budget, lOh inst
"The Country, Right or Wrong"
The N Y Tribune has taken frequent occasion OF late
TO express adherence Of this sentiments and on moro
tkan occasion has characterized IT, as worthy only
OF the fool hath said in his heart there no God
So far the quotation made TO apply to our difficulties
with Mexico contend 1t IS altogether out of place. snd
we much mistake public feeling II seGh Is not Inc opinion
ple Without stopping however to argue questions of
boundary &c. let II The Tribune. does not
taciy assent to the Justice and expedency OF this much
abused maxim, every day OF Its Ilie
In all the u.traisms OF The Tribune IL Is In nothing
ultra I'm its opposition the Institution of Slavery
as It exists In the Southern States OF this Union. In
word 1t believes the whole system 10 be wrong and It's
continuance sc against God. Suppose, then, the British
Government. which likewise processes 10 abomnate the
institution should send egons OF hired sodery into our
Southern States demand the abolition OF slavery at the
point OF oayone Would TIE Tribune approve of
astanco in such and stand by the country In defend
ing institution conceded to be rrong? Or suppose that
insiduous. yet peaceful efforts making In Great Br
tain elsewhere 10 effect the abolition Of slavery IN this
country by sending missionaries into the Southern States
whose business 1t should be TO entce slaves from their
masters or incite them to demand pay for their
vices. and refusal to dess from work. Would The
Tribune say, that aimee the institution Of slavery was
1on0 In the abstract therefore these must not be
sisted and expelled from soil Or, rather, would 1t not
Say that the institution right crorg 10 be defended
from the interference of any and all foreign powers
Again Would The II ibune justify Il violation OF law,
either Of the National State Government because the
law unjust one. If not. then virtually re-afrms
the principle, My country right wrong inasmuch as
1t the countrys laws be obeyed and those who
volats them punished. whether those laws just
Just Such Is the sentiment of every good Citizen While
we at liberty to against certain and
every honorable exertion the repeal
medication Of obnoxious laws 1t is duty to hold them
sacred until they are so modified or repealed.
The truth Is, an acquesence In the sentiment Of My
country right wrong Is essential to the very existence
Of civil government If any and every who finds the
action OF his Government not exactly In accordance with
his poconceved notions of right is at liberty TO set that
action a; defiance and absolvc himself from the duties
which dcvolve upon him citizen, then there Is end
to all governmental law and authority If instead Of my
country right wrong the correct and safe read
Ing would be. For my country when she Is right only,
md individual liberty reR she
arong and In such could rightuy refuse his support
and countenance cannst conceive howso long
differ they do in their views of right and wrongany
Government could be maintained in time Of peace much
less In war;
B Having thus given place to the Budgets ar
1icle gerbatiu we shall ask of that paper the cour
fesy-nay, the naked us,ice-of copying this reply,
ifit would not be placed In the came category with
the Albany Argus which, after its gross impeach-
men; of our patriotism, sought to sink into sulen,
guilty silence the moment we responded to and re-
PEELED its charges,-Now for the arragnment of the
Budget.
We have twenty times explained that we deem
NIL good citizens bound, impelled by sifec-
ton and duty TO lore our Country however wrong,
and TO defend her against any blow aimed at her
istence or her liberties. No matter how wrong she
might be 10 bringing on War, we should insist on
the duty Of every good citizen TO unite in repeing
an invading army. And, while we hold this 10 be
right on The part Of our people, we cannot pro-
nounce it Urong on the part of the Mexicans. Now
If it be true that somebody must be accountable for
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awful responsibility Of the several thousands
OF deaths which must result from the contemplated
invasion of Mexico, with the idea of 'conqueriug
peace at the gates Of her Capital
And while we insist on the duty OF every citizen
to !ove his country, however wrong, and to defend
her when INVADED we maintain that duty and atfec-
lion should not induce him scish her success IN
svii enterprise. Heaven. justice, her true wei
fare, impera,ivey forbid this. The may be ii
Illustrated by familiar example; honor thy father
and thy mother is Divine command and every
child should love his father and serve him in all
things lawful. But suppose son to be aware that
his father has gone on, TO waylay and rob traveller
perhaps to murder him if he make resistance
what is the duty of that soni Ought he TO aid his
father in that wicked enterprise Ought he TO
pray f0r It's success OuSnt ne even 10 remain
passive and allow things to take their courses Nay
ought he no, to do bis utmost for his fathers sahe
m well IS the intended victims and his own, 10
dsfear the nefarious enterprise Should be nor pre-
fer see his father in prison for attempt TO rob
and murder rather than reveng triumpbantly in the
spoils of his awful crime?
Now apply this principle to the case before US !;
The United States and Mexico are involved in hos
tili.ies. Howl Throw out of view all that we
Wings have been saying these four years and con.
slider only the position taken in 1887 by Messrs.
Van Buren, and Forsyth, with the tact, appreciation
Of the whole country, that the Annexation of Texas
necessarily involved us in War with Mexico-the
fact that Senator Benton in ls4s pronounced The
INCORPORATION of the East bank of the Rio del Norte
into the American Union, under the preence of its
belonging to Texas, an act of direct aggression
on Merieo for all the consequences OF cAich the
. United States could stand responsi6ie"-,has
Hon. c. J. Ingersoll last year declared the desert
. between the Nueces and the Rio del Norte' the
. natural boundary between the valley of The West
and Mexico and that 'sHterminG6ie conflicts
tmsst easse upon our going South Of that bounds
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