The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-17
The oppo.ltion 90 ths War.

almost, il not altogether inexplicable
We are in the midst OF fully sanctioned by the
almost unanimous vote OF both Houses Of Congress,
placing large means both of and money at the dis
posal Of the Executive for its prosecution II has been
prosecuted with degree of almost without par
ael and in the seven months ofi duration has brought
into our military possession vast and valuable
gions II has covered our arms with great renown 1t
has been conducted with an sconsmy of expenditure
which has surprised the country, and which has put to
open shame the inflated and absurd calculations sent
forth BY the Opposition In this state of facts the
Executive Of the nation ayows that the war has not
been carried on in spirit Of conquest, and avows at
the same time that il viii be prosecuted with ygor in
the enemys country ill just and honorable peace can
be obtained He sets forth the causes which have led to
tim an array so full and luminous as in the Judgment
of all candid men, TO place government before the
world upon the highest ground Of right in the whole
proceeding He demonstrates beyond all preadyenture,
that peace could be no longer maintained with Mexico
without national crime in leaving the State of Texas
unprotected, and national dshonor in leaving Mexican
perfdy and outrage unpublished. He suggests to Con-
ress the expediency OF making appropriations to
forify and secure military possession Of the con-
quered countries and he suggests few additional
legislative of financial and belligeren char
acter, which plainly and obviously demanded in
state of war. To none of these recommendations has
any specific objection yet been made They belong
apparently in the Judgment of all men, to the very nature
Of the crisis in which the country now stands.
Such is the attitude assumed before the country by the
Administration and its friends They show themselves
ger and anxious to carry out line OF policy impeatvely
demanded by the rights and honor of the country and to
which only two members Of the Senate and fourteen
bes OF the House manifested by their votes any objection
whatever In this state OF affairs, the Administration is
assaed by the coarses the most false, and the most
measured invecve No single new or Objectionable
has been brought home to the government to justify the
violent assaults Of the opposition. II there be anything
the language or the acts OF our officers act
ing at distance Of two or three thousand miles from the
government and seduous to preserve there in due
regulation during the war; the fruits of their victories,
the opposition has not waited to ascertain how far such
language may have been warranted by Executive
Instructions. 1t is admitted on all hands that our
officers have prosecuted the with the most scrupu
lous regard to the laws and usages Of nations temper
ed by the mild dictates Of Christian humanity II there
has been any in the acts OF military agents, (and
though we have not all the official documents before us,
we cannot doubt, from the unguarded language OF
their procamations that they have fallen into such
mstakes,) that has arisen principally in desire
to shield the conquered from the evils of anarchy and dis
order, or OF martial law during the And most
Of ALL there is yet particle of proof that to that
error, it exist, the Administration has in any way lent
the slightest countenance sanction
Yet how coarse and vulgar how false and futile, are
the charges which, in long succession men not without
talent and journals not without influence have stopped
to heap upon their government and their country!
The national organ of the Federalists in this city de-
nounces our cause OF war as frivolous and unworthy
Utterly insensble to the national disgrace and dshonor
involved in longer submission to Mexican insults and
outrages, puts forth and advocates doctrine which,
acted upon by government, would make country
to be known the craven and the coward among the
nations, upon which all manner and measure of contume
ly ight be heaped with mpunity In its blindness of
party rage, it denounces all departments of its govern
mentthe Executive and Congress alike-ay, and the
best and bravest spirits in all sections of the Unon-as
having rushed with enthusiasm into wicked and nefa-
rious conflict This position is taken by the leading
Federal journal while the yet RACES and when, by
universal admission, it must rage until our enemy is
brought to sense of the outrages which he has
low them And, strangest Of all, this position is
taken at such time by journal which, if it
really advocates anything practical in the premises
is the advocate Of speedy peace. Some time SINCE
the Federalsts recommended that we should conquer
peace by stopping to negotiate" Now seems, they
would gain peace by informing our enemy that he is
in the right and that our war is an unrighteous
outrage! ..asg. ....,1 a-. .u. .s
But such disqualification is not confined to the Federal
journals Other absurdites, almost too gross to
be dcued have been put forth by leading Fedora lists
on the floor of Congress One gentleman rises to rally
his party and the country against the President because
his message, detailing the of the war, is too
long Certainly, the story of Mexican aggression and
perfdy running through twenty years. is not short one,
even set forth by the President its utmost conden-
saion. Told in all its deail-of our public function
aries assailed and nsulted Of flag again and again
torn down, of commerce despoed of our citizens
robbed and imprisoned and murdered of treaties ruth
lessy violated of sovereignty nfrnged upon and our
negotiations spurnedse forth in these shameful partcu
lars OF wrong dong, that story would fill volume But
desperate indeed was the strait OF sku debaer, who
had voted Tor the war-no without some little peril to
his seat in Congress- growing out Of certain distractions
peate indeed the strait of such man. so situated
when he reduced to the necessity of charging against
the message that it had justified his uote too clearly and
at too great length
Anothar ~ rbo.o