Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-04-02

would be required for the purpose, even on the supoos;,;on
that Oregon would be abandoned. One army would be
required on the Mexican frontier and let no one sneer Al
the mention Of such a power. Feeble as ii now is, when
paid and supported by British gold, and trained and rom.
manded by British officers, Mexico would prove a fsrm;d.
able enemy See what British skill and training have made
Of the feeble Sepoys. The Mexicans are a Drawer and a
harder people. and, what is no small point, would eons,i-
tute the cheapest Of ali armies. There must he in adj.
ton. one to guard the gulf frontier another to guard the
southern; another The northern frontier on the Atlantic ;
another TO assail the northeastern frontier on The side of
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick another to assail the
Canadian, and finally another to protect our widely ex-
tended Indian frontier. All these, in so mighty a struggle
against the greatest of all powers. putting forth her utmost
strength, would require a force, including the two navies,
Of not less, | would suppose, than 200. 600 men continual.
" in pay. The expense would be enormous. One of the
most venerable and experienced Of our citizens, Mr.. Gal
latin, has estimated il at IS or 20 millions of dollars an
nualiy. If my memory serves ne. Ny impression is that
it falls far short of the actual cost. and that 500. OOO. 900
would not be an over estimate. ~Supposing the sum of
$50, geo, 900 could he annually raised by taxation-a sum
far greater than he estimates, and in my opinion much
beyond what could be effected-it would leave $50 OOO.
900 annually 10 be raised by loans, or a forced paper circu.
lation. Now, allowing the war TO continue for ten wears
there would be incurred q debt in the time of $500 OoO-
900, according 10 these estimates. Even that, il is proba-
bic, would fall much short Of the reality. assuming the
sum stated should be annually required. 1t would be diff
cult to obtain loans in Europe for owing to the conduct
OF some OF the States IN reference to repudiation. and
other causes not necessary to State, the feeling of Europe
would, | fear, be generally against US, while our own re.
sources would not be sufficient to raise the sum REQUIRED
without a great depreciation of our credit, with a loss of
90, 80 or even 40 per cent, before the termination of the
war, in contracting loans, or in consequence of the depre.
citation Of our paper circulation. Including all, our public
debt would, at the end of the struggle, be probably
not less than six or seven hundred millions of dollars.
But this not all.
We would be plunged into the paper system as deeply
= 4 L. r IL
inmate the war with a mortgage of six or seven hundred
millions Of dollars on the labor of our people; for on labor
the whole must fall ultimately, while a large portion of
this vast amount would go into the pockets of those who
struck not a blow, nor lost a drop Of blood in the contest.
and who acquired their gains by seizing upon the distress
of the government to drive hard and usurious bargains.
In addition, we should have the difficult task to perform of
restoring TO a sound state a greatly deprecated paper circu.
or of extricating ourselves from it whatever way
cana task which cannot be performed without great
distress to the country and ruinous effect TO that large and
not usually the enterprising portion of the community,
The debtors. The effect of all this would be highly iniu.
riOus to The social relations of the people. A powerful
class would be created on one side, and a poor
dependent one on the o'her.
Nor would its effect on our political institutions be less
A war would obIiterate the line of distinction
in q great measure, between the federal and the State gov
by comforting on the former vastly increased
power and influence. We would hear no more of State
The federal government would then become a
great national consolidated government. Our very success
would give a military impulse TO the public mind and to
The character OF the government which it would be hard,
If possible, TO overcome, and which would seek conquest
conquest, until a spirit would be engendered totally
with the genius of our system of government.
Il would then be in a straight and downward road, which
to where so many free States have terminated their
military despotism. In the mean time, we
would have to provide for three or four successful generals.
would soon be competing for the Presidency and
before the generation which waged the war would have
passed away, they might possibly witness a contest be-
tween hostile generals for that supreme ofice-a contest
him who might conquer Mexico, and him who
might conquer Canada, terminated by the sword.
appeal to the gentlemen near me-to the warm advo-
for " all of Oregon or none" regardless of this mighty
hazard, and whose separation from US on this question, /
regret, and soemnly put the question to them-is it for
you, you. who assume to be Democrats par ercelence-
who are the enemies of the paper system, and of all
artificial classes in society-is il for you to support a
course of policy which might lead 10 such disastrous con-
citizen looking to the freedom and prosperity of his own
country, but on still broader grounds, as a friend of i'm
Drovement, civilization, and progress. Viewed in reference
10 them, st no period has it ever been so desirable to pre-
Never in its history has a period occurred so remarkable
Is that which has elapsed since the termination of the
great war in Europe, with the battle of Waterloo, or the
great advances made in all these particulars. Chemical
md mechanical discoveries and inventions have multiplied
beyond all former example, adding with their advance 10
he comforts of life in a degree far greater and more uni
sersel than all that was ever known before. Civilization
has during the same period spread its influence far and
wide, and the general progress in knowledge, and its diff
fusion through all ranks of society. has ou~tstripped all
hat had gone before it. The two great agents of the
physical world have become subject TO the will of man.
and made subservient to his wants and enjoyments; l
allude to steam and electricity, under whatever name the
latter may be called. The former has overcome distance
on land and water, to an extent of which former
generations had not the least conception TO be possible.
has in effect reduced the Atlantic to half its former
width, while at the same time, it has added three-fold to
The rapidity of intercourse by land. Within the same
period, electricity, the greatest and most difFused of all
physical agents, has been made the instrument for
the transmission Of thoughts, | will not say with the ra-
pidity of lightning, but by lightning itself. Magic wires
are stretching themselves in all directions over the earth,
and when their mystic meshes shall have been united and
or globe itself will become endowed with SEN
so that whatever touches on any one point will
be instantly felt on every other. All these improve
this increasing civilization-all the progress
now making, would be in a great measure arrested by a
between us and Great Britain. AS great as it is, it is
but the commencement-the dawn of a new civilization,
more refined, more elevated, more intellectual, more moral,
the present and all preceding it. Shall it be we who
shall incur the high responsibility Of retarding its advance,
and by such a war as this would be
/ am, in this connection, opposed to war between the
United States and Great Britain. They are the two coun-
the farthest ia advance in this great career Of improve
ment and smeliorathon of the condition of our race. They
besides, the two most commercial, and are dihusing,
by their widely extended commerce, their blessings over
the whole globe. We have been raised up by Providence
for these great and noble purposes. and l trust we shall
not fail 10 fulfil our high destiny. | am, besides, especial
" opposed TO war with England at this time because | I
hold that it is now to be decided, whether we are to exist
in future as friends or enemies. War at this time, and
Tor this cause, would decide in which Of the two relations
we shall hereafter stand. 1t would give birth TO a struggle
in which one or the other would have to succumb before it
and which, in the end. might prove ruinous
10 both. On the contrary, if war can be avoided, power
fuI causes are now in operation, calculated 10 cement and