The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-05-30

became objects Of admiration or pres
tended admiration to Mexico. They
enticed our citizens by the promise Of
magnificent grants OF land 10 settle
within their boundaries.
They modelled their institutions in
exact imitation of ours, by establishing
national government, consiting OF a
Congress and President, over a cenfed-
.eracy of States, each one Of which pos
sessed its separate and local Legislature.
But instability andtreachery seem writ
ten upon every thing Mexican. About
eleven or twelve years ago a military
chieftain, demolished the State legisla-
lures, overthrow the federal govern
ment and established a central despot-
ism, by the mere force of the bayonet.
Our brethren in Texas soon discovered
themselves to be the sons OF Anglo
Saxon sires, by refusing to submit. A
sanguinary war ensued, which only ter
minated on the glorioas field ofSan Ja-
cinto. Had Mexico at that time con-
suited the dictates Of national dignity
or national prudence, she would have
acknowledged the independence ofTex-
as. Her worthless and heartless DEM
agogues would then have been depriv-
ed Of their great engine Unpopular com
motion and agitation, the pretended
'.haughtiness and overbearing of the
great northern Colossus" But by
means Of the horrid an merciess Cam
manches, by means of fbandits, robbers
and murderers, she kept up a war on
unarmed men, On defenceless women
and helpless children, till Texas, wea-
ried and worn, but .unsubdued, sought
protection under the broad folds Of the
glorious banner of the stripes and stars.
Then it was that Mexico discovered
her unprincipled and unmanly jealousy
ofour national greatness, by offering to
acknowledge the independence ofTexas
on the sole condition that she would
not annex to the United States. After
this how can she claim that annexation
was an injury TO her? Can she even
claim that the Rio Grande is not the
true boundary between the two coun-
tries? Why then did she order all her
citizens to abandon their homes on this
side and pass to the Mexican side of
that river on pain of military execution?
Yet when our army Of occupation,
without intending or threatening them
any harm, took up their position on
that river, they fell in Overwhelming
numbers on our small scouting parties
and murdered them. Thus in the Ian
guage ofour patriotic President, "Amer-
lean blood has been shed upon Ameri-
can SOIL" The aggressors have met
with portion Of their retribution,
from the main body of our gallant lit
tie army; the sword Of war has been
unsheathed and its flames are now
raging. 1t might seem utterly out OF
place to name MINOR grievances, though
neither small nor light in themselves af-
ter naming the slaughter of our citizens.
Otherwise, we would here remind you
that the debt due to our citizens for
atrocious spollatlons on their commerce,
though asccrtained by treaty, by an
equally atrocious breach of treaty re-
mains unpaid. And that the Minister
Plenipotentiary, whom our i'll requltted
generosity sent as the bearer of the
Olive branch of peace. was contumeli.
ouslyreiused. A wanton atl'ront which
in the eyes Of all civilized nations, con.
stitutes good ground of war.
BY order of The President our Gov
ernor has issued requisition upon us,
for free and true hearted volunteerss =
The Major General Of our DIVISION is
hearty in the work. Will his second
Brigade respond to the call2 A meet
ing of the citizens has appointed the
subscribers to act as committee to ex-
hort you to meet the occasion as be-
comes the sons Of revolutionary sires.
Our antagonist, who appears openly in
the arena, is Mexico. a nation of eight
millions. What prompters she may
have behind the curtains, in other
words, what nations of ancient renown
and of mighty energies may become
her ALLIES in the war, is at present to
US unknown, time alone can determine.
The members of the committee,
whose situation in life rendered it pos
sible for them to seek the field of strife,
have already enrolled themselves a.
nongst the volunteers. You have the
utmost pledge of our sincerity. We
can not, and we do not recommend to
you, a course Of action, which we do
not adopt ourselves. What shall we
say then? Shall we invite you 10 in.
glorious strife, TO easy victories, to
bloodless conquests? Candor forbids
US to do so. Soldiers cannot be guilty
of concealment; and we much mistake