Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-07-02
HARRISBURG. VIRGINIA, THURSDAY
,vOLUME i7.-NUMBER rs.
Iot conternnlate them without hnrror /

not contemplate them without horrorl
Give us back then the Peace we lately en-
joyed give us It's calm rule and its ever de-
scending and multiplying blessings. Ie men
in authority, stop the work of carnage. which
you so lately sent forth your armies to accom-
plish. Ye can do il if you will. The cup of
our national glory is already full---the valor
and prowcss -four soldiers are abundantly VIM
dcated-the enemy, appalled, At what they
have suffered, fly like frightened deer before
the march Of our baitalionsl Let the face Of
that sweet child. whose innocent heart has
been made TO taste so soon Of sorrow, plead
for us and with us, and her voice, penetrating
TO the high places and the low places Of the
nation, touch the hearts OF the people, and
prepare for Peace. lie; not, you who are in
authority, you who are responsible for all that
is done by US as a nation, LEI not that voice
plead with YOU in vain here. or II may not be
silent when The day Of the great account shall
come.
Let us no, stand. either, ON formali,ies or
conventional rules OF propriety. The dignity
OF nation was never lessened, by making the
first advance TO stop the havoc of war, The
spectacle of a great and mighty country like
this, turning its back upon slaughter and
stretching out its hand with the olive branch
of Peace to the enemy, already PROSTATE with
blows and wounds inflicted upon him, has
more Of true dignity in it, than can be seen in
that other spectacle, where the strong stand off
in array. presenting only the front OF war,wait-
ing for the humble approach and suppicating
submission of its feeble and PROSTATE fee, be-
fore it will vouchsa!e to make one step TO re-
Cancellation. There is no dignity here, nor hon
or either. Both these belong TO the magnani-
nous and generous, and both g with that ma.
ton which is more ambitious Of the trophies o.
Peace than of War.
Let us. then. while the sword is yet drawn,
be not unwilling TO proiier the hand OF peace,
that we may stop this carnage. 1t is here HUI
mainly pleads. Let not the pgompungs of
Pride make us deaf to her voice, The contest
is already fought out, and Mexico must be
glad to accept peace on any honorable terms.
Let us offer them to her. If the President is
sincere, as we will doubt not he is, IN his pro-
fession of desire to put an end TO this now
more than unequal contest, he should do some
thing more towards it than make idle profess
sions ON the subject at the fag end Of messages
10 the Senate. He should feel that in his pre-
sent exalted position. he has been raised up TO
a height, where the Chief Magistrate and the
Peace Maker may unite in one Person, and be-
ing moved by the virtuous ambition 10 secure
to himself the reward which belongs 10 the
latter. so exert the authority of the former as
to gain it, and at the same time TO the people,
over whom he has been for tune appointed
to rule, the blessings Of an honorable Peace
Ii is claimed for him, we see by writer IN his
organ, that the victory on the Rio Grande is
"dazzling event" in the career of his admins
tration. Let no such false light mislead him.
We have no right, as things go to counsel and
instruct him f; but speaking only as an Ameri
can citizen, and using only the words of truth,
we tell him, 10 do that which shall now cause
the sword 10 be sheathed---now to do that
which shall stop this almost universal clamor
for blood-now TO do that which viii end those
''discordant noises" that
"Drownest Natures sweet and kindly voices
And jare.t the celestial harmouies -
To do this and speedily, we take free TO tell
Mr. Polk. may not, by those who court his
favor, be regarded as dazzling event" in his
but, let him lest assured, that
the steady brilhancy Of this work OF Peace, |
will shed a truer and more lasting glory over
the pages of history where his name may be
found, than if he Were to connect ii with a
thousand batte-felds in Mexico and with ten
thousand Mexicans killed and slaughtered.
into these remarks, in contemplating the Incl |
dent, which is related in the extract of the let
ter copied above. We could not help, t. we
would, when we saw that sweet child, shell |
tering the dove in its bosom, saying something |
for Peace, of which it was the personifcauon. !
We could but imagine that we heard her gen.
tie voice raised up in plea for mercy, for her |
and her countrymen; and we have
TO give some EXPRESSION TO the 1
thoughts which may have filed her innocent
bosom. as she saw hostile army marching in
triumph into the city, which was once the !
home of her father, and where all her young |
Were placed. 1t is scarcely possible, |
that amid the"din of conflict" this voice plea /
ding for peace, will be heard by the rulers Of
the nation, or if heard that il viii be needed |
We are still not without our satisfaction:
If none will hear, or hearing heed
This ,oice
The sin be theirs. snd my feelings be my need, /