The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1846-06-06
CANTON, MISSISSIPPI, SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 1916

one party to prevent war, without the concur
renee of the other. If A. knocks b. down, i
s hostilties, and it is war. 1t is war BY B. on
A., and A. cannot prevent it.
| The Constitution gives to Congress only the
power TO make or declare war. True, but this
refers palpably only to the United STATES, and
not to other powers, who may make war in
spite of US. tbs said that Mexico may disavow
the acts of the army. Who is to disavow them
They who say this, certainly have not read the
Mexican documents.
1 General Paroles, President Of the Republic,
ISSUED proclamation, couched in the most an
cry terms, declaring tho aggressions of the
United States, and that he would defend .Mer-
lean soil, &c., to the last extremity. This was
not a formal declaration of war, but it was
very much the same thing. Subsequently Gen.
Ampudia at Matamoras. announced that If the
American troops were not removed from their
position, it would be considered declaration Of
war. Again, the same declaration was repeat
ed. What is all this? 1t is absolute war, and
the military movements of Mexico consequent
upon these declarations were only the necessary
conclusions of their previous announce mcnts.
War then existed, and Congress simply recog-
nized a~fact which Hhc no moral power to
deny. Suppose that in consequence Of the
Presidents language in regard to Oregon, Sir
Robert Peel deemed war inevitable, and that
he had, therefore, ordered British fleet to the
American coast, and that the commander Of
this feet, perceived that the American fleet
was confronting, and that the American squad
ron had undertaken to blockade British vessels;
and that in consequence of all this, the British
A dmiral bonn barded New York-is there the
least reason to believe that the Admira,'s acts
ment? Not the slightest. Such acts of hos
tiities are soar, and they cannot be disavowed.
This is the present position of affairs; and
to what it may lead, Mr.. Calhoun well remark
ed, no maf can tell. Reasoning only from the
present known facts, we should not predict
war with England, or any other country than
Mexico. But who can tell, when nation,
thrown into collision with nation, where
series of events, thus commenced, Is to e,
One thing we have advanced froR1
ginning of these events, that it wa
less than inercusable folly TOR an A,
ton to take the ground Mr. Polk h:
preparing for defence. -ast $50
he member of Congress g.
istraton, be he who he may, wi
England, and Injuries Mexico, and
not one step in increasing the detencesofM,
but on the other hand, spends his time i.
defamation against Navies, the Army, and
Military Academies, deserves to stand dsgruc
ed, as mere blockhead, or a profound hypo-
critic. And just such members of Congress,
and members of the A administration, we have.
Just at this very crisis, Mr.. Secretary Bancroft
makes Report, recommending the reduction
of a large portion of the Navy Officers!
The Report is founded on a total misappre-
hension of the duties and relations Of Navy
Officers-a fact which seems the more extraor-
binary, as Mr. Bancroft c,mes from Massachu-
setts-a State where they certainly ought to
know something about the Navy.
This is only one among many things, which
illustrate the fact that while the Adminstra-
ton has said and done many things to provoke
the i'll feeling of other nations, it has done
nothing to meet the effects of their hostility,
with spirit and energy. The time, however, is
passed, in which this evil can be remedied.-
All that the Government can do, it is now do
ing; and SO far, it aPp pears to us, according to
the obvious demands of the Cincinnati
Chronicle.