Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-12-10
THE WINGS AND THE ADMINISTRATION

IL seems to cause great uneasiL to some of the
Administration Journals that the Mexican war has
not been made productive ofpoitical capital to their
side. The Oregon adventure pre-, I'd an entire fail
nIe 1t ended in loss OF both capital and credit.
10 retrieve the disaster of that speculation the war
with Mexico might do something. But when it
was found that the exclusive claims 70 patriotism.
arrogated to the party Of the Administration. Were
utterly set ut nought by the ardor with which men
OF all parties came forward to fight in war actu-
any existng, the selfproclaimed guardians of the
national honor discovered that they were talking
nonsense, and some of them had the discretion to
stop.
Still 1t would not do to give up the war cry
without further efforts to make something out of it.
Accordingly the official paper at Washington, as
the leader OF fororn hope, goes With all the
energy and with all the blindness of desperation it
now labors to produce the impression that the oppo-
nents OF the Administration the friends of Mex
leo, and that 10 censure any of Mr. Polk in
reference to the war, how short sighted or bunder-
ing soever, is TO take the part of the Mexcans and
to play into their hands. Here follows specimen
of official denunciation:
"Such is this war thus far. In rallying TO OPP
pose 1t. the Federalsts make war upon the patro-
tic feeling OF the country. In denouncing rs in
sufficient causes the outrages which produced it,
these same men-the worthy successors of the Fed
erailsts OF lSl2-avow themselves insensible to
their country's humiliation, and proclaim them
selves to be THE PARTY OF NATIONAL
DlSGRACE!"
Such charges as these in the ssUnion'' prove no.
thing SO much rs the poverty of its own resources.
Language of this sort falls flat and stale. The rca-
deB OF the official paper, in this community and
elsewhere, who know how all political distinctions
We're forgotten when the summons came for volun-
teers TO the field, will escape from feeling of in
dgnation at the sight of the paragraph above quoted
only by passing ii hastily in sort of compromise
between an instructive impulse of disgust and the
canfrD
who gave his vote for MIR. Polk will listen to the
calumny which dcnounces the Wings as ''the Par
ty OF National disgrace" when he knows that his
own son and the son of his Wing neighbor and
friend stood side by side at Monterey. There is
blood enough already shed in this war under the ma
tonal standard by gallant men cherishing the name
and the principles of their revolutionary fathers, to
cry from the ground against SO foul an imputation
and to reflect lis own color upon the faces of the ca
iumnlaors who may yet retain the faculty of blush
ing.
But it is painful to recognize even by allusion tile
existence of any political divisions party desgna-
tons when the cause of the country against a TO
reign enemy is involved. These illusions are COM
PEELED by such direct and unqualified charges as the
Official paper chooses to give forth. We may I'M
dertake, however, to say that the Wings with OF
without denunciation from official sources will adj
here to the of their country both against foes
abroad and an incompetent Administration at home
They Will justify no clandestine n,rigues with a
Mexican chief, no inglorious shutting out of diff
cuties rashly brought yet actually existing
They will do their best to terminate this war ho-
morally and advantageously, and they will rejoice
when 1t is over. OF their patriotism making no
boast they will conine their efforts to the doing of
useful services to the country, in which they in
cude the duty of setting aside the Polk DYNASTY
and Its surroundings, at the first opportunity. A.
gainst the errors and the weaknesses of the Admin
lstratlon, in the meantime, they will bring the best
remedies they can in the shape of wise counsels and
the impulses of an enlarged public spirit And
whatever the men in power may say-and il mat
tiers not much whot they say in this behalf-the
country at large, we persuaded looks with hone
and trust and confidence to the intelligence. the
practical discretion and the true patriotism of the
Wings of the Republic in view of our present ext
gencies and a future deliverance.-BaL american