The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-10-14
From the 81 Louis Union.
MORAL INFLUENCE OF THE WAR WITH
MEXICO

That war is evil is unquestionable, and that i
is TO be avoided, 80 far may be consistent with
honor is equally true; bat there are few evils with
out a counieryailing good.
Civilization has been the legitimate consequence
Of national conflicts, the Justice the seeming pro-
prety OF which the world could applaud. Collision
Of arms has brought collision Of minds, and general
intelligence has increased and gained strength by It's
very diffusion. knowledge grows not by hoard
ing but, like other wealth, adds 10 itself by being
judiclously impaired
Whether the present Mexican race is susceptible
Of much enlightenment, is matter into which II Is
not now our purpose to inquire. Sufficient is H. tina
these people cannot but be measuraby improved
by the mountaineering they must necessarily ex'
perIence from the existing attitude Of the two coun-
tries. But greater benefit than this, or any other
which the present race may experience, will be the
dlspelllng Of the charm which has SO long yelled
that country from the of the world an almost
unknown land The barbarlsm Of the Mexican ma.
ton, and the unsettled condition of its government
have eonspired to keep hidden one Of the frat agri-
cultural and manufacturing countries on earth. In
future here will men of enterprise meet from every
country, and either elevate the national character Of
the native Mexican, or raise up nation Of their
own.
This war will facilitate the march of improve
ment in many respects. The day ia not very dis
tant when u race Of civilized men must people the
shores of the Pacific lying in comparative neigh
borship with China A trade valuable one
which might readily be established between the At
antc coast and China, across this continent cannot
for many years be neglected Opening a path
then, to these distant regions, bringing the Caifor-
MAS near to US, by acquaintanceship, teaching our
young men the route TO the future homes of many
sf them, constitute national good, the benefits OF
which will be felt when all the evils or the existing
war shall have been forgotten
The requirement Of more just appreciation Of
the Ango-American character, by the Indian, will
be another benef, springing from this war. Here
tofore the Indians of the southwest have derided all
efforts to ciyIize them, for the that those who
essayed the task were neither physically nor
mentally their superiors. The efeminae Spaniard
or mongrel Mexican, has been their object OF con.
tempt, rather than emulation OF other white races
they have seen but little, and scarcely dream they
are so nearly neighbored by powerful and highly
civilized nation. The Indians of the west and
northwest are but little better informed. They have
occasionally met with an American trapper, or
missionary, and have learned to fear the one, and
respect the other; but as TO our national strength
the number of our people, the condition of the
ful arls among US, they know nothing. They have
considered reputed power as fable, and IN
more than one instance, 1t is said, have punished
even with death, those who have represented the
number of white people as being greater than their
own.
military expedition then, to the interior Of that
vast region which many savage tribes roam
but above ALL the subjugation of a nation whom
they well infer had injured US, will produce an eff
feet among the amazed red men which cannot but
be guar anty of future frerdlness. Convince them
that we have the power to punish, and they will
take for granted the will. As we have before OBJ
served, an intercourse must soon spring up between
two branches of great nation at two extremes OF
the continent, and an ything which will add to the
security Of that intercourse is manifesty desirable