Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-12-25
THE FEDERALISTS AND THE WAR
MESSRS. GENTRY AND GIDDINGS.

party are pursuing in regard to the Mexican
war, is really disgraceful to the people OF
America. We will not, nor we cannot, be-
lieve that the masses of that party Throughout
the State of North Carolina are capable OF en-
tertaining or expressing the reasonable sentl- |
ments which we find in the mouths of the lead |
ers of the party, on the floors of Congress-
Why, the New England Federalists of 1919,
according to our reading of the matter, occu-
pied position not one whit more reprehensi- |
BILE than the Wings of 1896 Just let the rea-
der look at the position of affairs for a mo-
ment Here we are in the midst of war with
Mexico. A war, too, which no one, we care
not who he is, can pretend to say, with any
show of truth, is not as just and as necessary
a one as was ever waged by any people, and
whilst in the very midst of it great party in
the country-at least the leaders of that party
take up the cudgels for the enemy and ac-
tually undertake the advocacy of his cause on
the floors of the national legislature. They
denounce the war as the Presidents war;"
as GO Mr.. Folks war"-say it is waged upon
weak and unoffending sister republic, and
encourage Mexico by every means in their
power, short of taking up arms, TO fight on and
not be browbeat, as they say, by the United
States-their own country. In the name Of
Heaven Wings of North Carolina, do you
approve of and endorse this conduct And
why, it may be asked, do they pursue this
|
unpatriotc and reasonable course God on
ly knows the real reason! The only appa-
rent reason we can assign is their deadly hos
tility to the Democratic party and its princi-
pies MIR Polk and his cabinet are all Dem
ocrats, as matter of course, and it is Mr..
Polk, who, as the executive officer OF the
people of the United States, is directing the
conduct of this war, and who, so far, has per-
+, formed his duty in this respect with extraord-
t nary energy and economy But we set out
with the view OF bringing before our readers
the course of two leading members OF the Fed
r eral party in Congress, Messrs. Giddings and
Gentry; the former from Ohio and the latter
= from Tennessee. The Presidents message has
! been before Congress for some time now, and
: its various portions have been, or are being,
t referred to their appropriate committees. That
: portion which treats of the Mexican war, has,
n however, been the theme of discussion in both
/, Houses, thusfar. The opposition have opened
:, their batteries, from which we select the two
r "big guns above alluded to.
), Mr.. Gentry made speech on the 10th inst,
e and we are sure had he been sent delegate
o from the city of Mexico, expressly charged as
e the accredited apologIst OF the Mexican gov
eminent, and as the paid villifer OF the gov
h eminent of the United States, he could not
> have discharged his duty more faithfully. He
" charged Mr.. Polk with being the sole cause
l. OF the war-that Mexico was entirely blame
s. less in the premises-that it was waged as d
is var of compassionate Mr. Polk was muir,
derer, and that he was accountable for every
s. life that was lost in the struggle. But for the
benefit of the reader, We will quote some Of
e apologist OF Whiggery. Mr.. Gentry, in speak
h ing of those Democrats in the House who
Il have stood up in defence of the government
~ uses the following language: 'Let those whose
d servility OF soul qualified them for the menia
I task, truckle to the Executive but he and hi
friends had noble destiny to fulfill. They
i. stood for the defence of the Constitution. They
had no disposition to truckle to petty usurpe
4, who came into power against the wishes of tn
=, great men of his own party, and whose per
d. sonal character was unworthy the favor of thu
meanest minion that shouted in his train."-
Again this paragon of Federalism says tina
s. the President is liar when he says in hi
~. message that the Mexican war is not one o
Ne conquest. In another place he says that MI
Polk is seeking &c to make the people believ
n a lie.' These are the very words. Shame
n shame I! burning shame on the man, no mat
IN ter to what party he belongs, who woul
e, disgrace himself and the American Congress
>" by such course. And is this whiggery p
II; and do the wings of North Carolina endors
ne MIR. Gentry:
OF On the 18th, Giddings, Of Ohio, anothe
of mouth niece of Federalism, denounced tn
H. war, and said that we were Strengthening in
1t, nocent Mexcans, if we continue that war
by That the Mexicans who had fallen in bait!
ry had been murdered by the people Of the U. s
gs Is this not pretty language for arepresentahv
&C. of the American people to hold? But tn
o, reader can Judge of the dastardy meanness
d. the Federal party when he recollects that til
ng Congress of the United States almost unan
re- mously declared the country to be in sta
lid of war, and at the same time voted ten mi
N lions of dollars and fifty thousand voluntee
Die to carry on that war. Why did not the:
nd men, like brave, bold traitors, come OF
an at that time and vote against supplies ?
to But no, they vote the country in state {
81 war, and vote supplies to carry on that wa
Ire and then turn round and abuse Mr. Polk f
ne doing his duty in carrying on the war wit
49, vigor. We should like to know of the VIII
hg editors OF North Carolina if they endorse IL
eS' course pursued by their brethren in Congress
X or what position they do really occupy on tn
III question We should like them to come o.
d boldly and let the people know their sent