The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1846-07-11
IT. WEBB, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.


= seven times larger than Pennsylvania, ia
produced a warm, protraced dIscussIo
2 Throughout the Union 1t met with honest op
: position 1t had energetic support In tn
bar.room, on The stump, ia The debatn
club, in the chamber of legislation and b
he freyside, it was, Tor years, searchlngl
and ardenuy discussed. All this is past
II is hislorical-and 10 revive those discus
sions would be mischievous folly
But this annexation has given rise Il
war-sn existing wsr-aud in so far as II !
IegilimateIy connected with that struggle,
propose to allude 10 it, and that hot in
partisan spirit but solely because it IS 81
connected with existing foreign relations
and with the subject of this discourse.
GENTLEMEN:-The sympathy of lhi
country was strongly enlisted in favor o
Mexico in her struggle with Spain AIlh'
earliest proper period we recognized her as
All independenlSlaIe, and We have ever since
sought TO cultivate with her the mos! friend
y relations. These earnest ard sincere
forts have not, as lhey ought, been entire
ly successful. Many years ago, cillzen'
OF Mexico committed numerous depreda-
lions upon our commerce. That they
were unjus, and indefensbIe has been ful'
y admitted BY Mexico herself; and the
faith of her government, was given 10 us to
make adequate :eparaliOn. This has been
long and vexailoCsly delayed. Oar cili.
zons suffering from Mexican wrongs, have
gone unconpenssled. Our government
has made its repeated appeals, in their be-
half, to Mexican magnanimily and justice,
10 vain. The recognition Of the claims,
aid the settlement Of lhIes out OF twenty
insaIments upon portion Of Them, is all
that Mexico has done. Ali The rest is shut
ding, evasion, pretence. Long since, un-
Der The laws of nations, we would haze beer
justified in declaring war against her, in as
.erlng our rights by force. But our course
has been (orbearing. Under The provoca.
ions Of insult and injury, we have restrain
ed indignation and preserved peace. With
4 weaker power we could be ong,suiieriCE|
without incUrriGg an impuallon Of coward,
ice; and hence, Mexico has escaped merit.
ID ch,sisemenl, Even now, Ihe war be-
tween us is cbargeabIe upon Ter. Not %
blow was struck, or a guH fred by US, ua-
il she rendered it necessary by invasion
and actual assault. Before the capture oil
rhorn,on's command our military opera
ions had been precautionary and not sg,
yressive.
When a nation has no JUS cause for Wal
she pre,ends one-and Mexico has her 9re
ence for inva ling our territory and Siaugh'
ering our cl,izens. She aledgeS that We
have committed a sort Of larceny upon her
soil, and ran,Iered TO ourselves the sIIegi-
,oce Of people who arc her suhjecIs; in
liher words, that Texas continues tG be Of
tight a part Of her territory, and that we
b,uo ,yro,nfnIly anpaypF n
shall proceed to show that ibis Mexican
assertion is untrue and but few words will
be necessary for that purpose. Let II be
remembered that Mexico cannot make the
same objections to annexation that were
,rade in the United States when that mea.
sure was proposed. Mexico cannot use
the local u peculiar arguments with whicl
hat measure was met among rs. II was
rgued here very much as question oI ex'
npdicncyi and. clearly, 10 all considerations
Df that kind MexiIo is 4 stranger. She hs
nohlng TO do with nur political discussions
about assuming me le&lan Geol-abool 'H'
Balance of power between Tho northern an'
southern Slsles-sbout the policy Of extend
ing our territory, and questions OF sIm'lS
chsracler She has 90 pIeence for okJcr'
ion 10 annexation except upon one gron1'
and that is, that Texas was part OF he
territory. This objection asserts On her
part RICH, Of domam-of cooHo'-oi J0'|
,isdiclion-and requIes proof. Let her
otove her assertion or abandon it. Let her
make out he, title to Texian soil before she
brands this republic as uesPasser OPo"|
her rights.
Can she establish such tile by shelving
that Texas entered into the Mexican con
federation Of 1924 But. is 1t not equally
c,eay that lha confederation was SObvetied