Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-02-19

regard all nations as one great family Of bro
Tiers. If we act up to this spirit, should We
not as much fear to do a wrong TO a neighbor.
ing nation as to cur own!
But you say we must stand by our govern
ment' whether in the right or wrong. Well,
what is it to stand by our government, but TO
stand by its rights, and protect its Just inte-
rests! But you say this Mexican war is
not right, consequently TO stand by the coun-
try in this war, is not standing by the coun-
try's rights. Do you think the trainers of
this government ever contemplated giving
the executive power to order the military force
oil this country TO march into a neighboring
nation, and slaughter the inhabitants, when
there was no just cause for so doingl Mr..
Webster says, ''The president went beyond
his constitutional limits, in bringing on this
war" so says Mr.. Bebb. Now, if the pre-
sident has gone beyond the power delegated
to him by the nation, then the nation ought
not to sustain him in the act, especially if to
do so, would be doing a great and irreparable
wrong. 1t does seem TO me that the Wing
party have adopted a very anti-bible system
OF ethics concerning this war. You say the
war Is wrong-waged for conquest, yet we
must help carry forward this war! Is not
this ''doing evil that good may Gomez and
what says the good book of such "Their
damnaiion is just" Does not this sentence
Of high Heaven, condemn all, who, knowing
this war to be unjust, still encourage its pro-
secution?
But you are calculating to bring Mr.. Polk
TO an account for all the consequences of this
wrong doing of the nation. Now | am think
ing that when this account is brought against
Mr.. Polk, he will be found utterly bankrupt.
] do not believe him good for such an amount
of responsibility, if it were possible to fasten
it upon him. If the evil done by this nation
in consequence of Mr.. Palk's mis-manage-
ment, was an evil that might easily be repair
ed by his successor, it might with some pro-
priety be borne with, but this war is doing
an irreparable wrong to Mexico. Who can
restore TO the disconsolate widows and help
less orphans, their husbands and fathers, who
have been slain by this nation, in standing
by James X. Polk, in his unconstitutional
act in plunging this nation into an unjust
war? Ard how are We to get rid of the con-
quered provinces of Mexico, that are already
being added to this nation to be 'cursed with
human slavery! the effect Of which will be
to bring more eifec;uaIly the noses of Northern
men TO the grind-stone Of Southern dicta,ion.
Thus you are helping to forge chains TO bind
your own hands with, and the hands of pos
'erity, and that too with your eyes open to a
full view Of what you are about. | ask then,
in the name of patriotism-is this standing
by the interests or rights of our country?
TO me it appears to be an abandonment of
both, to stand by Mr.. Polk, in his violation
or evasion of those %salutary restrictions which
the trainers Of the Constitution saw fl to
throw around the executive office. Gov.
Bebb says, "Where is the man who does not
know and feel this Mexican war is a presi-
dental wdrl" am utterly astonished at the
inconsistent course pursued by the leaders of
the Wing party. And now | entreat you as
one who loves his country, yet regards the
welfare Of all nations, to desist from counte-
nancing this war, while you believe it to be
unjust and wrong; and thus be consistent
with yourselves, and the Interchangeable prin-
ciples of right.
II. YOUNG.
TWinsburG, Jan. s, 1917,