Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-06-12
SATURDAY, JUNE u, ls47. :
WHAT WE ARE FIGHPiNG FOR.-NEW
GROUNDS OF THE WAR.

nor the waste Of treasure--which is more 10 be
dreaded by US as Nation than our losing in
It's progress the sympathy and esteem ol the
civilized and Christian world. Until the unhappy
series Of measures began which led to the existing
attempt to trample neighboring Republic into the
dust we stood, the gaze and the delight of those
who love human happiness, the contrast of tyran-
nies, the farest civil spectacle that the world had
seen-that of great country, not more just, wise,
vigorous, and yet moderate in all its foreign policy,
than liberal, equal and benefcent in its domestic.
All eyes were turned upon us-those of the good
to admire and Of despots themselves to regard
with respect the example of rising spIendor so
blameless. Hiher the oppressed, even i'll distant
hemispheres, sent forth their thoughts and their
hopes, whenever they dreamed that, with courage,
virtue, and prudence, all may be free. The phi
lanthropist beheld in the arrival of era in
human affairs, an era OF humanity and peace; and
the philosophic student of social institutions hailed
in the workings of our public order the realization
of almost Utopan theories. TO all this bright re-
mutation, this admiration, and this expectation
abroad, severe blow has been dealt and even at
home, where patriotism forbds that men should SO
easily despair the warm confidence OF few years
since in the sodity of institutions is ieartully
shaken Never, in short, has the Government Of
any country undergone change of position more
strange or more alarming never any country
to such point more the favore and the hope of
mankind nor ever before did perncious rulers con-
trve in so brief space, so deeply to mortgage the
national character as ours have done.
When this Administration came into existence,
by the fiat of Gen. JACKSON, registered in the Bal
timore Convention, we were al peace with the |
foreign world, and in the enjoyment of perfect
tranquility at home. The Annexation question
had been settled by Congress; in a form not war
ranted by the Constitution, it is true, but yet acqui
esced in rather than resort 10 a violent remedy
and care had been taken by Congress- in the act of
annexation, for the pacific adjustment of any ques-
non concerning it which might arise between the
United States and Mexico. Within our own bor-
ders every branch of industry was prosperous be-
yond example; the sails of our ships whitened
every ocean in the pursuit of profitable commerce,
which, besides rich freights to the merchants in
exchange for our surplus products, poured into the
national Golfers a copious and abundant stream of
revenue. The President had nothing to do but to
take things as he found them, and leave them so,
to have secured to his country, during the whole of
his official term, tranquil prosperity, and to him
self the enviable renown of wise and paternal
Magistrate. But tranquility was not the element
for him. In proportion Nature had apparently
fitted him for it, he disdained it. Arrived at the
Presidency, WAR, Conquest, and DOMINION seem
to have filled his thoughts and haunted his repose.
His waking thought was +" the whole of Oregon or
none" and his earliest dream was of trumpet-calls
to the bold spirits of the West, of a march to the
Hall Of the Montezumas of war and bloodshed
and finally OF second g Conquest of Mexico"
Such were the indications, not to be mistaken, of
the Presidential ntents and aspirations, as reflected
by the mirror which it his first act to set up here
the organ OF his Administration. The practical
results of these early promptings of a misguided
ambition soon disclosed themselves in substantial
acts The patriotism and wisdom of the Senate
and the good sense of the British Government
saved us from the threatened collision in the dis
tant wild Of Oregon. But no wisdom or patriotism
Of the Senate, or of Congress- could save us from
the War with Mexico. Though foreseen and fore
told, the People were deaf and would not hear
blind and would not see-whst the President was
stedllly ldylB pldus, anu actually taxing measures
which must necessarily lead to the conclusion
that followed. Time and again we directed the
public attention TO these things but our remon-
srances and deprecatons were unheeded -Four
months before the first meeting OF Congress under
this Administration, we called the attention of the
Public to the probability that the Executive would
yield 10 the solicitations of Texas lust annexed ~
so far as to occupy territory to the line of the Rio
Grande-whlch occupation, we then said, was no.
thing short OF an invasion Of Mexico" and would
be an act Of the President making ,car, in the
full sense of the word, on his own authority :" and
couple of months afterwards, to the departure OF
Commodore STOCKTON, in a steam-frigate from
Norfolk, with his mission TO California announced
from his quarterback and vet later, to the nten.
ton of the President to make war upon Mexico 4
an intention averted at the moment only bv the re.
cepuon OF news from Mexico of her willingness Ia
las been publicly averreJ and contractcd las far
as we are informed that the of President Polk
inaugural Address prescribed him the Hermitage
before hs departure for Washington, by Gen. J,cKsoS,
whose ruling passion thus displayed itself in the latest mo.
ments of his life.
ne circumstance to which alluson is here made is the
disclosure IN letter tom Washington to the Journal of Com
mece, dated October 3d. ls45 Of the fact that IN.
forthcoming Message to Congress uo,lJ ro,,,i, a,
ons OF hostile nature towards Mexico the
,T h,rh tho vpritar ~.