The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-09-24

1900 w ohNAO SNRpiA FthICl OIdiU vi
Flour TO France when her products are
abundant.-New York Tribune.
Another Historical Example,.
We cited the reader in our last, to the
long ~forbearance of our Revolutionary
Presidents in former wars and in the
controversy with the French Directory,
and the repugnance manifested by them
to the adoption of measures ola warlike
character. We especially called atten.
lion 10 the language Of Mr.. Madison, in
submitting the solemn question of war
10 the Legislative departments of Govern
ment, 10 which it legitimaiely belonged"
We iDstanced these historical examples.
by way of instituting a comparison be-
tween the conduct of our forefsihers and
that of Mr.. Folks Administration-the
one distinguished by a dignifed forbear.
ancc and wise love ofpeace; the other by
testiness, f%evcrish Impotence, and an ap.
parent cagerness TO Involve the country
in bloody strife. We have since met
with another historical example, as given
by the RicAmmd Wig.
In 1905, tho United States and Spain.
became involved in an ~unfriendly contro-
versy. During its existence, Louisiana
was purchased and made part of the T.
mon. This increased the dissat isfaciion
.ofSpain.and question of boundary arose
in an effort TO settle which Mr.. Monroe
spent FIVE months in Madrid. He did
not succeed. Spain threatened "to ad-
rance M possessions until repressed
by an opposition force" Under far
greater provocation than that shown by
Mexico towards Mr.. Folks administra-
tim, what course did President Jefferson
adopt! Did lie order his Generals to
march into the Spanish possessionsl Did
he usurpthe prerogatIve of Congress, and
begin the war without the knowledge or
consent of that body! Here is the ac-
count ofhis actions as given by the Wing:
Mr.. Jefferson took the same view ofhis
power as Chief Magistrate. which the
Wings now insist that Mr.. Polk should
have taken, and which had they been a
dopted by him, for his guidance, would
PROFESSIONALLY have prevented the war
in which we are now engaged; or, ifnot,
it would have given it the sanction of
constitutional authority, the want of
which is one of the principal grounds of
attack upon its usurping authors. What
is that r%easonl considering (said Mr..
Jeferson) that CONGRESS ALONE is
constitutiondhy INFESTED Nth tie Power Of
changing yOar condition .from peace to
War, | have thought it MY DUTY TO
AWAIT THEIR AUTHORITY FOR
USING FORCE, in any degree which
could be avoided. have barely %instruc-
led the officers stationed in the neighbor-
hood to protect our CITIZENSHIP o violence,
to patrol Within Ike borders actually de-
Iirered to as, and nat go ont Q them but
when necessary 10 repcl an inroad, or tc
rescue a citizen or his property" Sucl
was the lone Of policy adopted by The
Apostle, whose disciple Mr.. Polk pro
fesses to be-and that. too, although a:
he stated TO Congress, the circumstance:
then existing required prompt action
the crisis in Europe being, as he remark
ed, favorable for pressing a settlement, ii
making which not a momen should be
lost. But yet. though speedy action was
necessary, he properly declined usurpinl
a power expressly withheld from him b!
the Constitution to which he had solemn
ly sworn To conformhis action. He de
clined, because in his own words, "th'
course 10 be pursued will require th'
means which 1t belongs to Congress ezclu
siuely to yield or deny. To them (he con
tinues.) l communicate every fact mate
rial for their information, aud the dOcu
ments necessary TO enable them tojudg'
for themselves. To their wiSdom then,
look for the course | am to pursue; an
will pursue, with sincere zeal, that whlc
they shall approre."
Nothing can be clearer Than, that NJ
Polk has turned short out of the we
l beaten patti trod by the statesmen Off
and 1912. His way was hejged in b
r constitutional guards aud restriction
] But for his own political advantage, {
a party purposes, or from the foolish desir
S to distinguish his administration, Jane
S X. Polk has broken down all constltu
. tional barriers, usurped the p%rerogative
1 of the peoples representatives, and IL
: volved the country in a bloody and e'
: ~nensive war.
: IMPROVED MANNERs.-The Union
= Washington, and the Statesman at O.
lumbus, after having employed much III
i, and time in calling the Wings FEEDERS
! lists" and "Mexicans, have quietly dro
! ped into the habit of calling them Wing
, their right name. No n can say {
ter this, that the press is not improvin
:, |, 10 evidence ofbetter morals and belt