Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1847-01-21


bounds tiIl Mekico sued FOR peass. Hedisrer,ri-
ed al ciamor, consiaued lRat This Wa u cnIv
way Of ending the war LIT them prosecute re
val, then, with all vig0t despite lheeoris e eVerv
opposer. So he trusted Il Mould ks prosecuted-
50 he believed il would. Bjfths esntlemsn ron
Chic, IN speaking Of the conIiutt cithe Execntiv.
in rcgard 10 Santa Anna and he Mexican rovern-
neui, had declared thar i vas not insiirsiei 81
the spirit Of Old Hickory. He bad heard, with I
good deal Of astonisimenf though win much
pleasure, ihe just need Of APPLAUSE which The gen
tlemAn awarded b The name and memory Of Cen
Jackson. lie congratulated The party to which
se had me honor 10 belong npon the meFited ne
spcct and applause which tie farely-errinr iudr-
.nent Of the American people invariably exiorted
rom the very bitterest opponenis OF tlose Who
had spent lifelong efforts in,snstaining The canse
OF democracy There was pothing more conclu-
sive in his mind Of the eersectpess.of ,heir prin
cipes, than that tribute ofrespect and admiration.
oi gratitude and love, with which time always hal
lowed the memory Of those who had been the chief
supporters OF that cause. Though, during their
lives, nothing was more common than 70 traduce,
to sarder, 10 Willy the great apostles Of liberty
yet, now that time had sancti6ed their deeds-now
that experience had proved the wisdom of their
action, they found the very men who had been
Ioudest and foremost in denouncing them, now
could find no man so lost to all sense Of truth, al
least so regardless OF his own character as to ex
press terms of Interpretation and disrespect Of
any OF the great heads Of democracy now gather
ed 10 their fathers. From Jefferson to Jackson,
they were all objects of yeneration and respect.
No one could be .oand to say aught against them.
Yet, had it been so long since that the memory o.
il had departed from their minds, that those very
halls resounded with the dennncatory thunders
Of the opposition against the very man whom the
gentleman from Ohio held up as an example p
Was the period so remote that be could not re-
member ii, when mighty war Of opposition went
forth throughout the country against every one Of
Jackson's deeds ?-when Nero and Caligula were
saints to him, when every miserable dolt that
ever blundered in legislative action was wise to
him9-when every tyrant that had ever trampled
on the rights Of his fellows were pure and merci-
full to him? Yes, from the small whispers Of the
paltry secret foe, to the rude roar of loudmouthed
calumny in high places-crou the '5God-like," "
down, down, down tothe meanest po' itical slang
whanger" that ever wore out the patien e OF
county club-the shout and clamor of opposition
were raised against that very man who was now
held up as the illustrious "Old Hickory" worthy
Of all praise and imitation. Indeed it was one OF
the attributes of the great and good thatthey were
able to extort praise and enlogy even from their
bitterest enemies. And it was encouraging to
the present administration to reflect upon all that,
because if it was fair TO judgeof the future BY
the past so would it be hereafter with il, as It had
been with administrations which had preceded 1t,
and those very measIreslnow 30 loudly denounc-
ed would be held up to the appreciation Of future
generations. The present administration was
destined to stand in the history Of the country
eminenty brilliant and successful. Like some
tall rock in the ocean, round which the pillows
spend themselves in n, the administration rails
ed its head far above the turbulent waters Of party
strife. Against it the proud waves Of federalism
dashed and roared but the administration defied
them, safely built on the immovable rock Of pa
triotism and democratic principle. But they had
been told of the unfortunate brave who had died
in defence of their country during this war; and
of the widows and orphans of those who Tell in
defence of their country, and they had been asked
what price they set on the heads Of the fallen
They had had pathetic appeals and moving speech
es in behalf of their unfortunate widows and or
phans. But he asked any man with an Ameri-
can heart in his bosom, where was the widow and
orphan who would derive comfort from reading
the speeches Of the opposition on that floor -
Would they find consolation in the midst OF their
sorrows IN the praises of their enemies and their
cause? Did they imagine that the vehement de-
nunciations Of the war as unjust, and the highly
wrought declamatory appeals in favor Of "poor
Mexico" would drop like healing balm on the
bleeding wounds OF the bereaved aud mourning !?
All, no! There was not mother who had LOST
4 valiant son-there was not a wife who had lost
gallant husband, that could bear to read one Of
such speeches as they had heard from the opposi-
ton upon that floor Where was there such a.
mother who would exclaim TO her surviving sons
-"your brother persisted in an unholy and I'M
lust cause. You must remain At home you. viii
draw no sword in such a cause 2" No. But
would not every American mother be ready to ex-
claim: go, avenge your brothers DEATH, Go
forth against the cruel murderers who, in the
streets of Monterey, put tothe sword every wound.
ed American soldier they could fnd-go forth
against those barbariaas who have murdered your
countrymen in cold blood-go and defend your
co1ntry's honor," Would not that be the Ian
guage OF every American mother? There could
be no doubt of il; and, so help him Heaven! 50
far as his own fame and reputation were concern
ed, he would infinitely rather be the poorest vol.
unteer whose bones mouldered on the banks of
the Rio Bravo, with no stone to mark b grave
no requiem but the wild birds shrek and the
bowling winds--than the mightiest wing orator
who thnndered forth his denunciations of The
war! Yes, so far as his own future reputation
was concerned, be would rather slumber there
for he knew that he should not wholly die-tha,
MS memory would De held sacred and dear IN The
hearts of his countrymen. The names of the
gallant dead should've, Their grateful country
freely gave
!" The tribute Of her inst applause /\
To those who die in u h eau ei"
No matter what jewel m ght hereafter sparkle in
the escutcheon of the country, the memory oil
those men would be cher. he'd as the most brilliant
gems in the diaeem Of the nations honor. What
poor consolation was it to the WIDOWS and or. |
Phans oil such men, to be told that they had Weld
ed up their lives in an unjust cause! But the gen.
ilemen would Sop this wal! How, Retreat aud |
bring back theitroops. What would be the result?
Would Mexico hesitate to follow Did not ever, |
one see that aggression would follow on the part !
OF Mexico The proposal was direct and |
pressing invitatiopto Mexican invasion. twas |
in the power Of Mexico alone to stop the war
The United States held the olive branch in one !
hand, whilst the drawn sword was 10 the other
Mexico had her choice. TWAS not for the United |
States to terminate the war; Il know said the |
honorable gentleman in conclusion, know that |
my remarks have been desultofy. But in |
the brief time allotted 10 each speaker it is |
difficult to discuss any subject msthodically.
There u one subject, sir, To which had intended