The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-12-31

instead of reliDqulshing, in Difference 10
the popular will. thus cIearly expressed.
any part of his original scheme of con.
qnering and snnexing considerable por-
ton Of the territory Of Mexico. the Pres
ideut comes to Congress and demands its
concureuce iTa plan for colopiziug and
aDnexing one-halfof Mexico, with re-
cOmmendalion 10 continue the war until
be. the COnqneror, cORqEers all the resi-
due Of that unhappy Republic, in the
event Of her not willingly severiug from
her body her most-valuable Provinces
Instead of advising Peace. which this
Government might have at any day on
terms Of honor, he informs Congress, in
sangulnary strain, aud almost IN the d.
alect of the shambles, that he is persuad-
ed 'ihat The best means Of rindicating
the national honor and interest, and Of
bringing the war 10 an honorable close.
will be TO prosecute it Nth increased en-
'ergy and pO,0er IN THE VITAL PARTS of
'Lhe eAemy's country" He knows that
he and his war stand condemn ed by his
own countrymen. He cannot, if he
would, mistake the sentiment Of the Peo-
pie; and yet he Graves more conquest,
more buicbery; he demands deeper
penetration into the yitals of our adver-
sary, and yet fbrther waste of the blood
and treasure of his own country.
Before he take captive our senses by
the seductive inriiemeDts. in which his
Message abonnds. 10 yet wider course
of rash ambition and suicidal aggran.
dlzement, let us stop for moment TO con-
slider upon what grounds he places and
justihes The career Of cruelty aud con-
quest 10 which he has already embarked
our country. We are glad that the Pres
ident has, in his Message prefaced his
recommendations as to the future with a
summary statement of The causes OF
complaint heretofore alleged by him as
being Of prior date 10 the war, together
with his understanding Of how the waI
began. A single paragraph includes the
whole story; and. as we propose to ex
anime il with some particularly, we here
republish it:
at is sufficient on the present occa.
sion Ia say, that the wanton violation Of
the rights of person and property Of our
citizens committed by Mexico, ,herrepeat.
ed acts of bad faith through long SER
les of years, and her disregard of sol.
emn treaties stipulating for indemnity to
our injured citizens. not only constituted
ample cause of war on our part, but were
of such an aggravated character as would
, have justified us before the whole worlt
in resorting to this extreme remedy
With an anxious desire to avoid rupt
ure between the two countries, we for
, bore for years to assert our clear right:
, by force, and continued to seek redres:
for the wrongs we had suffered by amic
, able negotiation, in the hope that Mexi-
, CO might yield to pacific counsels and the
demands of justice. In this hope we
were disappointed. Our ministers o
peace sent to Mexico was insultingly re
i jected. The Mexican Government re
fused even ohear the adjustment which
!. he was authorized to proposes and final
r ly, under wholly unjusti6able pretexts
. involved the two countries in war, b,
f invading the territory of the State o
Texas. striking The first blow, and shed
, ding the blood Of our citizens on our owl
. SOIL"
: In undertaking again to review thes,
avermenis by the Executive. now tina
: they are again offered in bis justification
2 and in support of that war al interneci
r oaem against Mexico which he recon
] mends To Congress, we are well awar
!. that no force can be added TO the reason
G ing, nor any strength to the conclusion
o of that admirable tract from the pen {
e the venerable, patriotic. and learned Al
: BERT GALLATIN, in relation to the Mexi
! can war, which we have lately had III
: satisfaction of spreading before our read
: ers. To his authority upon any question
= of public law or national obligation, We
n at least, who have known him from tn
!, days of public services in Ilhe Publ
g Councils, first as leader Of the Reput
! lican party in Congress; next as Mem
i berof the Cabinet of President JEFFEH
n so during all of his Administrators, an
J. Of that of Mr.. MADISON until he was call
j. ed to represent his country abroad as tn
o associate of ADAMS, CLAY, aud BAYAR
II in the great negotiation which ended i
!, the Peace of Ghent-we, whose first et
II says incur present vocation may be sal
n To have been guided by his hand and b.
n that of his honored friend and official su
a perior Mr. MADISON, are bound by ever
# sentimen: of respect and gratitude I
a pay a Difference su profound thatit woul
l. be with the greatest distrust of our ow
}, Judgment we shuuld entertain any :
j. pinion on public question material
S different from his. Happy and prou
J., are we to 6nd, that, on the subject
:. the causes and the character of this wa
n his views are in full accord with thos
which we have found it our duty froI
S time to time to present our readers
II Most fortunate for our country do W
S. consider il, that he has been willing an
,f able 10 come forward in the present emeI
"a oency. to instruct and counsel his fellow
n citizens. However earnestly and hoT
es estly the Press may have done lis dut.
,e however ably aud Iearlessly distinguishe
n. Statesmen Of the present day may hav
n. exposed aud denounced the new caree
re upon which our country has entere