Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-01-28
FROM THE NATIONAL INrELLIGENcEs, yASrARy II.
THE CRISIS

w hen the present Administration came into pow
or. the country was eminenty prosperous. We
had Tariff which protected our own labor against
the Pauper labor Of Europe. All the great enter
prlses Of the country were in successful operation
Real estate was gradually advancing in value. aud
the products OF labor met with n ready sale. The
money market was steady. and credit rested on
solid basis. There was general confidence felt
and expressed in the state OF things which existed
All this was attributable to the wise measures a.
dopted by the Wing party, which came into power
with the Harrison Administration.
But this fair scene. which cheercd the hearts and
envened the hopes of this great people. was DOOM
cd TO a sudden reverse. The Baltimore Conven-
ton, with It's baleiul Influence. met and. assuming
TO act for the people, without their instructions and
against their interests, virtually elected the present
Chief Magistrate: citizen who did not himself
aspire to the Office, and. who without the influence
of the nomination, could scarcely have received the
vote of any county, in The Union. But this usurpa.
ton OF the popular rights by the Convention did
not stop here. The same body deereed that the
whole of Oregon ours: that Texas should he
annexed that the Tariff of 1912 should he over
thrown; and that the Subtreasury should be estab-
lshed
Never did body Of mcn in so short time. en-
tail upon their country system OF measures so ca
lamous And, when we consider the elements OF
which that Convention was composed-some OF its
members being irresponsible, others sclfappolnted ,
and many of those who had show OF auir0rity re-
ceiving in disregard of popular rights and OF the
principles which they proteSsed to hold sacred-it
is amazing with what tame submisSon-a submits
sion that augured nnfavorably for the cause of free
gOyernmen-thc DEGREES of this body were received
The rights of the People Were not only usurpcd
by imposing upon them Chief Magistrate but the
Convention bound in party letters this instrument
of its creation, and the National Legislature True
to the behests of that body, Mr. Polk in assuming
his duties, expressed determination to carry out 10
/ the letter its DEGREES. The Oregon controversy
| brought us to the verge Of war with England
| from which we were saved by the wisdom and firm
ness of the Senate. But Texas was annexed the
/ Tariff was overthrown, and the Subtreas,ry enact
| ed And we now realizing the fatal consequen
| ces OF these measures.
/ We have had war OF about eight months will
[ Mexico Two brilliant victories in the field arans
superior numbers, and the capture of city, strong
~ fortified and defended by force much greater
than ours, have added to the renown of our arms
We claim nominal possession over great extent
of country, through which General KEAeNEY ha.
marched, and which Captain SrocKToN has sur
vcyed from his quarter deck but We only hold By
a torclbc tenure that which has been subugaled b,
General TAYLOR. And, to maintain this posses
sion, our little army is necessarily divided ant
placed in garrlsous remote from each other, liabl
TO the attack of the enemy, and difficult to be de
Tended. This is the bright side OF the picture lie
us turn TO that Of a darker shade
The people with whom are at war arc great
~ exasperated, and their discordant clements have
in a great degree, become united. Their most f.
vored and experienced captain. by tie permission
> the President of the United States has returne
from his Punishment, and now leads its army. :,
veral thousand of our brave citizens have fallen vi,
Tins OF this war, whose graves are OIL the battle
n fields of the 9Th and 9th of May. at Point Isabe
:, Monterey, on the shores OF the Rio Grandc. or
" the line oftheir return homcward and it is impu
i sble to say how many now bear within them Il
10 seeds Of fatal diseases in the army at home, or
; their way thither.
The Administration seem to have been as ign
rant of the Mexican character as they have show
IS themselves TO be Of their own powers and OF {
t. great duties which dcvolvc upon them They G.