Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-01-27

species Of legislation and ndgovernment which
creates fictitious distinctions
which God never rnade-which tend to de-
grade Gods image on the one hand and to
give it an unnatural and vain ,exaltatioa on
the other-shall be abolished; when. God
like mind shall claim a recognition of its
superiority over base and grovelling de-
sire after pelf, and the sublime aspirations
Of the soul shall no longer be chilled by
the trammels which vile homage to gilt
tering dust imposes--then shall the new e.
ra which the philosophy ofprogress prom
ises, dawn upon mankind. Such are the
hopes of our democratic faith, such is our
philosophy, and such are the glorious OBJ
jects for which we are striving. And are
they not worthy of the human mind? Such
apursuit and such philosophy make 'am-
bition virtue and ennoble the soul and ex-
alt the understanding of any man who
feels the force Of their influence. Let our
opponents then, occupy the opposite posi-
tlon; we are content with our own.
| have thus rapidly glanced at q few,
and but few, of the principles upon which
our faith is founded. must hasten on, for
the time which l have allotted to myself
this evening is brief. .' .
Nations. as we'll as individuals, have
their rights. If the rights of individuals be
invaded, the courts of law, in an all civil
lied countries, are open for redress of
grievances, But when notional rights are
assailed, and the assailing party persists,
in spite Of expostulation and entreaty, in
the commission Of wrong and outrage, and
even aggravates the wrong by the addition
OF insult, there is no way of redress lett but
resort to arms. This is the course sane,
toned by the usage Of nations, both an.
cient and modern, civilized and barbarous.
And such is the position in which this coun-
try found itself placed in regard TO Mexico.
Twill not detain this intelligent audience
by the recital of that series of events which
lead to rupture be tween the two nations;
the history is familiar to each of you; suf
+ flee it to say, that the last in the series was
an actual hostile invasion of our soil, and
the murder Of our citizens. For a Ions
] succession Of years had our public authori
] ties resorted to every peaceful mode of I'D
, justing existing difficulties with Mexico
, but the solemn injunctions of public law
: were by her disregarded; treaty stipula
tons had no more binding force than rope
' ofsand, solemn compacts were repudiateo
S without ceremony or compunction, ou
s ministerial agents were spurned from he
J.. court, our citizens were plundered with i'm
: punity, and the national flag, that prout
n ensign Of our nations sovereignty and glo
l. ry, was repeatedly insulted. Longer ior
IS bearance would have justly been regarde
y as base submission, and magnanimity wa
J. lost on nation insensibe to the loftier mo
d tives which regulate our councils. When
l. after these accumulated wrongs, the new
70 reached Washington that the Mexican fol
h ces had actually crossed the Rio Grande i
; hostile array, Congress, with unanimit,
If, which reflects the highest credit upon it
f. patriotism, declared that state Of war ez
10 listed between this country and Mexico, an
y at once voted the necessary supplies {
J. men and money;--thus making it the dut
6 of the existing administration 10 prosecut
n the war. The path of duty and Of hone
of was thus made plain. The patriotic an
is chivalrous volunteers stepped forward
" the call of the country, in numbers grea
n er than the country demanded The ma
g. tial notes of the war trump aroused the POI
n. ular ardor, and to conquer a speedy ar
" honorable peace seemed to be the unite
1e determination of the whole country. B,
IF amid this busy scene Of preparation, ii
n, voice of faction raises its discordant not
IN The war is denounced as unjust and dan
er nable,' and that, too, by the very men wh
On had voted in the first instance to declare il
of and who still continue to vote money III
g- supplies for its prosecution In the a
I'D sence Of positive proof, such hardy hypo
in risy would be absolutely Incredible TT
We war having been forced upan us by an Il
lu- evitable necessity, what is the duty OF ev'
an ry citizenl Independently of the promT
IN. ings OF patriotism, what, demand, is Il
vn plain and obvious duty of every mans
md it to aid his own country by upholding h
M own cause, and to multiplyher moral tor
ter and strengthen her energies by giving h
In countenance and support in the hour
the need? Or, by denouncing the war as
ind Presidential war; as war Of tongues
felt aggression; and, by always placing
it county in the wrong position, thus by
on direction give aid and comfort to the Ell
ind my? The course which duty points out
ere as plain, as it is just and honorable. !
nee whence comes this, fault-6nding spirit, t
,tty disposition to tarnish the honor and injl
,ial the fair fame Of our country2 And w
lall is the motive which prompts it? but
lity peat the history Of the times ,when9l
en- swer, it is the deliberate, organized act
ter. ofthe whig party; and the motive VIII
,sti- prompts it is the base desire TO overthi
hall the existing administration, and elevat
hetiwhig dynasty in its stead. 1t is better