Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-04-09

ahIllull1 ouu ibiNhlu''y SS' ioA'h'
News FROM THE ARMY.-Wc devote a large
portion of our paper to-day 10 the news from the
army. The accounts may not prove entirely
correct. but in the main, may be relied on. Its
now rendered certain that there have been much
hard fighting, and that our arms have again been
victorious. The Mexican force, though much
larger than the army under the commend Of Gen.
Taylor, is, in our opinion, greatly exaggerated,
as is al so the number Of their killed and wound.
oil. Taken altogether the late battles may be
regarded as brilliant victories; creditable alike TO
the officers and soldiers engaged in them.
There are those who will regard these and 9TH
or victories over the arms of poor, weak, and dis.
tracled Mexico, as the most brilliant achieve
menls Of modern times. If TO be successful
butcher Of human beings, without cause or prov
ocaon, regardless Of age, sex, or condition, were
the acme Of human glory, then we shoulduccord
TO the authors, aders, and abetors Of the present
war, The highest mned of praise. If invading
the territory OF weak, unod1ndng, and pcacea-
BILE ncighbor, devastating herposseSsions, sapping
her morals. taking away the lives of her people,
destroying their substance, and marking our
course with blood, rapine, and misery, was the
way by which nations arrive at greatness, Then
we should no longer fear that we had strayed
from therghtpath. lfentering churches with sac
riligious hands, breaking down their allars, pilla-
ging their sanctuaries robbing their ministers
and Staying their hearers, were the way to pro-
mole The christian religion, then, indeed, have
we made discovery heretofore unknown to lraiI
morlals "here below" and which is sufficient 10
secure its authors free passage into the regions
of "e,ernaI bliss" If we could discover one
righteous object to be accomplished in prosecu,
ting The present war, then we should feel that
there is some excuse for the bloodShed that marks
its progress. But no! Ii had its commencement
in corruption, and every slough that swesi its cur
rent but adds to its felid slime. While we cheer
fully accord to those who conduct the war, the
greatest credit for the courage, bravery, and skill
they have displayed on every occasion, we mus
regret that our army was placed in position to
render victory desirable. Nor can we help ad-
miring the conduct Of the Mexcans. They have
at stake all that men ought to fight for. The
existence of their Government, and of them
selves is involved in the contest;-they are fight
ing 10 repel the invader from the graves of their
fathers,--from the homes of their childhood,-
from the allars where their infant lips were frs
taught 10 hold communion with Go1,-rom the
atars where, in later years, they vowed to cher
ish and protect herwhohas become the mother Of
their children,-to protect that mother and those
children from the dangers by which they are sur
rounded. Their Government may not be so lib
eral, nor their homes as comfortable as ours, bu
should they, for this reason, hold them less dear
Certainly not. Their counlry,-their homes,-
their families, and their aI;ars are asdearto then
as ours are TO us, and they deserve as much, nay
more credit for defending them to the last exre
mily, as we should for defending ours, were they
alike threatened. We say more, because thC
people Of this country think that in christianity
refinement, aud civilization, they are somethin!
in advance of their Mexican neighbors, and, o
course, something more will berequired Of them
What are Toe fighting for! This is question
that has been repeatedly asked, but never salts
factorly answered. Mr.. Polk, when he made tht
war, failed TO inform us. Congress in adophn.
it, was equally uncertain. 1t is said that il wa
commenced "by the act of Mexico;" but wheI
we INQUIRE what was this act that has produce,
such direfu results, we aro again put off will
qubbling evasion. One will tell us that Mexico
invaded our soil, and murdered our citizens in ou
own territory, and that was the causeof the war
another, that Mexico refused to pay instalment
due our citizens, and we went 10 war 10 collec
them; and finally, the dofunct Lieutenant Gener
al puts all tbs former pretexts for beginning tht
war at rest by declaring that it was commenced
by John c. Calhoun! He, however, has failet
TO inform us by what means Mr.. Calhoun be
came the author Of war commenced "by the
act oe Mexico" We now present to the worlC
the humiliating spectacle of commencing war
and expending about one hundred millions o
dollars in prosecuting it, without having yet dis
covered for what we are fighting! How long shal
such a state Of things continued