Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-02-24


out difficulty. She would see that sh,
was great loser. and she would see also
that if she obstinaleIy persisted, instead q
having general settlement and compen
saIion, she ght lose The whole for moth
Ing. But in addition. Mr.. President, the
whole feeling ofIhe people Of Mexico vii
be turned. 1t is now, in their mind. &
war of races and religion. They are ex
cifcd To the highest point. Every nerve
is braccd every arm is streuglhened.- -
The resolution of The whole country is uni
ted in a stern resistance TO US, so far as we
have Information.
If this defensive altitude be assumed,
we vii! show that our object is not 10 sub.
Ijugate The country--tha its races and re.
lisio1 are noi to BE- overthrown. Tie nat
ural currerls of feeling will take their
course. The people will become more
interested in the result. They viii be-
come more resardful Of Their. internal af-
fairs than of their external afiGirs. In a
short lime, state of things would be
brought about which would. think, ter
minale in happy peace between the two
countries, and that of the most pcrmanen
character. Blu! suppose in all this am
mistaken. Suppose. Mexico still holds
oal with obstinacy. What have we1 We
have peace without the, expense Of wa-.
we have our population pouring IN. ulti-
mately enabling us to dispense with The
snal! military establishment necessary in
the first Instance. Sir, il would 90 fur.
ther. 1t would put US once again on terra
fTma. II would enable US to sec light
1t would enable Us 10 see our way'to The
vista before US, over which there now
hangs M impenetrable veil.
Mr.. Presidenr, have now stated the
reasons why am in favor Of taking de
fcusive position. have, trust. success
fully shown that we can bring The war to
certain termination, without great ex.
pense Of men and money-wi,hout haz.
ard of any description whatever. 1t now
remains 10 be shown what archie grounds
Of my opposition 10 the continuance Of an
offensive war and, if | am not greatly
mistaken. the arguments against il are as
strong as imagination almost can conceive.
Lam :4,pp0sed to it, in, one. word NJ. Psesi.
Of The other; there is no certainty that ii
will bring the war to u termination Aud
in The next place, If it should bring tito a
! lerminatiUu, even in The most favorable
circumstances, il would he with a vast ex-
pense of men and money and with no in
considerable hazard of disastrous conse-
queuces aud loss of national reputation.
In discussing this branch Of the subject,
The first thing lobe done is TO keep dcfin,
.:tely in our mind what is the real and true
object Of carrying on an offensive war, for
until that is understood we shall not be
able to come 10 any decisive conclusion.
Aud here may premise that its OBJ
.iecl is not couquesi-the acquisition ofad-
dilional terrltory--for thai is disayowed.
may premise further, that it is not so,
because We have already, asl have shown
ample territory in our hands, and more
than sufficient 10 effect all the objecls Of
the war. If, then, it is for neither Que or
other of these objects, ask why shall Of
fensive operations be carried on! There
is bu, ono answer given to that. It is 10
obtain peace, Or TO use the language most
commonly employed, to conquer war. A
Senator. Conquer peace. have ex-
pressed i, differently. That is the propo.
si;iou-ro conquer peace. How is peace
10 be Obtained, or peace to be conquered?
1t can ouly be by treaty. War may be
maze by one nation. Peace is always
made by two. The object, then is to get
treaty. What kind Of treaty? \
treaty that will suit Mexico? You eau
&c, that at any time. No. You want a
treaty TO suit US. And what is that !! Why,
sir, a Urea ty that We shall dictate, compel
Mexico to sign and which shall secure to
us the ends for which this war was de-
cared. Aud what were these ends! |
have already enumerated them.-The es
tabIshmerl of the Del Nore as The boun
dary, and ample acquisition for indemnity.
The object Of The whole war, then, is This
to compel Mexico to acknowledge that
| to be ours which we already hold in pos
session, and which we can hold despite Of
her with almost no sacrifice. Tha, is it,,
twist it aud turn il as you please; neither
more nor less can be made of it; that is the
whole object of what they call vigorous
war of offence. repeat it. 1t is 10 com
pei Mexico 10 acknowledge that 10 be
ours which we now hold, aud hold in
spite of hor. Now in this aspect of the
question, I putt home to the Senate, is it
worth while to pursue var of that des-
cripliou vigorously! Suppose ita matter
OF perfect certainty that you could reach
the city Of Mexico this very campaign,
and beat them into treaty Of peace i'll
the city of Mexico, what would be your
sacrifice The army you propose 10 raise
is 10000 men; the expense thirty millions
of dollars-much more likely lhirty-f'e or
forty millions. Suppose you have $4,000
meu in the field. Suppose the campaign
is as successful as possible. What is the
state of things its close You have
sacrificed in the first place thirty millions
] g III, # ba MI if