Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-03-19

ne hlC wal anu oldNbll q, lIdS mluCu III
it that is worthy of commendation We
should like to make longer extracts, but the
following must suffice.
! have been informed Mr.. Chairman, that
there have been great misgivings among your
friends, when they have contemplated their
relation to this question. | wonder, sir, if
you have never heard it whispered in your
party councils, SO often convened in this
Capitol, that you must get out Of this war,
or the hopes of the Democratic party would
be blasted. | have heard as much and up
on this ground alone can be explained the en-
traordinary course which your party have
pursued upon this floor in regard to this war.
You have acted as though you believed the
people were not with you upon it.
You resolved on the motion of the gentle
man from Missouri, Mr.. SIMS. a few weeks
since, tina. the people Of this country were
too patriotic-yes, too pGiriohc-to Iefuse any
necessary tax for the support of a just war.
But why is it, | inquire of gentlemen present
why is it, after having thus unanimously
resolved that the people have patriotism
enough 10 support a just war, that you have
not made your appeal TO that patriotism!
understand that, at the last session of Con-
gress, you so remodelled the revenue system,
that no more money was to be received into
the treasury than was necessary to meet the
current expenses of the Government in time
of peace. Nothing, then, in the way of re-
venue, under the present system is to be ex-
pected for paying that enormous national
debt with which you are now burdening the
people of this country. Why not pay as you
go in this business, and appeal directly to the
people, in the form of taxation, for the means
for carrying on this warl Why beg through
all the money markets of the Union for these
meansl Why encounter a loss of millions
by way Of discount on your loans! And,
above all, why is il that your party, who, for
the last ten years, have boosted of their pur-
pose to establish for us an exclusive metallic
currency, are now about TO iasten upon us one
of the vIlest systems of paper circulation that
ever cursed this or any other country-an is
sue Of twenty-eight millions Of treasury notes,
based upon nothing for their payment but the
broken down credit Of the Governments
This you are now about to bring upon the
country, with its long train of evils-infated
prices, wild and reckless speculation, ulti-
mate ruin to the laboring classes, and adj
vantage only to the unprincipled and swind-
ling Spectator.
Why is it, | again inquire, you do not al
once resort to a tax upon the people, and es'
cape the consequences Of your present legis'
lation! The answer is. you dare not. You
know this war has no popularity with the
people, ard you are afraid to ask for the means
for carrying it on.
The gentleman on my right, the gentleman
from Tennessee, MIR. JOHNSON, is opposed
to a duty on tea and coffee. He objects to Z
tax on peoples stomachs. He is willing &c
strew the plains of Mexico with the mouldeI
ing and shattered skeletons of our brave men
hnt faals tno Aaan1u for tho loar naou1a IN i'm
pose what he calls a tax upon their stomachs
How much is better a mans stomach than
man!
Another Democratic gentleman, equal
patriotic, the gentleman from Indiana, Mr.
WICK, has equally strong objections to
direct tax on Injuries and thus, by this mos
happy difference of opinion, the danger of
tax in most any form is avoided. Whateve
may be the real opinions of the friends of tn
Administration of this war, however mucl
they may be opposed to it, and whateve
fears they may have of its consequences, the,
are compelled by political considerations t.
press it on. 1t has been commenced by them
and they must give the war popularity, or tn
war will give them lin the language of tn
gentleman from INDIAN yesterday tribm!d
lion. [Laughter.l But enough upon thi
point.
have voted against this war from a belle
that it was commenced by the President, an
not the people, in pursuance of that corrup
contract to which | have referred, made be
tween him and the people of Texas. vote
against it, because | was not willing to SAINT
ton the outrage upon the Constitution, con
mitted by the President in commencing hi
war. | voted against it, because | believe
it 10 be a war of conquest and aggression
having for its Interior object the extensic
and perpetuation of human slavery. | hay
voted against supplies for its prosecution, b.
cause | believed the best means for %securin
a speedy peace between the two Cover
ments, and of maintaining the true interes
and honor Of the country, would be to witt
draw our army within the limits OF the Uni
ed States.
Now, sir, to what advantages can Il
friends Of the war point me that will be lik
ly to result from its further prosecution ?
What are we to gain by this waste of ire
sure and havoc of human life, that any ri
friend of the country can rejoice at2 If the
be any thing, no gentleman upon this flo
has as yet pointed it out. lbelieve the OPT
ion is fast gaining ground here, that this
to be a war without results; or, if any, tn,
will be unmitigated disaster to the countr
No one anticipated any other possible resi-
than the further conquest of Mexican territ
~ and, sir, when this is effected, you "
have a question presented that will shal
this Government to its foundations II
question whether slavery shall be extendC
over the" conquered territory, will at on
come up for consideration. Southern ge
tlenlen have already said upon this floor, tn
the South will never consent that any porti
of this conquered country shall come into ii
Union as free territory. | know that there
an equally firm determination on the part