The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-04-13
THE GALAXY,
MIDDLEBURY.VT.
Tuesday, April Is, 1847.
THE WAR.

Every true american must exult in Tho
triumPhof our arms in whatever confiic, thee
maybe engaged with other nations. But !. !,
not time for plain -thinkingetrue hearted cir.
liens Of this civilized republic, to speak on,
Who that has read the papers for weeks mast
is not heart sick with the reci,als Of battles.
bloody butcheries and scenes of rapire NM
der and devastation which are now exhibited
in Mexico by this nation under the cloak of
war for national honorl What being above
the grade of savags-san delight III witness
ing men sheaIhing their swords and bayonets
in the bodies OF their screeching fellowmeu
blowing them through with balls, or knock
ing out their brains with muskets, tearing
down cities over the heads Of their terrified
inhabitants with shells and req hot cannon
balls. or beholding thousands upon thousands
of our own brave cOuntrymen lying gashed
pecially must he abhor these cruel and bruta,
scenes when they are occasioned by the ag-
erosion Of rich and powerful nation upon
weak neighbor who is utterly destitute Of
The means Of self defence, who is distracted
with internal dissentions, and whose armies
weakened by hunger and deprived of pay fall
an easy prey TO our well fed and well ap-
pointed armies.
And now pretence aside. for what we would
a. Il IL. ,,,l L..
war waged against MexicOl Is it at the cx-
pense of at least one hundred millions on our
part to compel that nation to pay us the pitt
full Three millions OF indemnities for outraees
committed on our citizens some twenty years
since which she acknowledges, and by this
time might have paid had we not by this very
war deprived her of the means Of doing so ?
Is il TO defend our wives and our children our
affairs and our liresideS, & even as in the cas-
Of the poor MeAicaus our national existence
from the poluIing touch Of foreign invaders
that we carry fire and sword through the pro
yinces Of sister Republic!
Oh no. The ideas involved in these qnes-
ton rs the causes Of this war are ptlfu i'll the
extreme. IL isd party war. 1t is war to
enable those who wield the scepter Of power
TO retain it by enlarging the patronage Of the
government and encircling their brows with
the Iaurels Of victories which other and better
men have won. Again it is a shareholders
wal. Its openly aud boldly avowed that 1t
is for the acquisition of slave territory, and
the perpetuaiion Of an institution " hose pow
err is to domineer forever in tho councils Of
the nation. that Mexico is to be robbed Of
her provinces and her inhabitants buicheTed
in cold blood while vanly attempting TO de-
fend them.
But il there is just Gcd in Heaven this
war will be productive Of no good to the reck-
less man who presides over this nation. The
battle of Buena Vista will only obscure even
the dingy iustre which this administration has
attempted TO throw around itself. Well has
il been said that the battles OF Palo Alto,
Resaca de la Palma and Of Monterey have
not suffered Mr.. Polk to sleep quietly upon
his pillow. In VAIN has he again and AGAIN
attempted to tear from the brow Of the i'm
mortal Taylor the wreath which has encir
cIed il. First Benton vas appointed 10 super
scdc thus brave man in the conduct of tho
war. Then Scout is appointed 10 divide with
him the laurels of victory, and by dePriving
him OF the brave troops who had been the
companions of his triumpbs. 10 leave him ex
posed to disaster and even to death. But
the fortunes of old Rough and Ready have
enabled him to triumph over all the machi
nations Of his enemies. Victory again perch
ed on his standard at tine very moment that
Polk was plotting to obscure the slOries Of
his former achievements. Another battle not
Of bullets but Of ballots may at last decide the
question between these two men.