Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-01-30
THE WAR.

minds, but to ours the following extract from
munication in the Boston Courier, brief as it is,
speaks volumes Of sober truth and just monition:
One war was popular the party that opposed
it was annihilated; therefore all our must be
popular, and whoever is found in opposition must
be politically annihilated This is the summary
process of reasoning adopted by politicians gene
: rally. Shortsighted men
Opposition to the war with England in 1872
10 was unpopular. Opposition to aly war with
England would be unpopular For war with
foe so powerful necessarily becomes, to great
extent, war Of self-delence. We must in such
war, defend ourselves at home, as well attack
the enemy abroad. And every would be
I. compelled to stand by his country, in such an
emergency, right or wrong wanwth a.pow-
enul enemy becomes war for national existence,
to great extent and no man can hesitate in such
: circumstances, and no party could stand moment
: in opposition to such war.
"The instincts of sefpreservation, as well as
the dictates of patriotism, would compel us to
!. fly to country's standard, and enrol ourselves
: under its banners.
How different the case in this war with Mexico
9 Mexico is weak, feeble, ,poweress. We have
her already by the throat She can scarcely gasp.
: We know, Mexico knows, the world knows, that
if we put forth our full strength we can crush
her. Not only has she absolutely no power to
attack us, but she cannot defend herself. In point
of strength we are the wolf, she is the lamb.
: The resemblance is good in this respect, if in no
other. Where is the woman or child, throughout
this whole Confederacy, that has, by day or by
night, one passing fear of Mexico-one passing
thought of those horrors which daily fill the minds
of the whole Mexican population?
The war does not touch us in any of its worst
forms. We are blind and deaf to its hideous de-
formities. The sleep of all is sweet and sound,
and undislurbed by any one of the ten thousand
terrors of an invading army.
'And yet we must prosecute this war with un-
reenting rgor, because it is popular now, and OPP
position now will be unpopular hereafter Let
us forever discard the thought. 1t is an I'M
scrupulous invention of political knavery, to alarm
the tmid and stiflen the wavering When the
first heats of this contest Fare over, they who first
precipitated the country into it, and those who in
pursuit of popularity, now urge on the war, are
they whose shoulders the burden of this dreaded
unpopularity will rest while those who dare make
stand now in behalf of philanthropy and hu-
mainly will hereafter stand forth bright in the re-
fulgence of manly discharge OF patriotic duty"
This is voice from the EAST. Not less in
volume nor less forcible in fact is the following
voice from the WEST, which we extract from an
January 10:
IF the object Of the war was to avenge the in
vasion of our territory, has not that been done
already to sufficient extent to satisfy the most
mplacable Is it not enough that the enemy has
been thrice defeated with great slaughter, and not
only driven from our own soil, but from half the
territory that belongs to him? 1t is mean and
malignant spirit that cannot be satisfied with such
revenge as this, particularly on an enemy SO no
toriously inferior to US in number and in vigor
But II is said we must persist in the vigorous
prosecution of this war until we conquer an hon.
! orabe peace until we extort indemnity from
| Mexico, not only for the debt due before
the war, but for the expenses of the war itself.
+ Now, every body knows that Mexico will not
submit to such terms unless reduced to the last
extremity of weakness, cowardice, and despair
not unless she be completely conquered. This
war, then, which we pretending to wage to
conquer an honorable peace, is in fact to conquer
Mexico. This peace we are seeking as honor
able to us is to be dshonorable-nay, destructive
TO the Mexicans. 1t would be dishonorable TO
them to submit to such terms even if they caused
the war, because their submission would be COM
pulsory, and not voluntary. But, believing as
they do, and is the fact thatwe the aggressors
in the war, their submission would be peculiarly
degrading and despicable.
w z udfC Sdlu llldL tillS Is TIE dBBTeSSOI
/. Let us not be accused of hostility to our country,
of moral treason, of giving aid and comfort to
the enemy. Let us not be told of the maxim,
''Our country, right or wrong This a maxim
of self-defence is indisputable, sefevident-it is
selflove expanded into Observation-Disclosures
expanded into national defence. But, in any other
sense, repudiate all such principle infamous
in ethics or politics. He who will not speak the
truth is liar, and he who dares not is a coward.
He who will not or dares not Tell his countrymen
the truth on questions of the most vital public
: policy, is a coward or traitor And, if there is
any conduct which constitutes moral treason it is
an attempt to embark to encourage the country
in war against God, as is the case in a war of
aggression like that we are now engaged in.
The war is as great bunder in policy as il is
wrong in morals 1t is waged for indemnity,
not only for the previous debt, but the ex-
penses. The previous debt Mexico unable
to pay. How shall we extort from such coun-
try the expenses Of the warm addition to the debtl"
NEW JERSEY SENATOR.
The Hon. JACOB w. MILLER was, on Thursday
last reelected Senator in Congress from the State
If Now Jersey hy ito Jegislature for siy vears