The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-03-30

" oower which, with the cofhW""u vi
I'D n.,;es has, 10 more than one IN
az" ,.r ,L. history of republics, been m1de
.,.-,,,, of bod and bad men TO iuiperid'
," ~. What political rights, 'mm"n'-
anI privileges will you extend to the III
,-S;,,nts of these new provinces, snteu ""e
,opr;ate TO their wants. their chafac'ct,
ri their new relation TO our Governti tut
/, ,,..ys onl, time to glance at, and not 10 Gu
I,,se upon, suggestions llhe these. lne! arc
,1.1cI,t. nevertheless, with fcarlulimport, ana
IJro.s themselves with irresistible force I"
,h. ,c,;ous and earnest reflection OF all Amer
.ran statesmen and patriots. Look al the
sub;ec, as we may, il presents TO our solemn
consideration iunumerablc, iinot insurmount-
able. difficulties.
Wbu have said in this connection has
besn upon the supposiIion that Mexico, yield
inv 10 our extreme demands. should surren-
Ter To US a considerable portion oil her terli'"-
nv. The stronger presumption Is; 'u't
She will make no such surrender shot' vi
her extinction as an independent n'''o"
What is 20 be done in that event! frose-
cate the war with vigOr; seize upon all hc'
principal cities and towns; march your ar
mics 70 her capitI; plant your STANDARD upon
she walls of the ancrDf city oil HE hztecs !;
strike ,iown her Goverumc nj; blot her out
from among the nations Of the eaith.' IS tue
I,nsuaee of the hot blnodS Of war. Without
stoaping to inquire Into the iata' necessity or
the national morality of such a course oI &C
ton. let US look for moment al the prosper
which il presents II is ouI boast that victn-
~ has crowned our arms III two contests WIN
the Government of Great Britain But lei
us hear in mind that these were not wars OF
INVASION We fought in defence oil our lIDer
ties and upon our own soil. Though we are
A great aud powerful nation, aud able to resist
the world in arms asains: us, II is very di
frreDr. and more difficult affair, to carry on a
successful war Of invasion in foreign land
even against a comparatively weak nation.
The history of the world aboun'ls m exam
niles that. in such wars, The race Is not al
WAYS tn the swift. nor tho battle To the Sirohs.
NmpoIeon, al the head Of his imperial army
fought his way through slaughter and blood
10 the heart of the Russian empire. aud III Tie
Kremlin of the Cars. rejoiced as her victor
and shouts Of triumph rent The air, amid the
blazing fires that laid her capital IN ashes
Although Moscow was in ashes, Russia was
not conquered Although hostile army was
there Alexander still reiGned. The smoking
AMI smouldering ruins of the city Of the vii.
dern, IS, the biackness of darkness that settled
upon its smotheied flames. presented but
fit and striking emblem Of that series OF most
terrific and dre caIamirics about TO fall upon
her invaders That imperial host of more
than half million of the pride and flower Of
France, which haG crossed the Niemen so
full ofbope and confidence and cxultalion, re-
turned forlorn and lugaiive band, leaving
Ioo,bo,aJ md hlackaI trail
Of desolation, and carnage, and death. lie
who had been the hero Of an hundred battles
AMI never knew defeat; who. in the progress
of his march to the throne OF empire, had sci
III, Guot upon the necks Of half the potentaIes
of Europe: who had hnllt up with ms own
hlrls The most stupendO MS fabric oil military
power that ever awed the world; whose ambI-
Il on circum.cribcd the globe, aud whose po-
tential voice had struck the nations with an
endemic horror, now fled in disguise from the
country he had so lately invaded with all the
pride and maj estv of Il cOnquering monarch.
The price of this disastrous campaign oil IN
vasnn WIS the loss of his crown and his en-
pire. II laid. too. the foundation OF that fl
nal overthrow of The mighiicst of the worlds
con1uerors. which was sealed onehe held oil
Waterloo, when the guiding star OF the child
of destiny went down forever, IN darkness a.
blood Let us not pride ourselves overmuch
in our own strength or in the weakness Of our
foe 1.-THE SHOWS and lrosts Of Russia became
ministers of vengeance against her invaders.
we have no less TO fear from the rOmito, and
the burning heats Of eastern Mexico. Heav-
en- grant that the invasion of Mexico may not
prove 10 the United States what the invasion
Uf Russia proved to France. Let us not dis
tiain the adm0nitOry Lessons OF history, vi ich
reveal Ia us the impressive truth. that nation
If degradation and ruin. are the ordinary al
ten lants Of a national spirit Of conquest and
dominion.
Mr. Chairman, do not underestimate The
skill ana pruwesS Of American arms. am
not undertaking the strength and power oil
this naiiou Although we may be omnipo-
tent Tor sclfdcience. we yet may MOI be strong
enough 10 suhIugaic foreign, though ii be
a icelIcr nation. We may conquer and sub
iurafe Mexico; but instead Of its being SIX
m ,ulhs' holiday exercise. us some seemed 10
fancy il from The outset, ii must be The long
an bloody work of years, and AT an incalcu-
liable WASTE Of treasure and of life. The con-
current testimony of all who are the hest &c
auainied with the physical and geographical
ch ,racicr and GoI nation oi-McXicO, represent
ii rs Il Country, III once most easy 10 defend
an | most difficult 10 conquer. lis defended
If IN the approach ofan enemy, on the whole
line of its eastern border, by Il periodical
pnstilcnce "more terrible Than any army
with banners" which sweeps over ii with
ieark fatality one halt olIhe year. II is de
loaded by long lines of moun'aln barriers X
desert plains impossible for armies. lis cap
ital is accessible only through mountain pas
ss> and deep deflcs, where hundred men
can resist thousand, A population Of eight
millions of Inhabitants SUR oundcd by all
hese natural detcnces dispersed over nearly
htli continent, driven 10 the madness OF
desperation in defence Of their affairs and
their firesidcs, in defence Of the graves oil
their fathers, and Of their very existence as
nation, may be conquered; but that con
quest must be soon dearly bought, and most
dearly maintained Ii must be Il conquest
unto death Who shall count lis millions OF
cost? Who shall measure lis rivers of
blood and lis rivers OF tcar.? Aud when you
shall have gained 1t, tell me, yc who glory i'll
the deeds OF war, tell me what i: will be
worth2 When you shall have conquered
Mexico, ii that time shall ever he, what will
YOU do with il, or how Will YOU govern il?