The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-03-11
BRANDON, Thursday March II, lS4z


GUS and exiled Santa Anna, Adopt the res
olution offered the other day by my frienC
from Massachusetts, (Mr Ashmun,) and lie
the world see and know, not only by whose
agency and whose direction, but upon wha
terms and conditions, and upon what consid
crations, the most arch enemy Of the United
States, with hisretinue OF some sixty llispano-
Mexcans, thirsting for the blood OF our sol
diers and our citizens, was permitted to re-
turn unmolcsted to his own country and peo-
pie. Show US all the instructions to the Sc
cret messenger to llavanna, and all the com"
munications in relation to this most myster-
ious affair; and if they do not show forth a
conspiracy and 4 nspirator against the best
interests Of this country, which, in the pcrfdy
of its character, would cast into the shade the
treason Of an Arnold, they will at all events
show, not only by whose agency the most ciiic-
lent " aid and comfort" have been rendered
to the public enemy, but who Of all others Is
most obnoxious to the charge Of treachcry to
his trust and Of treason to the country.
DO this, sir, and then follow ont, if you
please, the suggestions Of a late number OF
the " executive organ !" and enact your law
with its sanction ofpains and penalties against
"m0ra! trcason,' and the grand inquest ofthe
nation will not be slow to present you with an
iIlustrious respondent And then, if you
please to carry out the farther suggestion from
the same source, and to open your registers
for the enrolment Of the name5 Of those who
may be caught in giving " aid and comfort"
to Mexico, you will be in no doubt with what
name 10 head the list. If he who sits at the
" executive organ" and grinds out such music
only as is most agreeable to royal cars who
maniiests Mt all times an amiabIe readiness to
do his masters will, and who occasionally as
sumes the congenial office of task-master, to
lash into proper submission such naughty
Democrats as are sometimes prcsunWuous
enough TO think for themselves, and are at
times Il little FESTIVE under the party collar; if
he, | say, is DESTROYS Of subjects obnoxious to
his thereatencd penalties, ii may be relief TO
him to be informed that he need not pass be-
yond tie shadow Of his own patron. And
while he ut.crs the libelous intination that
the army Of Santa Anna would be strength
cncd by the accession Of some thousands of
American citizens, but for the restraining
fear Of the halter, and that they therefore
merit the penalties Of overt treason, We are
prompted to ask how much less meritorious is
he who, by the extreme exercise Of his APP
pointing power, gave to that army its COM
mander-in-chicf? Judge not that yc be
not judged" is an admonitory maxim Of di-
vine origin, which may be well addressed to
those who, while they commend the poison
cd chalice" to the lips Of others, should bear in
mind that it may in turn be commended to
their own.
Santa Anna is, beyond question, the most
able, as well as the most experienced and
popular of all the Mexican generals, and his
permission TO return most oiioctuoiy oidul
and comloNcd the public enemy. His recent
election as President Of the Republic furRish-
es ample proof Of the correctness Of this Gs-
sertion. lie placed himself at once at the
head Of the Mexican army; rallied her scat
tered and fugitive sold!ery; impaired new life
and energy 10 their deSponding hopes; and
gave new yigor TO the distracted councils Of
the Mexican government. But for this, the
war might have been ended before this day;
but for this, the further ciluson Of blood
might have been arrested. Bat for this, the
call for more money and for more men, for
more Of the nations treasure and for more eff
the nations lie, might have been avoided
But in consequence Of this, the war is pro-
tractcd. III consequence Of this, Mexico, in
stead Of being humb!cd in her pretensions,a and
self in more formidable array, and with more
united councils, and with more determined
resistance than ever before. Where but late
Iy we saw the divisions OF her so!dicry brok-
en- and Disconnected, her people disheartencd
and despairing her public councils hesitating
and distracted and her ablest generals in cap
tivity. or in prison, or in exile, we now see,
by the conniyance of our own Executive
the only man who could rally
the sinking energies, and revive the dropping
hopes Of his countrvmen, at the head OF her
civil government, and in person at the head Of
Il well-appointcl army Of twenty-five or thir-
ty thousand men, ready and eager to meet the
American forces before the walls of Potosi.-
In consequence of this, your Executive is call
ing for new achievements Of men, and new
loans, and new imposition Of taxes. In con,
sequence Of this, the war which was to have
been ended in few months is now, appar-
emily, Tut Just begun. In consequence Of this
one a It of wickedness or of weakness, foliy,or
Of madness, (call it what you may0 the ener-
gies Of this nation are to be tried to their ut
most bearing, its treasures are to be exhaust
ed, and its lile-blood to be she'd
Sir, there is no justification for this act
There is no excuse for it. Neither Is there
the least paIlatlon Tor 1t. Whether re-
garled as a blunder or a crime, it al
m,ts Of no eXtcnuation. In the most favor
able view the utmost charity can take of the
it was an extra piece ofdiplomat-
ic chioanery, which has no parallel among en-
lightened nations and which the world will
laugh at, while we must dcplore it. For all
the dishonor, and all the attendant and dsas-
trous consequences Of this act, your President
stands arraigNcd before the public bar; before
the great Arcopagus of the American people
They demand of him to know, why and where
fore the acknowledged and most invcterite
enemy of the United States the man under
whose administration and unlcr whose COM
tenance the long catalogue Of wrongs and out
RACES upon our commerce AMI upon orr citi-
zens was committed the recital ofwhich makes
50 conspicuous figure in the Executiye
the man as notorious for his perGdy
rs for his crimes as notorious for his treacl-