Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-06-26
THE NEW "coNTNENEsSls WAR,po ~ -,


bosom when it was used to describe the War of our
Revolution i" the Old Continental War;" in which
this brave young People saked every thing on earth
in a struggle for the right of selEgovernment! For
the abstract right too, for it could not be considered
much more, where the imposition of the tax of
few pence pound on tea by the natural parent
Government was enough to blow into flame the heat
which had been growing up between the mother
and the daughter The crowning act of resistance,
the Declaration of Independence, was not resorted
to, however, until after the revolving Colonies had
in vain exhausted peaceful opposition to the mea-
sures of the Government over the water; nor was
II until remonstrance one side answered by
hostllities on the other that ar and Independence
were at once proclaimed-when, in the language Of
the great historian, the soundest policy required
that the war should no longer be contest between
subjects and their acknowledged sovereign Out
of that came with flying colors and with a
recognised National Flag, displaying the Stars and
Stripes of the Thirteen States. On this Flag was
borne, as lis motto, no such vaunting phrase as
"CoNauEsT, ANNEXATION, DOMINION" but the
homey and honest inscription embodying at the
achievement of the Past and the hope of the Future,
america, COMMERCE, AND FREEDOM Such was,
even within our memory, the burden Of all debate
IN the public councils, OF the toast at the social ta-
ble of the song in the streets 1t was borne aloft
in professions, emblazoned on the signs of artisans
and tradesmen, and pictured upon the working mans
tobacco-box. To rise from demonstrations SO hum
BILE but yet eloquent of the public sentiment as
this last, find substantially the same sentiments
after while enrolled in the Preamble to the Con-
sution under which we live; the objects for which
that Constitution ordained by the People being
there declared to be, establish Justice, insure
domestic tranquility, provide for the common de-
fence, promote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty ourselves and our pos,erity'
Nor, IN the discussions of the objects and enact
ments of that great Charter, comprised in the De-
bates in the Conventions, or the more reliable ex-
position by the authors of ssThe Federalist," is |
there to be found one word to authorize the belief
that this Government ever expected to make
Tar for any other possible cause than to suppress
msurrectlon at home, or TO repel invasion from
abroad. Peace or War;" said the trainers of the
Constitution, addressing the People, will no, al
ways be left TO our option = however moderate or
unambitious We may be, cannot count upon the
moderation, or hope to extinguish the ambition of
others" But Foreign War, the means of ag-
grandlzement, or an exertion of force to accom-
PIish any supposed polite purpose, dream
ed of IN their philosophy. Their themes were the
necessity of consolidating the Union, of encouraging
and the arts, and of securing an adequate
revenue for the support of civil government. All |
their acts looked to these objects only. During the
eight years Of the administration of WASHINGTON |
how sedulously that truly Republican President
guarded the country from engaging in any War,
either from the promptngs OF resentment or the
seductlons OF sympathy under circumstances much
more trying than the present generation can plead
for engaging in it, let history declare; and, when
he withdrew from the high station which he had |
honored so much more than it honored him.
among the lessons of wisdom which he bequeathed |
in his parting address to his countrymen, no one
more solemn ought to be more enduring than
this "Obserre good faith and justice 10 all ma
Hons! Cmtirdte peace and harmony wih all!
Religion and morality enjoin this conducts and
can it be that good policy does not equally enioin
1T! 1t will be worthy of free, enlightened, and
lat no distant period great nation, to give to
mankind the magnanimous and too novel example
of people always guided by an exalted Justice
anu beHeNOlcHCe. Hest are IHdAlllls winch ought
be written in letters of gold on the front of the
Capitol, aud deeply engraven on the hearts of the
People.
After interval of fifteen years of peace sue
ceedng the retirement from office of our first great
President the Government was, il is true, Obliged
to engage in foreign war but that was, as it has
been with propriety entitled, Second War for In
dependence. 1t contest for national exist
ence. In the declaration of it, the People and Go.
vernment Of the United States adopted the only
alternative to surrender of its Independence
For years had seen, in effect on the part of our
adversary state OF war against u.s. and on our part
stale of peace toward her. In advancing to meet
the gigantic maritime power of Great Britain on her
own element, whatever division Of opinion may
have existed at home as TO the instant necessity
II must be admitted that that occasion the United
States exhibited to the rest of the world sublime
spectacle; that of People resolved 10 place at ha
zard every thing dear TO them, rather than submit
with dshonor TO accumulated, habtual, and unceas-
ing wrong, from nation of infinitely superior force
on the element on which they were most assailable
BY the blessing of Providence this war was brought
most happily to close without any irreparable loss
either side, and Peace was welcomed with a ioy
correspondent TO the reluctance with which war had
been entered into When tu;n ,a,rs :, c,ar,r, 81.