Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-12-02

IN a spirit of rapacity, 10 acquire other lands,
the homes and habna,ions of q large por.
llon OF his common children! Ii we pursue
the object OF such conquest, besides mort
gag,ng the revenue aud recources OF this
country for ages 10 come, in the form Of an
onerous national debt. we should have great.
ly to Argument that debt, by an assumption
ui the sixty or seventy millions oi tho ns
tlonal debt Of Mexico. For liaac I, that
nothing Is more certain than that, II we OBJ
tain voluntarily or by conquest, fo'eign
nation. we acquire It with all the lncumbrun
ces attached 20 u. 20 IN my humble d.
pin,on,. we are now bound, in honor and NOR
allty, to pay the Just debt of Texas. And
we should be equally bound, by the same
obligations 10 pay the debt oi Mexico, II II
were annexed To the United States.
OF the possessions winch apDertnn To n
man, ~ his collective or individual condition,
none should be preserved aud cherished +.
with more sedulous and unremitting care, =,
than that Of an unsullIed character. Ii is
impossible to esteem it too highly, III society.
when attached to an individual nor can II
be exaggerated or too greatly magnllied in a
nation. Those who lose or are Indifferent
to it become JUS. objects OF scorn and con.
tempt. OF all the abomlnable uansactlons
which sully the pages OF history. none sx.
cced IN enormIty that of the dismembcrmcnl
and partition OF Poland by the three great
Continental Powers-Russa, Austria and
Prussia, Ages may pass away. and ceniur.
Ics roll around, but ns long as human records
endsre, all mankind will unite In execrating
the rapuclous aud deies,abe deed. That
was accomplished by overwhelming force,
and the unfortunate existence Of fatal dts.
sensions and divisions in the bosom Of Po
land. Let us avoid allixlng 10 our name
aud national character n similar, If not worse
Stigma. ! om AFRAID that we do not now
stand well IN the opinion of other parts of
chrislehdomA Reputation has brought up
on us much reproach. a tie nations, J ap.
prchrnc, hook upon US, IN The prosecution Of
lhe presen. war, as beng actualed by spur
It OF repacny, and an nordnate desire tor
territorial aggrandZ"meni. Let US not tor.
ieit altogether their goud opinions. Le, III
command Their applause by noble exercise
OF iorbearance aud justice. In the elevated
slauoh winch we hold, we cansafcly afford
TO practise The Godlikc virtues OF u.odcrailoG
and mngnaulmty. The long series Of glor
GUS tnumphs, achieved by our gallant com
mandcrs aud their brave armies, unattended
by single reverse. Justify IA, without the
least danger OF ta:Tlshing the natIonal hon
or, IN dIslnierestedly holding out tue olive
b unch Of peace. We do not want the mines
the mountains, the morasses, aud the sterile
lands ui A.c@lco. To her the loss Of them
would be humlllallng, aud be perpetual
source oi regret and mortlticailo0. 10 us
they might prove fatal acquisition. prodnc-
ing Distraction, dlssension, dlvisIon, possibly
dl,uulon. Let, therefore, the integrity OF
ihe national existence aud national territory
of Mexico remain undstuibct. For one. ]
desire 10 see no part of her territory torn
from her by wur. Some of our people have
placed Their hearts npon the ACQUISITION of
The Bay oi San Francisco, Upper California
To u, as great maritime Power, 1t might
prove 10 Dc of advantage hereafter. ~ re-
spcci 10 our "onmerciaI aud navigating IN
teresls. To Mexico, which can never be a
great maritime Power, II can never be of
much advantage. II we can obtain it by
tar purchase, with jr-t equivalent. ! should
be huppy 10 see II SO acquired. rs whenev
~ The war Ceases, Mexico ought 10 be re-
qulred To pay the debts due to our citizens,
perhaps an equivalent i"r that Bay may BE-
found lp that debt, our Government assuin.
Iug 10 pay TO our citizens Whatever portion
oi II my be applied 10 that pct. But II
sh0h'd .orm no motive III the prosecution oi
thc'wCr. winch would not continue q soll
tary hour for the sake of that harbor.
But what. 1t will be asked, shaI we make
peace without any indemnity Tor the expcn-
scs Of the war? II the published documents
~ relntion TO the late negotiations between
Mr.. Trlst aud the Mexican Commissioners
BE- true, and have not seen them anywhere
conlradlctcd, the Executive properly waived
any demand of indemnify for the expenses of
Ihe war. Aud the rupture OF that nc gotlatI0n
was produced, by our Government Insisting
upon n cesslon from Mexico, OF the strip OF
mostly barren land between the Nneces anG
the RIO Bravo and New Mexico, which Mex
ico refused to make. So that we are nov
lighting. if not for the conqnrs, o! all M"xI
as intimatcd, ~ some quarters, tor thai mar
row, strip, and for the barren province o.
New Mexico. with lis few miserable MINES
We bought all the province OF LOUISIANA to'
fifteen millions OF dollars, and It Is, ~ ny
opinion. worrh more than all NeSIco tOgelh
ci. We bought Florida nj five millions ot
dollars, and hard bargain It was, since, be
sides tha, sum, we gave up the boundary at
the RIO Bravo, 10 winch, | think, we wer"
entitled as the western limit OF the province
oi Louisiana, and were restricted to that OF
the Sabine. And we ore now, II not seeking
the Conquest Of ali Mexico, to continue TIN,
war, ind, fnatcly, for The incousioerabIe oh
ects to winch have just referred.
But, it will be repeated, arc we to have n"
indemnify for the expenses ot the war p
MrAico is utterly unable 10 make Us any
pccunlary indemnity, if The justice Of The wa'
on our part entitled US to demand it. llei
country has been laid waste, her cities burn
cd or occupied by our troops, her means 50
exhausted that she Is unable to pay even her
own armies. hnd every days prosecution
Of lhe war, whilst it twouId augment the
mount OF our indemnity. woud lessen the a.
blny OF M'Sico To pay II. We have seen,
however. that there IS another form IN which
we are to demand indemnity. II Is to BE-
territorial indemnity ! hope. for reasons
already stated that that frcbrand wlil not be-
brought into our country.
Among the resolutions, which 1t 10 my IN.
tentlon to present for your consideration, at
the conclusDn OF this address. one proposes.
~ your behalf and nine, to disavow, IN the
most positive manner, any desire on our
part, to acquire any foreign territory what
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