Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-04-21

) their spoilations The obligations have beer
pioiated, the debt has remained unpaid, an
her aggressions have been continued. Gu
government has urged our claims in tn
most respectful manper, has sent he
ENJOYS, and made all propositions possible
short Of wholly abandoning the rights Of ou
citizens to the, rapacity Of Mexican rob
bers." gsa5,et .e,asal
Her oyertures have been treated eyasiye
! ly at first and then with contempt. Oui
envoy was finally driven out Of Mexico and
barely escaped with his life.
2. Merico. made The first declaration Of
Uar. This was done April 93d. The
American Congress decIafsd war .hF1q
18th, twenty days after actual hostilities
were commenced by the Mexicans.
Sd. Up to the 24th Of April, the Ameri-
cans had committed no act of hostility. On
that day large detachment ofthe Mexican
army passed into our territory and attacked
q small party Of dragons under Captain
Thornton, and killed and wounded sixteen.
capturing the remainder.
9TH. Up to this time, our government has
given constant assurances of their readi-
ness to settle the controversy, and has paus.
ed between each of her brilliant victories.
to give her miserable enemy time to con-
slider and sue for peace.
9th All the pleas put in by yMsrico, or
her friends an this country, are unfounded.
1t is urged that we have robbed her of Tex
as. Texas was once State composing a
part of the Republic of Mexico. That re-.
public was subverted in revolution, and
made subject to a consolidated government.
Texas was fully absolved from her alle-
glance to the Mexican government. She
declared her resolution to adhere to her re-.
publican institution, and acknowledged her
independence. For many years the Mexi.
can government exerted itself to subugate
that brave people; but after mos. cruel
warfare, was driven back and Texas took
her stand among the Independent Nations
of the earth. Many christian nations treat
ed with her, and she was as free from Mex.
leo, as America is now from Great Britain.
Nor was it question Of boundary; for
Mexico never made complaint of our
crossing the Neuces, but that we claim anu
part Of Texas. But Texas being state
in our Union, the government was under
the same obligations to defend it as any
other State in the Union. 1t is urged
that the war is engaged for the extension
of slavery. The falsity of this charge is
seen from the fact, thai nearly all the ter.
ritory sought as indemnity lies north of the
line limiting slavery, and the House of
Representatives have decided by vote, that
slavery shall be excluded from all Terrific.
ry to be added. That prince OF slavehold-
ers, J. c. Calhoun, is opposed to the addi.
ton of any territory, knowing that slavery
will exist IN no part oft.
So far from seeking the extension of
slavery, the vast additions Of territory will
be free, and greatly falcitate the downfall
of that abominable institution. s"'
The evils Of war are great. War
should be the last resort of injured nations.
America has felt this, and gone reluctantly
to the contest Wrongs and aggressions
were suffered. Frauds and cruelties were
borne, and the history of the world pre-.
sents no instance of forbearance like that
practsed by our government. We honor
her for it. But the time had come when
we must suffer our dearest rights to be
wrested from us, or like Israel S hosts go
forth to battle. And well has Israel's God
sustained us.
10 Him we commend our cause and to
Him we. appeal from the decision ofsuch
as charge injustice or wrong upon our be-
loved country.