Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-10-23
POLITICS OF THE DAY.

At meeting OF the Wings oil the city OIL New
ark, New Jersey,) held on Friday last, to consi-
der Of the State of the Union, and their duty in the
depending election in that State, excellent spirit
was manifested. The Hon. ]. w. MILLER, one
of the Senators Of the United States from that
State, being present and called upon for an express
sion of his views of the present crisis in public
affairs, delivered Speech which we have pleasure
in laying before our readers, as follows:
After the resolution had been read, Mr.. MILLER being
loudly called for appeared upon the platform, and, after brief
y noticing the bghtng effects of Locoioco misrue, free
trade and the Subeasuy spoke of the Mexican as the
question which just fills all mnds-a begun without
just cause and which had gone on step by step till he fear
ed national honor aud existence brought into
jeopardy.
To nation pass from state OF peace into state
Of involving the highest considerations and
the deepest responsibilities All experience has shown that
it is much easier make than to make peace-much
easier let slip the dogs of than to call them off after
they have tasted the blood Of the prey War begun,
wrongfuy or rghtfuy it is difficult stay its
direct end Embracing within its bloody natonalhonor
and national interests and frequently national existence,
ward and onward will roll its sanguinay until the blood
and the other of the contendng parties
exhausted in the conflict.
The question of peace is always, less, in
the hands Of the Executive of nation Under constr
tuition the Executive is entrusted with intercourse with
other nations; upon his wisdom and discretion depend the set
Element Of all international questions.
Ihe desires peace he will temper his negotiations with dis
creton and obearance fhe be ambitious for military go
y desire the Of conquest if he adjoining
province eligible seaport, he will seek some preext for
quarrel and readily find plausible cause of war, in
order to crafty his prevailing passion.
Thus il is that weak vicious Executive may plunge
people into against their judgment and their feelings and
by rash compel them to sacrifice their lives and pro-
perry in which they feel to be unnecessary and unjust
This our present position the Mexican war, and
the question is What is our duty in regard to it
The first feeling which springs from the heart Of every good
is the desire put end to this unnecessary
speedily consistent with the interests and honor of the
country. But how accomplish this is the great question.
Some say that Congress should do by Withholding all APP
preparations for the have the highest respect for the
author Of this opinion and would willingly adopt if could
that by starving the could peace But
when recoec that the question of peace is in great
beyond the control Of Congress- that in the hands
of the Executive, the hands of him who made the
and who it with views and objects of his own,
is evident that the Withholding of supplies would only
ken, not stop the 1t might starve out the army and
bring dishonor flag, but it would not under this Ad
ministration, restore peace to the country.
Whatever may be said of the nature of this war, all
and Mexico and whether rghtfuy wrongfuy, it is
the Of the couny made SUCH is by the reckless
act of Executive, but still for all that. II
the people of this country will promote the Executive chair
who conducts foreign relations entangle
in unnecessary war; they must bear the calamity the
bitter fruits of their own folly
know the trial is hard one for who had part in
bringing the calamity upon the country but such is the
suit of national snhe punishment falls upon the innocent
Er-tt
cape from its dangers while the innocent all hazards
stay the plague relief for the nation until
God in his meRy, enlghten the counsels of rulers
give wisdom to the people them from Office. Yes,
SIR Congress may withhold appropriations the people may
petition for peace but you will have peace under this Ad
mnsaon You may have armstices and Of hos
tes; you may have forced cesons of territory you may
have treaties of eternal friendship extorted by the sword
bnbed with gold, but you will not have lasting honorable
peace.
To obtain peace two must be first removed from Of
fee the is in Mexico and the other in the United States
Santa Anna and James K Polk They the twin fathers
of this they twin promoters of its connuanceeach
in his way seeking advance and strengthen his
political position, and strange say, each deriving his
authority carry the from the people Of the United
StatesMr Polk directly and Santa Anna indirectly through
the aid of our Executive. We pay them both
Under this strange fraerna union Of friends al car how
can either country make honorable peace The Executive Of
each has put himself in false position If Santa Anna yields
to the requirements of Executive, the people will say he
has been brbed by Mr. Polk fMr Polk ecedes in his de-
Thus like two forsworn urymen, they agree
without exposing each other TO the just indignation of the
parties concerned Thus enangled it is evident that Mr.
Polk neither carry the with ygor make peace
with honor.
The history of the shows that the Of army
has been in spite Of the mbecty of the Executive in spite
Of his intrigue with Santa Anna spite of his attack upon
General Taylor in spite Of his Lieutenant General and
withsanding Mr. Secretary Macys objection hasy
plate OF soup" The truth is Mr.. Folks policy has been,
from the beginning, to make this diplomatic It
menced upon point Of diplomacy, and has been going
upon system Of chaferng and bargaining since The
army has been used instrument drive good bargain
with Mexico Each victory has followed up by propo-
sitons TO buy trade for territory In order carry
out this scheme the army held back after each battle for fear
gallant troops might "conquer" that which Mr.. Polk
desires the honor Of buying He merely wishes fog Mex
co up to the bargaining point and for fear the subject may
die before the time, Mr. Tist accompanies the army d
pemac to be present ertreis that when Gen.
Scott strikes the mortal blow he may by the timely admins
taon OF the golden smulant keep life long enough in the
patient to sign the deed Like man wishing take live
WOLF yet afraid him in full strength thinks il
safe to wound him little before coming close but finds
after all that blood only makes the animal ferocious
and that the safest way take Ire wolf kill him
The war under such management has become compca-
ted that do not believe the Administration have the
power, If they had the inclination, to bring any honoa-
BILE termination.
They have gone prosecuting the under system Of