The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-07-12
The Army and the Dsnouncers of the War.

We give in another column full account of the re-
cepon at St. Louis OF the Missouri volunteers their
return, under their gallant commander Colonel Doni-
phan, from the scene of their glorious achievements
The country will fully sympahise in the grateful and
ung welcome thus rendered TO these heroic citizen sol
ders by their friends and feow-ctizens of the State to
which they belong. 1t is tribute well earned by most
brilliant and distinguished service in the cause Of their
country The speeches of Colonel Benton on the part OF
the citizens of ST. Louis, and of Colonel Doniphan the
OF his gallant little army will be read with the
deepest interest Colonel Benton gave uerance to feel
ngs of patriotic pride and exuaton, alike just and natu
raj, when he said at the conclusion of his speech, in
language to which the whole country will respond, Sin
short nv confidence in Missouri enterprise, courage, and
skill was boundless my promises were boundless your
performance has been boundless. And now let bound
less honor and joy salute, it does your return to the
soil of your State and TO the bosoms of your families
In the reply of Colonel Donphan, there some pas
sages which will be read throughout the land with
very different feeling. We commend to the especial
non OF those orators and of those presses who have
made their trade to denounce the war; with all its deeds
of valor, the eloquent and striking description given
by Col Donphan of the effect produced upon his own
mind and upon the minds of the brave men around him.
by the persa of the unparotc and disgraceu speech
which Mr. Senator Corwin embodied the views and the
sentiments of those among who, since the COM
mencement of the war, have sought to cry down the
cause and the character of their own country and es
pouse all but overt acts of treason, the of
public enemy. We can well believe that Senator Cor
wins language came, in its first shock upon the hearts
Of these brave men, with chng and freezing" power.
His denunciaons of the war; of its Objects and of those
engaged in it, indeed well fitted to repress and
dampen even the most glowing enthusiasm of patriotism
and courage. 1t must indeed have been bitter thought
to these gallant soldiers, hemmed in they with
dangers far from succor and in the prosecution of
terprise alike tosome and perous uphold the honor
and the rights of their county must surely have been
TO them bitter thought, that one man could be
found in the Senate chamber of the United States who
from the very midst of the security which they were
protecting, could lift up his voice TO denounce them
the mymidons of ''rodbery and murder" But such
thoughts we doubt not, gave way in their minds
the just reflection that the of federal faction upon
that the voice of the country; that the
of their counymen knew far better how appre-
cae both their services, and the cause in which they
put forth and that thus, after their return from
pers bravely met, and obstacles overcome, they would
be received, they have been, with gratitude and
honor and cordial welcome.
But the outrage pepetraed upon brave soldiers by
these denunciaons of the war, which have swarmed in
the federal speeches and in the columns of the federal
journals, is but the least part of the injury which they
have brought upon the country Our brave army
well afford 10 despise, and TO forget them. But the
country will fail to remember that this language of
the opposition and presses has constituted main
obstacle to the accomplishment of all the objects of the
war in just and honorable treaty fpeace The
try cannot forget that the self-syled "Peace Party"
has far alsfed its and character to resort
TO moral treason as means OF proractlng the war.
1t is this language OF the leading organs of the OPP
position which has stirred up the Mexican government
and people in the belief that expresses the feeling OF
entire party" in the United States to hold out to the
last the midst of defeat and discontinue, in the hope
of extortng from the triumph of federalism here, cond
tons of peace which could never be the field of
battle, and against the triumphant valor of American
arms In the energetic language of Col Donphan, " the
speeches which made in opposition to this are
said to emanate from the peace Party; but say that
they are made by those who are posponng the peace
eternayw This is the sentiment of a brave man who
speaks deliberately the truth which he has himself
known, and SEEM and felt Can any form of words
brace deeper condemnation of the pursued by
the organs OF the federal party in relation to the war
But for their failure to stand by their counrys
but for their refusal to obey the first and simplest dictate
of patriotic duty, by uniting cordially with their
government in lis efforts against the enemy,
the glorious successes of our arms would already
have secured to us the honors and the advantages
Of just and permanent peace. II, in spite of all
past triumphs and in spite of all the trumphs which
the gallantry of our arms and the energy of gov
erment may hereafter achieve, the day of peace shall
yet fail speedily to come the whole responsibility of such
failure will rest upon that "entre party among us,
whose position and action, party, have been one
series of encouragements to the Mexican rulers. 1t is
the Opposition which has encouraged Mexico to hope for
distracted counsels and crippled for the
among ourselves tits the Opposition which has deuded
Mexico into the belief that, if she hold out until
another presidential election takes place. she will find
change in the policy of our government towards her
and that that change will lead to the withdrawal of our
troops in discontinue and shame from the theatre OF
their past and glory 1t is the Opposition, there
lore, calling itself party of peace which, in fact, has
Colonel Donipban alludes, in strong terms, to the
want oil renforcements which has been felt both by
General Taylor and by General Scott 1t is, indeed
deeply to be regretted that the action of Congress on the
Ten Regiment Bill so much obstructed and so long
delayed Greater prompttude on the part of Congress