The Democratic pioneer. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1845-1853, 1847-12-31

these things we remembered; and now
that our own mist aiken leniency could no {
louger defer a war which by her own act
had they entered in to make
up g,e catalogue of causes which called
for sach prosecution of il as the vlndica.
tionsof our national honor aud the estab~
lishment our procrastinated claims de-
maujed.
Ais, gentlemen, in the palpable view
Of these accumula, ed causes for war that
| am astonished when hear Americans
talking about its injustice, weighing its
expenses against its results, and specaia- !
ting upon the various uses that might have
been made Of the means necessary for car
.rying it on in building railroads, cleaning !
out rivers, improving harbors, &C., &C.,
as If the honor Of nation could be com.
promitted for its interests, or war had not
better be paid for with its blood aud its
money, than peace be purchased at the
price of its disgrace!
Others may think differently, but as for
me, would rather hear that every rail
road that spans the surface Of my country
was in dilapidation aud ruin; that every
river that waters her soil was dry in its
bed; that the ocean himself was receding,
leaving nothing but a bare and barren
beach for her commerce, than | wonld
hear she had preserved them all by the
sacrifice of one jot Of her right, or one
title Of her honor.
| Although, gentlemen, before the com
mencement Of the present struggle, all
tia, was asked of Mexico was fair set
element of the boundary between us, aad
the adjustment of some other pending diff
ficultes, yet now that it has commenced,
and been SO far prolonged, the American
people will never consent to its colusion
without an equivalent for the expenses at
tendingi il.
There is tract Of country lying upon
the Pacific coast, sparsely settled as yet,
but from genial climate, fruitful soil, ca
pacions harbors, and convenient bontigui-
ty to the great oriental marts of traffic,
destined at some day to assume position
in the commercial and political world not
Ebehind that now occupied by the grea
Imartime states Of Europe. 1t was i'm
possible for reg ion of such capacities Il
remain unnoliced on the map the world
The eyesof Europe and America had beer
3 open 10 its Importance, and long before
the commeD cement of this war, the ac
+ quisition of California had been looked
| upon by ourselves and Great Britain as ,
most desirable contamination.
This territory is now settled TO some
extent by American emigrants, who have
} gone thither with the view and expecta
: ton of the country coming under our in
1uence. Well, before this war, we talked
of buying this territory; ii is now the in
tention ofthe American people to con
quer and hold il by right of possession, al
, an indemnity for the expenses of the war
thus making its immediate result the ex
tension of the empire Of freedom by on
gigantic stride to the shores Of the Pacific
and the occupation of region which only
aw ats the Development of its capacities Ia
reverse the commerce Of the world.
know there are those who look upon
f the extension Of our territory with honest
forebodings of danger. For myself, CON
| hava
fears for the future when look forward
and see, as I assuredly believe will hap
pen, one Gordon of republican sovereign
les encirclng this continent, from th'
slhmus TO the pole
is said other governments have be
/ come unweldy, and fallen Of their own
weight. What other. government ha'
furnished parallel TO ours in form! Why
then are WI destined to furnish parable
to them in history! The prime defect te
which is attributable the fall Of the gov
ernmeuts which have preceded us, wa
the principle Of Centralism Which pre-
vailed in their organic ,tions. In any
government W heTe all puWei o'Oi an 9"o
iecls exists in the capitol, or einanate
from it, il is impossible for the best lnten
toned leg,sla ion to be suited to all thu
parts and interests of a great aud poPulou
Empire, or for the best meant admins
tratiun Of the laws to be prompt, eqna
and JUS. The people suffer in their rights
and the conse equence is those convuision
amnng The masses that usually result IL
the overthrow Of the government, and ths
downfall of the nation. la our sy stein I
different principle prevaiis-the division
Of powers, by grant Of certain portion
for certain purposes of common concern
to a common or ceatrsl government, and
4 The reservation Of the remaining ones IL
he exercised by The people III certain cor
porate bodies, known politically and geo.
oranhicatIs M