Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-06-25
From the National Intelligencer.l
What we are Fighting for .. New Grounds
Of the War.

I From the National Inteigencer.]
What we are Fighting for. =. New Grounds
of the War.
There is no consequence of the pending War.
either actual or probable-not the effusion OF
blood nor the waste Of treasure-which is more
to be dreaded by us as Nation than our losing
in its progress the sympathy and esteem Of the
civilized and Christian world. Until the un-
happy series of measures began which led ~ the
existing attempt to trample a ncighboring Re
public into the dust, we stood, the gaze and the
delight of those who love human happiness, the
contrast of tyrannies, the fairest civil spectacle
that the world had seen--that of a great coun-
try, not more just, wise, vigorous, and yet mod
crate in all its foreign policy, than liberal, equal
and beneficent in its domestic. All eyes were
turned upon us-those of the good to admire,
and Of despots themselves to regard with respect
the example of rising splendor so bamcless.
IIither the oppressed, even in distant hemis-
pheres. sent forth their thoughts and their hopes
whenever they dreamed that, with courage, vr-
tue, and prudence, all may be free. The phi
lanthropist beheld in us the arrival Of a new era
in human affairs, an era of humanity and PC ace
and the philosophic student of social institutions
hailed in the workings of our public order the
|
this bright reputation, this admiration, and this
expectation abroad, a severe blow has been
dealt and even at home, where patriotism for
bids that men should so easily despair, the warm
confidence Of few years since in the solidty
of our institutions is fearfully shaken. Never,
in short, has the Government of any country
undergone change Of position more strange,
or more alarming never was any country, to
such point, more the favorite and the hope of
mankind nor ever before did pernicious rulers
contrive, in so brief a space, SO deeply to mort
gage the national character as ours have DONE
When this Admnis ration came into exist
ence. by the fiat of Gen. JAcKsos,* registered in
the Baltimore Convention, we were at peace
with the foreign world, and in the enjoyment of
perfect tranquility at home. The Annexation
question had been settled by Congress; in a
form not warranted by the Constitution, it is
true, but yet acquiesced in rather than resort to
violent remedy and care had been taken by
Congress, in the act of annexation, for the pa
cifc adjustment of any question concerning it
which might arise between the United States
and Mexico. Within our own forders every
branch Of industry was prosperous beyond ex-
ample; the sails Of our ships whitened every
ocean in the pursuit of profitable commerce,
which, besides rich freights to the merchants in
exchange for our surplus products, poured into
the national Golfers copious and abundant
stream of revenue. The President had nothing
to do but to take things as he found them, and
leave them SO, to have secured to his country,
during the whole of his official term, tranquil
prosperity, and to himself the enviabe renown
of wise and paternal Magistrate. But tran.
guilty was not the element for him. In proper
lion as Nature had apparently fitted him for it,
he disdained it. Arrived at the Presidency
WAR, CONQUEST and JOHNSTON seem to have
filled his thoughts and haunted his repose. His
waking thought was "the whole of Oregon OF
none," and his earliest dream was of trumpet.
calls to the bold spirits of the West, of march
to the Hall of the Montczumas, Of war and
boodshed, and finally of a second Conquest of
Mexico" Such were the indications, not to be
mistaken of the Presidential ntents and aspira
tons, as reflected by the mirror which 1t was
his first act to set up here as the organ of his
Administration. The practical results of these
early promptings of misguided ambition soor
, disclosed themselves in substantial acts. The
. patriotism and wisdom of the Senate, and thu
good sense of the British Government, saved u.
from the threatened collision in the distant wilt
of Oregon. But no wisdom or patriotism Of tn,
Senate, or of Congress, could save us from thu
War with Mexico. Though foreseen and fore
told, the People were deaf and would not hear
blind and would not see-wlilst the Prcsiden
was steathily laying plans, and actually takin!
measures which must necessarily lead to TN
conclusion that followed Time and again w
directed the public attention to these things; bu
our circumstances and deprecations were un
, needed. -Four months before the first meetin!
of Congress under this Administration, we call
f ed the attention of the Public to the probabilit,
that the Executive would yield to the solicita
, tons of Texas Gust annexed') so far as TO oc
cupy territory to the line of the Rio Grande-
which occupation, we then said, was "nothin,
, short of an invasion Of Mexico" and would b.
an act Of the President " making ,rar in the full
sense of the word, on his own authority : and
, couple of months afterwards, to the departur
, of Commodore Stockton, in steam-frigate iron
Norfolk, with his mission TO California announ
, ced from his quarterback and yet later. to tn
intention Of the President to make war upo
Mexico I an intention avcrted at the momen
1T has been publicly averred and not contradictet
$50 tar as we are informed, that even the terms O
President Folks Inaugural Address were prcscrbed
him at the Hermitage before his departure for Wash
ington, BY Gen. Jackson whose ruling passion thu
, displayed itself in the latest moments OF his life.
fine circumstance to which allusion is here mad
is the disclosure, in u letter from Washington to tn
Journal of Commerce, dated October 80 1915, of tn
fact that the Presidents forthcoming Message to Cor
v gress would contain recommendations OF hostile ma
4 ture towards Mexico the precise character OF whlc
Z the writer n0gsishiy described as " THE WAY TIL
u FRENCH TooK"-that is, bombarding the maritime eli
i les OF Mexico. This, the reader will remember, WI
full six months before the shedding OF blood III
. banks of the Rio Grande. To vindlcate our own cor
A sstency, and to show that our opinion OF the Pres
= dents beicose and conquering designs upon MexiC
the before since he put them IN execution
d we transcrbe from the National lntelgencer OF No
6. 1885, the following remarks elected by the nformt
ton OF the intended recommendation by the PTesidei
to Congress OF the way the French took with Me,
ico which pds TO hare been contained in the torti
y coming Message:
I've can imagine nothing more revolving TO con
mon sense, well any idea OF Justice aud publ
faith, than what is in,imated to be the probabl
= purpose Of the Executive.
Is there TO be mercy, no shame! Can I'll
country have the heart TO ampe any further on u
I! poor nation whom its treatment has already rendert
Il 80 pitiabe spectacle OF public humiliation
>, " Again and again have we VIGOROUSLY offered,
to Texas to compensate Mexico in money for Il
!. injury were bent on committing. That such WI
d the sole purpose for which Mr.. Thompson was d.
spatchcd tlther last year, while the Tyler treaty
,. pending is believed: that MIR. Shannon made, und
Instructions like overture is too notorious TO be d.
MED by any body. On the floor OF Congress, la
spring, the Chairman OF the House Committee OF Fo
eign Relations mir c. J lngersolD went far as
- assure the nalion in the name OF the Cabinet, tn
~ not only would we make. but that Mexico would
- cept aonement IN money Tor her violated honor al
"a rights
~ We have seized, without compensation, upt
~. what we then offered to buy We have gone on
~ dispossess her, in arms, OF what even anne Katie
II, meant not TO take, unless by treaty We have st
toned our squadrons upon her coas-ilself an insu