Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-05-07
There is another branch of this subject to


f1icted on American citizens for more than
twenty wears past. it is scarcely possible for
the imagination 10 conceive They have been
confnel in CHAINS in loathsome dungeons
they have been male TO endure the most de-
grading corpora! punishment: every specles OF
inhuman and iniquitous punishment have been
repeatedly inflicted on our own citizens. with
out charge and without trial The many
spoiations committed on the property OF our
innocent fellow countIvmen, is unprece tented
in the history of nations During the Admin
istrat:on of General Jackson these manifold
crimes and aggressans had increased 10 such
an unparalleled and enormous extent that war
with Mexico was then tho'tto he inevitable
The Department of State will furnish detail
ed statement OF the Outrages perpetfatel by
Mexican authorities upon the persons and
property of citizens of the United States ! he
cases occurring prior TO December, 1887, may
he found in letter of the Hon. John Forsyth.
Secretary of State to the President, which was
published with the annual message Of that
year. 1t would be useless for me at this time
to even attempt to depict the heinous crimes
and outrages committed on American citizens
by the Mexican authorities. have no lam
guage 10 pourtray the daring atrocities con-
stituting the most shameful catalogue OF Mex
lean wrong-doing, violence, and Insult, con-
sisting of ninety fUe cases, for which the peo-
pie and Government of the United States
claimed indemnity before Mexico commenced
hostilit!es.
will here make a single remark in relation
to the expenses 0i the war. The reckless and
unfounded statement of Mr. Webster has been
propagated without the shadow of proof to
| sustain it. By reference to the message OF the
President to the present session of Congress,
and the report of the Secretary of the Treasu-
~. it will be seen that the first seven months
of the war with all the brilliant achievements
and uneXamp'ed conquests of the whole Uni
| ted States forces, have added less than SIX mil
lions and a half to our pubic debt and even
uron the suprosition that the war should con-
tnue till the LIST of July. 1913, the Admins
tration asks at the very most an additional loan
of only twenty three millions of dollars
There is a vast difference between the officia!
statement of the President AMI secretary show
ing the expenses of the. war to be less than
six and half millions of dollars for the first
SIX months of IFS continuance. and the brOai
assertions of Mr.. Webster that the war cost
the country "half million ddye' This
unfounded allegation of Mr. Webster is in
perfect character with what have shown his
conduct to he duringt the war late with Eng and.
It is not the time to count the cost when our
countrys cause is just, and she involved in
war. am in favor of a vigorous prosecution
of the war both by land and by sea- in order
that it may be brought to speedy and sue
cesSful termination. Our country is now in a
bloc ly and disastrous war, and NAV an over
ruling Providence so guide and direct our ar
mics as TO conduct them safely AMI trium-
phantly through every conflict to victory and
o glory. There is no fact more true in Holy
Writ than this
| "If Justice SIN le upou us we stand clad
| In pnnoply of Ilnth. But if her voice
BE raised against us, then with quailing spirit
And palsird arm We face the foe"
The prevailing spirit of patriotism which is
now SO rapidly progressing throughout oul
borders III favor OF vigorous prosecution Of
of the war is the best and the surest pledge
that the cause in which we are now en-
gagged will carry US triumphantly to the hrigt1
destiny which awaits us. The President Of
the States may not entirely escape the rapid
spirit of faction in the noble stand he has Ia.
ken in favor of the war, vet when these par.
ty times shall subsiie, AMI the con tuct of this
man be calmly reviewed, posterity will enroll
his name on the brightest pages of American
history. tie will be regar.. Ell as one of those
rare spirits that can rise with the crisis, an.
soar above party feelings an selfish ambition
and cast oil on the trouble waves of his dis
tracted country. Black lines may be drawn
AROUND his name, yet glorious resurrection
ava Is him; ne will live impershabe in tht
affections of every yotary of civil liberty
throughout the country, whist many of hi:
revilers will go down with the ebbing tide o
politics to the shades of oblivion.
oG-GEN ScoTT has issued the following
proclamation to the Mexican people, unde
late of the 1th Of A nril 1a11.