Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-12-17
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

follows:
LADIES Ann GENTLEMEN;
The day is dark and gloomy. unsettled and
uncertain, like the condition of our country,
in regard to the unnatural war with Mexico.
The public mind is agitated and anxious, and
is filled with serious apprehensions as to its
Indefinite continuance, and especially as TO
the consequences which its termination may
bring forth, menacing the harmony, If not the
existence, of our Union.
1t is under these circumstances, | present
myself before you. No ordinary occasion
would. have drawn me from the retirement
in Which ] live; but whilst "A single pulsa-
tion of the human heart remains, 1t should,
II necessary, be dedicated to the service of
ones, country. And | have hoped that, al
though | am Il private and humble citizen, an
expression of the views and opinions | en-
terrain, might form some little addition to the
general stock of information, and afford a
small assistance in delivering our country
from the pcrils and dangers which surround
it.
We are informed by a statement which is
apparently correct, that the number OF our
countrymen slain in this lanentahle Mexican
war, altogether it has yet been Of only 10
JbN - Ntl1Sf - 'lhAi " D'~ i''' " ''S
whole of the American loss during the seven
years, war Of the Revolution! And | venture
TO assert that the expenditure Of treasure
which it has occasioned, when it shall come
TO be fairly ascertained and footed up, will be
found TO be more than half OF the pecuniary
cost Of the war Of our Independence. And
this is the condition of the party whose arms
have been every where and constantly yicto-
rious.
How did we %unhappily get involved in this
warl 1t was predicted as the consequence
Of the annexation of Texas to the United
States. The people were told that if that
event happened, war would ensue. They
were told that the war between Texas and
Mexico had been terminated by a treaty Of
peace; that Mexico still claimed Texas as a
rovolted province; and that, if we received
Texas in our Union, we took along with her
the war existing between her and Mexico
And the Minister of Mexico formally announ-
ced to the Government at Washington, thai
his nation would consider the annexation of
Texas to the United States as producing a
state of war. But all this was denied by the
partizans Of annexation. They insisted we
should have no war, and even imputed TO
these who foretold it, sinister motives for
their ,groundless predictions.
But, Notwithstanding a state, Of virtual war
necessarily resulted from the fact of anneXa-
ton of one of the belligerents to the United
States, actual hostilities might have been
averted by prudence, moderation, and wise
craftsmanship. If General Taylor had been
permitted to remain where his own good
sense prompted him to believe he ought to
remain, at the point of Corpus Christi; and
if a negotiation had been opened with MeXi-
co in a true spirit of amity and Cancellation,
wal possibly might have been prevented
But, instead of this pacific and moderate
course, whilst Mr.. Slidell was vending his
way towards Mexico with his diplomatic ere
d~entials, Gen. Taylor was ordered to trans
port his cannon and to plant them in a war
like attitude opposite to Matamoras, c. the
east bank of the Rio Bravo. within the very
disputed territory, the adjustment Of which
was to be the object of Mr.. Slidell's mission.
What else could have transPired but a con-
hict Of arms!
Thus the war commenced, and the Presi-
dent, after having produced 1t, appealed to
Congress. A bill was proposed to raise 50,-
coo volunteers, and i'll order to commit all
who should vote for it,, a preamble was inser-
ted falsely attributing the commencement Of
the war to the act of Mexico. ] have no
doubt of the patriotic motives Of those who,
after struggling to divest the bill Of that IA
grant tIIpIs lOluu themselves CObStIdluNd ~
vote for it. But | must say that no earthly
consideration would have ever tempted or pro-
voked me to vote for a bill with a ~palpable
falsehood stamped on its face. Almost idoli-
ling truth, as | do, | never, never, could have
voted for that bill.
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How totally variant is the present war -
This is no war of defense, but one Of unne-
cessaFy and of offensive aggression. 1t is
Mexico that is defending her firesides, her
castles and her affairs, not we. And how diff
ieTent also is the conduct of the Wing party
of the present day fiom that of the major part
of the Federal party during the wal OF 1912 /!
Far from interposing any obstacles to the pro-
secution of the war, if the Wings in office
are reproachable at all, it is for having lent
too ready a facility to it, without careful cx-
animation into the objects Of the war. And,
out Of office, who have rushed to the prosecu-
tion Of the war with more ardor and alacrity
than. the Wings! Whose hearts have bled
more freely than those of the Wings Who
have had more occasion 10 mourn the loss of
sons, husbands, brothers, fathers, than whig
parents, wing wives, and wing brothers; in
This deadly and Improbable strife
Shall this war be prosecuted for the pur-
pose of conquering and anneXing Mexico in
all its boundless extent to the United States :
will not attribute to the President of the
United States any such design; hut | con-
fcss that | have been shocked and alarmed
by manifestations Of it in various QUARTERS
OF all the dangers and mlslorlunes which
could befall this nation, ! should regard that
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