Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-11-30

raise 10000 volunteers. and III order TO
commit all who should vote for it. a prcam-
hle was inserted falsely attributlng the
commencement Of the war To the act OF
Mexico | have no doubt of the patriotic
motives Of those who, after struggling TO
divcst the bill Of that fragrant error. found
themselves constrained 10 vote for it. But
must say that no earthly consideration
would have ever tempted or provoked
me 10 vote for the bill. with palpable false
hood stamped on its face. Almost idoli-
zino truth. rs DO never, never, could
have voted for that bill.
/ The exccptionable conduct Of the Fed
craI Party. during the last British War. has
excited an influence in the prosecution Of
the present war, and prevented a just dis
elimination between the two wars. That
was a war Of National defence. required
for the yindication Of the National rights
and honor, and demanded BY the indig-
nant voice of the People President
Madison himself. know. at first reluctant
". and with great doubt and hesitation
brought himself 10 thc CONVICTION that 1t
ought to be declared. leading, and per
haps the most influential member Of his
Cabinet. (Nr Gallatin,) was, up TO the
time Of its declaration opposed TO it. But
nothing could withstand the irresistible
force Of public sentiment. 1t was Just
war, and its great object as announced at
the time. was Gree Trade and Sailors
T.. Rights against the intolcrablc and OPP
prcssive acts of British power on the
ocean The Justice Of the war, far from
being denied or controverted. was admit
ted by the Federal party, which only ques-
toned It on considerations of policy. Be
inc deliberately and constitutionally de-
clarcd. it was, think, their duty TO have
given it their hearty cooperation. But
the mass of them did not. They contin-
ucd to oppose and thwart it, to discourage
loans and cnlistmcuts, to deny the power
of the General Government TO march the
militia beyond our limits. and to hold Il
Hartford Convention, which, whatever
were It's real objects, bore the aspect of
seeking dissolution of the Union itself.
they lost, and justly lost tho public conf
dcncc. But has not an apprehension Of a
similar fate, in q state Of case widely diff
tnrcnt, reprcSsed Il fearless expression of
their real sentiments IN some of our public
ncut
How totally variant is the present war;
This is no war OF defence. but one unnc-
ccssarv and of offensive aggression. Its
Mexico that is defending her fircsides, her
castles and her affairs, not We. tud how
different also is the conduct Of the Nhig
party Of the present day from that Of the
major part of the federal party of the war
of 1921 Far from intcrposin9 any OBJ
stpclr to the prosecution Of the war. ii the
u HOS in office are reproaChaEle At all, il
Is for having lent too ready Il facility - il
without careful examination into the OBJ
ects of III" war. And. out of office. who
have rushed 10 the prosecution of the war
with more ardor and alacrity than the
W higs, Whose hearts have blcd more
freely than those Of the " higsl W ho
hnveuorc occasion to mourn the loss Of
sons. husbands, brothers. fathers. than
Wing parents, Wing wives. and " hig
hrothcrs. in this deadly and Improbable
strife,
But the havoc of war is in progress and
the no less deplorable havoc Of an inhos-
pitable and p sstilhnt climate. Without
ndul@ing in any unnecessary retrospect
and useless rcproachcs on the past. all
: hearts and heads should unite in the pat
riotic endeavor to bring it to a satisfactory
close. Is there TO way that this can be
done2 Must we blndly continue the
conflict. without a visible object, or any
prospect of il definite termination! This
is the important subject upon which de-
sire To consult and to commune with YOU
Who. in this free government; is to decide
upon the objects of a war. at its com
mcncemcut. or at any time during IFS cy
istcncet Does the power belong 90 the
Nation, as is the collective "fSdon OF the
Nation in Congress assembled, or Is 1t
vested solely III Il single tunctionary OF the
government!
\ declaration of war is the highest and
most awful exercise ot sovereignty. The
Convention. which framed federal
constitution. had learned from the pages
of history that il had been often and great
" abused. Ii had seen that war had often
been commenced upon the most tritiing
pretexts; that it had been frequently wa
gcd to establish or exclude dynasty; to
snatch crown from the head OF one
potentate and place il upon the head of
another: that it had been often prosecuted
to promote alien and other interests than
those of the nation whose chief had pro-
claimed it. as in the case OF English wars
for Iianoverian interests: and. in short.
that such vast and tremendous power
ought not 10 be contided TO the periloUs
exercise of one single man. The Con-
vention. therefore. resolved to guard the
war-makirE power against those great
abuses. of which. in the hands OF mon
{ arch. ii was 50 susceptible. and the secu-
rty. against those abuses which its wis
dom devised. was TO vest the war-makinm
power III the Congress otthc nited States
being the Immediate representatives, Of the
people and the States. So apprehenSiye
and Jealous was the Convention of its
abuse in any other hands. that il interdic-
ted the exercise of the power 10 any State
in the MON. without the consent of Con-
greSS.-Congre>S then. in our system OF
government. IS the sole depository Of that
tremendous power.
The Constitution provides that Congress
shall have power 10 declare war. and