Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-12-31

Whereas, it is no less desirable that tho
interests and honor of our country should he
cordially sustained and defended so long az
the present war with Mexico continues to ex-
Isl, that the conflict should not be unnecessa-
rily prolonged, but should be terminated as
soon as an honorable peace can be obtained :;
and whereas it is believed that a diversity of
opinion prevails to a considerable extent as 10
the ultimate aims and objects for which the
war should be prosecuted; and it being proper
that this matter should be settled by the clear
expression of the legislative will, soemnly
proclaimed to tie world:
g Be 1T therefore RESOLVED by the Senate and
House of Representatives Of the United States
IN Congress assembled, That the present war
with Mexico should not be waged or prosecu-
ted with view to conquest either by the
subiugation or dismemberment Of that Repub-
| lie.
"Be it further Resolrcd By the authority y
foresaid, That it is the desire of the United
States that hostilites should be terminated up
on terms honorable to both parties, embracing
mutual settlement Of the questions growing
out of the proper and rightful' boundary Of
Texas, and full recognition and proper provi.
sion on her part to be made for all the JUS
claims of our citizens against that country
adjusted by negotiation, to be instituted ant
effected according to the constitutional forms
of each Government Respectively
The above are the preamble and resolution:
introduced by Mr. Stephens, of Georgia, ii
the House OF Representatives, on the 2lst In
slant AS they embody, from what we car
gather, the views of the Wing party in Con
gress upon the war question, it may not be a
miss to examine them a little and see wha
they really mean.
Well, then, tosthe preamble, there is nc
Democrat, so far as we know, who can object
Nor is there any Democrat who has ever We
said that the war ought to be waged for con
quest. Indeed, the administration on every
occasion, when it has had an opportunity 81
TO do, has expressly and unequivocally decla
red that this war was not waged upon the par
Of the United States for the purpose of acqui
ring territory by the conquest of Mexico, bu
for the sole and simple purpose of yndicatin2
our national rights and honor before the civil
LIKED world. How, we would like TO ask Mr.
Stephens, is Mexico to make ''proper provi
sion," even if she had the will, for the claim.
of our citizens against her, without parting
with some of her territory? And does Mr.
Stephens think that the people of this country
would for moment entertain the idea of con
Guiding treaty of peace with Mexico with
out any sort OF indemnity for the amount O
blood and treasure which we have been com
PEELED to eNpend in the prosecution OF thi
how are we to obtain this indemnity, if it b.
not by the cession of portion of the territory
, of Mexico What do our Wing friends
understand by an honorable peace? Our back
ing out from the war, and admitting that w.
were wrong in the whole affair, ab initio p
Why, surely, if we make treaty of peace OF
, the principle of leaving things as they wer
before the war, we would virtually acknowl
, edge before the world that we have been tn
t aggressors, and that now, at the eleventh
hour, shame had overtaken US, and we wer
DESTROYS of getting out of the scrape in an
way, even to the sacrifice of our honor, not +
speak of our interests
TEA AND CoFFEE.-The Secretary of tn
Treasury, whose able report we have publish
ed IN our paper, recommends war tax Of 2
per cent. upon Tea and Coffee, and estimate
: that the revenue derived from this sourc
would be about three millions of dollars pe
annum. In glancing over the Wing paper
: we find that this recommendation of Mr.. Wa
D ker is regarded as a most terrible affair. VIVA
ask the Federal papers, tax Tea and Coffee
the beverages of the poor man, for the pul
pose OF raising money to carry on Mr.. Polk
war; Outrageous. Well, now, why shoul
Tea and Coffee be admitted free of duty MOI
0 than many other articles that are now taxet
> some of them pretty heavily? We would lik
to ask those who are opposed to the taxin
, Tea and Coffee, on the ground of their bein
J necessaries of life, what they think of Ii
heavy tax imposed upon Molasses, Salt, 81
: gar, and Iron Are these latter not even MOI
e necessaries of life than Tea and Coffee Mo
: assuredly they are. But it is a crying out 81
) even to hint at tax upon the latter, Will
e every day the former are taxed. Which
= the more necessary to the happiness of tt
Q poor man, Tea or Salt Why, surely, if thel
be any one article without which we cou
> not get along, that article is Salt. Still Sa
is taxed, and, forsooth, Tea and Coffee are S;
n cred. What is the true solution of the refus;
II upon the part of the representatives of tn
y dear people to tax these two articles, willis
s. they impose comparatively onerous duties W
:, on Sugar, Moiasses, Salt, Iron, &C.? Simpl
If because all of the latter articles are produce
:, in the United States, and therefore must |
n protected The Sugar planter of Louisiar
must have duty upon Sugar and Molasse
e because otherwise he cannot compete so su
IS cessfully with the West Indies and Brazil. s
e with the Salt and Iron manufacturers. B
d because Tea and Coffee are not grown in Il
ic country, and therefore do not come in comp
1t tition with any of the classes of our ov
ID people, they must not be taxed one cent
ic What sense does any Of our country reade
y see in the idea Of letting into the country CO
lie fee and Tea free of duty, and at the same tin
,e taxing Sugar, which, with most, is as essentj
le to the use Of these two articles as Salt is n
J. ceSSary to make Bacon