New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-01-26
State Of Things -Irtsrview OF the eeere'ais
Of War with the Committee on niiifsry AZ
y.irs n the sspate-Hsu. David Henshaw.


WASHINGTON Sunday Jan. -, lc4I.
Pm. two wears. and even less, have elapsed since
I'M. Administration came into power. Its advent
was with propitious auspices. The party whose
triumph was its establishment, had signslly de-
fested no uncomfortable competitor And the
conquered party, exhausted by an hsrassing con
test was content 20 submit psssvely 10 the VIII OF
the victon.
Areplese Treasury was the happy coDcomitant
Of Democratic sscendaDcy. The preceding Ad-
ADMINISTRATION, whatever may have been the political
tarpitude Of It's head. most careful Of the re-
venue Of the country most scrupulous IN It's exac'
ton and economical in it's utterance On its as
sumption Of power it had found the Treasury bank
rupt. the ationsl Credit dishonored it repenished
and loaded the first; il restored and enhanced the
latter.
The surface Of quiet waters reflects with no more
.eoorscy the impending heavens than did this state
Of things our National prosperity All we wanted
was no outward legislation, no political experiment
tho Intellectual activity Of ourpcople their enter
prise and their prudence were Of themselves sui
fcient 10 secure the rich harvest Of their hopes Re
sembling those powers Of Nature, which psrvade,
which warm and vivify the Enforcement bene-
fetal 10 their operation but silent invisible, intan-
gible
AT the FIRST session Of tho xXIXth Congress the
President congratulated the country upon this, its
happy oondition-nost carefully and characteristic
cally abstaining, however, from sttributing any,
the least portion, Of its prosperity TO the admnistra
tive talent of his predecessor Such acknowlsdg.
rospt might have seemed confession Of his indebt
sdnsss to that predecessor
An obedieDt Congress adopted all his reoommen
dstons. registered all his acts. II declared war
against sister Republic whose dorninions he had
caused 10 be invaded; and aiterward, by an act as
crude in conception $ disastrous in consequence.
destroyed the very revenue Of the country. from
which the expenses Of that war should have been
paid To crafty him it stultihed itself
What is our condition now At the commence
ment Of the calcndaryear isi', we enter upon
gloomy and miserable prospect, daily decreas-
ing revenue, daily increasing debt At home,
the decsdence Of prosperity, anguishins industry
abroad, the accommodating horrors Of aggressive
war domestic discomfort and foreign calamities
The President asks Congress to costract debt
of s23 900 and Congress has, or will, respond
safrmatvely. And this sum with the moneys re-
eeived from customs and sale of public lands-ne
Their of which in consequence OF other acts of Con
sress will be at ali commensurate with expecta
tion--must answer all the wants of the Govern
ment, whether for domestic or foreign necessities
10 the end Of the next sc al year which terminates
in June 1915. The President has said this sum is
sufficient for these purposes Congress believes so
the People hope So. All, except tho President
will be mistaken
r p,n for
ia nothing more or less with its issue and reissue
of notes, its lending Of the public credit, and Dor
rowing Of private wealth-may serve the purpose
intended it will afford facilities to pay oil debts al
ready incurred andurgent in the prosecution OF this
futile war will maintain the civil establishment
the year throughout and may afford credit for
the stl greater Indebtedness to be incurred before
the termination OF the war, or OF the fiscal year.
But even with all this lavish expenditure Of the
public money, with a second and still more effectu-
al draining Of the public Treasury how is this
war to be carried ont How are troops to be
raised--to the number necessary TO conquer
peace" What inducements are held out, what
bounty, what hope OF preierment to the soldier
that he should leave the happy home relinqulsh the
honest labor and easy competence OF his situation,
10 encounter eath in the CHASTITY form OF disease,
or escaping that last extremity, the want the pr.
walton. the disgusts and immoralites attendant
upon tho present war
In our late war with England-a war OF princi-
pe for the preserv alton or assertion OF which, II is
pardonable, il is commendabls to sacrifice even
hfe--in that war our Government was obliged to
offer bounty of 32o acres OF land then worth az the
acre, and the sum Of al2s ms AN inducemont TO en-
Ist-and even then was disappointed In that war
we contended with foe worthy OF our arms and
fought with the sympathy Of nations for our cause
Our soil was invaded. and our cities were burnt
and every motive OF interest, OF power OF national
glory melted to Still how few the volunteers,
how undisciplined the leves
In this war, there will be no moro volunteers
Even those who have prepared TO depart for the
seat OF will change their intention and remain,
The army bill contemplates none bat regular sol
ders: suggests NO provisions for others bounty OF
money and of land is offered to the soldier who ca.
lisss, nothing to the citizen Who rolKRtcsrs.
Where, in the wide extent o. country, are
to be found ten Thousand men willing TO sacrifice
independence OF action, ease Of position aud social
consideration for the rigid discipline, the penurous
wages. the doubtful character OF the common sol.
der Gen. HousroS said wisely in his late speech
that few men OF this country whose social position
entities them 10 consideration would be willing TO
lose caste by entering the ranks perhaps none
The volunteer subjects himself willingly to the dis
ophne or hardship OF the military service, aud feels
that he ennobles himself by the sacrifice. the TEN.
porary sacrifice OF free action because he knows
that be will be suspected OF no mercenary motive
and knows the country in whose cause he offers
himself viii appreciate the service. Beside-aaa
aAiS IS As mosr saportGat OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
his own officers and fighting in the sigh, and by
the aide Of his comrades the volunteer knows full
well that acts OF daring and military conduct will
surely promote him IN bis turn TO rank as high as
he has helped others TO FILL no better qualified than
himself
Before these ten thousand men can be raised
.even il they could be raised months must elapse
By the time OF their arrival in Mexico the sickness
ct the climate would render them unfit for service
and compel their return. The campaign Of the
coming season If the war is 20 continue aggressive
Is destined 10 q complete failure.
In this perplexity of Affairs, whittier shall we
turn for consolation Certainly not to the Presi.
dent--not 10 the Department For it is not the
least remarkable Circumstance OF this remarkable
war. that the Executive is completely ignorant Of
the present station Of the OF the intentions or
forces Of the enemy or Of his own determination
do not believe that the Secretary Of War knows
the object Of todays action, or can predict TO-
morow's.
Rejecting upon the present state Of the war and
us inevitable Consequences, should II continue az
gressive. the most rational conduct at present 10
- asa.1 L.. -.