Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-02-25
QUERIES FOR THE PEOPLE.
To the Editors erMe WAig:

To the Editors ofthc Whig:
GENTLEMEN :-Will you allow me the use
your columns to submit few plain inquiries for
consideration of our representatives in Congre
and such of our sober minded people as still ret;
an interest in the welfare of the country and {
perpetuity of our institutions
lst. 1t the War in which we are engaged h
been forced upon us by the Mexican authorize
and is purely defensive on our part, as assumed I
Mr. Folk and endorsed by the dominant party
congress, why should the character Of the war
changed from one OF defence. " one OF agyresso
and conqnest2
ID III Mexico made an aggressive movement ur
on our territory by crossing the Rio Grande, and
the acquisition of territory is not the object of on
government, has not Mexico been sufficiently pun
ished, by whipping her upon every field and tax
Ing possession of every town that our troops bav,
encountered, TO justify without dishonor the with
drawal Of our forces to own territory, and per
mt Mexico to carry the war as she commenced
IL and tchere she commenced it2
q. Gould not a defenSiUe war i'm our own territory
be carried on against Great Britain, at less COST less
inconvenience, and less loss Of fe than an ageres
s0e war against Mexico in the hear, of that coun-
try? ,-e,
4th If Mexico should fail to prosecute the war
AT the same point at which she commenced it. by
an attempt to force us back from the position we,
then occupied on the Rio Grande, would it not a.
mount TO an absolute surrender, on her part, and
81" nv whatever dishonor might attend ouch
iaiiu,e' rest upon her. and not upon, ,ls2
on Ii we continue 10 prosecute the war, by adj
vancing still still farther into Mexco for the pur-
pose 'of conquering peace" Of taking possession
of the whole of Mexico, when is the war to termi-
nate, and at what cost Of men and money?
9th. II the war should last, as Santa Anna sup.
poses, twenty years, or ten FIVE what number of
men will be necessary from first TO last, to be sacrifi
ced TO the diseases of the climate exposure and prva
tion and the fate of battles And ifthe government
Is already Strengthened for MEANS as to acknowl-
edge that they cannot make a loan without tax on
tea and coffee, (Which has been rejected } where
are the means to from to support this ten years.
seige2
9TH. When Great Britain, in lSl4, took posses
sion of the Capitol of the Union had she conquered
the United States 2-and when we take the CITY
of Mexico shall we have conquered the Republic
OF Mexico? Can we hold iii Shall we not be-
compelled to abandon it?-or keep Standing Ar
my IN Mexico sufficient to keep in subsection eight
millions of people2
Sth. If we should indemnify ourselves for the
expenses of the war, by anneXing TO the United
States MeAican territory, will that compensate the
bleeding hearts of the fathers and mothers sisters
and brothers, OF the fifty thousand victims that will
have been sacrificed to achieve the acquisition?
9Th. When the objects OF the Administration
shall have been accomplished, and the territory
quered and annexed, will we not be in worse con-
dition independent of the money and men LOST than
we are at presentl
10th. Have not we of the South (by the annex
alton of Texas by joint resoluton) surrendered tho
only security thatw left US by the two-thirds'
vote OF the Senate, required for the ratification OF
treaties, and thereby justified and invited the North
where the power aDldes, to admit foreign States in
10 the Union by bare majority Of both Houses
tn. Have they not already given us formal no
81,
they would prosecute this war for conquest, in or
der TO admit the territory thus acquired, into the
Union free States upon our Southern border
18th. When we feel the difference between
''thelr bull goring and our bull gorng their
on will il not lead To more disastrous domestic
war than any foreign war we can be engaged in
and is ii not likely it will terminate in civil CON
fict and a dissolution of Union and the des-
trucion Of the great work of our godlike fathers
18th. If such is likely to be the result, would it.
not be desirable in every point of view bring the
war to as speedy and honorable termination as
possible, without involving ourselves in the acquisi-
ton OF more territory than egitimaely belongs To
Texas, which has already been admitted as slave
Satel ,
18th. Can any object be accomplished by far
ther prosecution OF an aggressive war; that is des-
rable to an honest and patriotic people
/, When these questions have been matureIy CON
sldered, then the question arises, should not our
to Mr.. Polk (to whom this country does not yet
absolutely belong, nor yet To his Lieut.. GeneraD
the desire of the country, that troops should be
brought back to territory, which will be
defended 10 the last drop of blood that runs in A
merican veins; and it our representatives are too
indifferent, or cannot comprehend the danger with
which we are threatened, then will it not be time
that we, the people, were up and doing something
Tor our own salvation, by enlghtenng our public
functionaries before get too fully committed or
too deeply involved. But if war for conquest
and acquisition is to be prosecuted, then let not
friter away our resources, both of men and money,
by datory, tardy and inefficient movements, but
send such force at as will sweep like tor
nado over the country, and let realize the result
be 1t Tor veal or woe, possible, and not
throw the burden ON those who arc to come after
us.
II is time we should insist on one Of two things
either that II shall be of defence to be carri-
ed on upon soil or, if it is TO be an ag-
gressve war, that it shall be prosecuted with dc
gree of vigor becoming the character and interests
OF the natlou
UENRICo, Jan. 2lst, lS47. g.