The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-02-06

ing 10 stipulation; bur like oar fcnhuRllhg
states she was unable TO meet MI her pecu- |
MARY engagements, Now, all we nave TO !
,uupInin of is, her failure 10 pay over the
money as she had agreed. The wrongs and
INJURIES committed upon our people had been
arranged. They were merged in ,he trcnty
otnmity aud friendship, 10y which all pnSt in
ulrcs were mutually forgiven, Had Mexico
observed the treaty. we could not have com
plfincd: having broken it, our complaint, and
only legitimate complaint, is on account of
such breach, That hrcnclI consists IN not
paving thr money Mt the Time stpuInled.-I
For that, we have M moro cause of war than
England had against Pennsylvania, or Illinois,
or Arkansas, or Mississippi, for not paying
iloir debts. But deny that the failure OF Il
Government to meet its pcCuniarY obi CATIONS
,s good cNuSc for shooting her soldiers ana
bntchcMnw her people. Surcly,wc should he
rhn last nation IN the world 10 put forth this
doctrine Of the President But Mexico was
nynrting herself to meet her engagements, mp
tothc very time ofour commencing hostltlcs
NntFo with some oiuur repudiating Stntes.-I
lhcv deny uIl moral obligations to pay. There
~, therefore. more cause for numbering the
pooplu OF those States, than we have TO de-
.srroy those of Mexico.
But, sir, what is the amount OF money thus
duo TO orr people, for the recovery Of which
iGg President represents this war TO have
boon commenced aud carried on? | believe
1t is less than three millions Of dollars. We
ilryc already expended more than thirty mil
lions in this war: and, by this message, we
are asked TO appropriate twenty more. rms
vast expenditure is said TO have been made
with n view to eXtort three millions from
MGNco. Bit this fifty millions is but Il part
ofihc pccuniary loss which the milton must
suffer- Tho time ofcvery man engaged i'll
thiS war is lost, yea, worse than lost. The
amount of injury to our commerce, and 10
Inc business ofthe country by divcrtng the
circulating medium from its Legitimate chali-
urIs, cannot be estimated. But the whole pc
cuniary damage constitutes hut small por-
lion Of our real loss The effect which this
war is destined to exert upon the morals of
our people, is far more to he deplored than its
effect upon property. Again How can we
.nsimntu tho anguish and suffering ofour sick
and wounded and dying soldiers? How shall
we compute their agony and despair? Go,
count tho graves of those whose lives have
been sacrificed 10 recover this threo million
ofdollars. Then number the widows and
tho orphans, and ascertain their grlciS, their
upycrly their disappointed hopes and blight |
cd expectations. Add these to the whole loss
and suffering which this war has brought up
an our land. Then proceed TO Mexico; form
Il catalogue Ofthe crimes committed there 10y
our troops, and ascertain the amount of pc |
runiarv, physical and mental suffering inlct- |
ed upon her people Find the sum total, and
compare it with the three millions of dollars
for which we are contending: strike the bal |
Uncc, and then Judge of the policy anil hnman-
tn of this war, and of those who sustain It.
But, sir, the Executive never assigned the
non-payment ofths money as n cause of war
until after hostilites were commenced. Our
troops had invaded Mexico. The Battles of |
'.palo Alto" aud "Resaca de Ia Palma" had
been fought before this reason for commence
ing the war appears to have been discovered.
1t did not, therefore, operate TO bring on the
war. II was an after thought, subsequently |
brought forth to justify it. But here again
the different parts of the message do not slls'
tain each other In the forepart of that doc
nment the author says, "0iCricO commenced
hoS1iicS," and, in the latter part he goes into
n long argument To- show that we had good
cause for commencing the war, and tuctly |
admits that zoe did, IN ftct commence IT, But, |
have only time to touch upon some Of the !
interesting points ofthc message. have no
opportunity. under this hour rule, to go into
detail.
have stated the amount ormoncys alread- |
vcXpcndad. and now asked, for carrying on
this war. The President avows his intention
10 hold tho territory which we have conquer
cd until Mexico shall repay us this cXpcndi- |
turc. We have wagcd an unnecessary, and
unjust war upon weak and detenceIess re-
public. We have squandercd untold millions
in its prosecution: and the President express
SEES his intention TO rob Mexico of her terrific
try, unless size repays the money we have so
profilscly spent. This we all know she can
never do. The avowal, therefore, amounts
to declaration ofthe Presidents intention to
render it war of conquest Indeed, we have |
abundant evidence OisuCh intention.
During the darker ages,and among savage |
nations. such war might have been tolcrat-
cd; butt will be surely condemned by all
Christian nations Ofthc nineteenth century.
Such war is opposed to the sentiment of
the age in which we live. Sir,I would MS soon
lend my vote to commence IL system ofnaton
al robbery or piracy,as TO support II war COM
monced for the evident purpose of wrestling
from neighboring Government a portion of
her territory. But how much Mexican ter
ritorv does the President think it will require
to indemnify us for our expenditure? How
much land will he demand for the two thou
sand American citizens whose lives have
been sacrificed in this war?
A gain, Sir, is the President and his friends
conscious that the public lands in the slave
States have never paid the expenses of sur
veying and selling them? They have cost us
forty millions of dollars more than we have
been able to sell them for Every acre has
been an expense to us. Nearly tho entire
profits arising from the sale of lands in the
free States has been expended to supply the
expense of those in the slave States. Such |
will be the case with those acquired in Mex- !
co. The more territory we get there the
greater will he the loss. A standing army
subsection to our laws. With tho expenses
,,Pt ,n I,nIs md Tnnin+ouonco If NJ, orrnv