The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1847-12-16
PEACE HITH MEXICO.
b ALBEIT GAILATlN.
III I.ar ~ lNaf.4s,

-
very limisre lssauEnss and 10 credit; Dis
trseird - Inaernai dissensSsns and By slas
anbsalsa Il IS ehiass; prey by tnEns g
-Gsrehv and . nliaAEy nsnrpers; Ooeu-
owing auaaRg Ne naiiohs Of Ne civilized
Morli. euler physically or inevitably. Ehe-
alrr in palliscai e3urslinn. socisl state. ~
snv o'her Frspeci, hut an inreriar position,
eannni rnniend successfully with M eneH'
eciie. inieillgeni. enlightened. and united
nation of iEenty millions. PAsseSsea 81
unlimited resources and Fredi,. and enjoy
ing Il she bene6ls af a regular. slFoRz,
ans ire Gosermmeni. Al mis- Mas aRii-
cipaied: but the extraordinary successes
al the AneEicans have exceeded the mos
sE,Suine expectations. Al llse adysnced
pnsls Of the saemy New Mexieo. Cali
i0rnia. the line a lie loser Rs N0Tie,
aud IN The seapcras Wiilrh i Tas deemed
nsressary ~ oceupyl have hs~n snhdued.
And 4 small force. apparently incompe'
Ser, 10 the ahleci. has penetrated near three
huu..red Essirs aclo nse interior. and is now
ia quiet passesssaR d the far-iamed me-
lropalis u tke Mexican iOIniniOns. The
superior sill and talents Of our di.iin-
gGished gencEsls and the unparalleled bra
Eery u osE IE0ops have snrGlOun,ed all
Obstacles. By whOmsOever commanded
90 either side. however strong the PnSi'
El0as and lor,iicali0ns Of the MeXicans.
and With = tremendous numerical SUPERB
oriiy. there has not been 4 single engage
meui in which they have not been com.
I,leiely defeaied. The most remarkable
aud unexpected feature of that warfare is.
that volunteers. wholly undisciplined ia
ETsTy sense IT the word, have We'd ia de-
soiedness and bravery with the regular
forces. aud have proved themselves in eve
~ instance superior in the open field 10
the bes, regular forces Of Mexico. These
(orces are now annihilaied or dispersed;
aud the Mexirans are reduced Ia 4 petty
warfare Of gurrrillas. whirh. however an
EoyIng. cannot be productive Of any I'M
p~riani results.
Il is true that these splendid successes
hare been purchased at price far ex-
ceeding their value. II is true that nei-
ther the glory Of these military deeds, nor
the ultimate utility Of our cnnquesIs, ran
compensate the lamentahle loss 0f the ma
my thousand valuable lives sacrificed in
tie field, or the still greater number who
nave met with an obscure death, or been
disabled BY disease and fatigue. Ills true
that their relatives, lheir parents, their
wives and children. find no consolation
for The misery inflicted upon them in the
sill greater losses experienced BY the
NeKiesns. But it. disregarling private
calamiiies and all the evils Of a general
nature, the necessary consequences oil
this war, we revert solely 10 the relative
position Of The two countries, the impo'
fence Of the Mexicans and their total ina.
bihly 10 continue the war. with any ap'
Pearance Of success. are stll manifest.
The question then occursI What are
the lerRs which the United States have a
right to impose on Mexico! All agree
that il must be an " honorable peare =
but the true meaning OF this word must il
the first place be ascertained.
The notion that any thing can be truly
honorable which is contrary To justice,
will, as an abstract proposition, be repu.
dated by every citizen Of The United
States. Win any one dare to assert thai
a peace can he honorable which does mol
conform with justice!
There is no difficulty in discovering The
principles by which The relations hetweef
civilized and Christian nations should b
regulated. and the reciprocal duties which
they owe TO each other. These princi
Piles. these duties, have long since beer
proclaimed and the true law of nation,
is nothing else than the conformity to tn,
sublime precepts Of the Gospel morality
precepts equally applicable 10 the rela
lions between man and man. and TO tn
intercourse between nation and nation
rThou shalt love thy neighbor as Thy
SELF" "Loye your enemies" AS yo,
would that men should do 10 You, do "
also to them likewise" The sanctity %
these commands is acknowledged. with
Out a single exception. by every denomi
nation of Christians, OF OF men prolessin.
to be such. The skepiical pLiIosophe
admits and admiros Ihe Proeepi. TO thi
holy ulle we should infexibly adler,
when debating The terms Of peace. Tn,
United STATES, though shey have the pow
~. have no right TO impose terms incon
sislent Sish justice. il would be a shame
iul derelicsion Of principle. on the par, o
those who were averse 10 the annexation
Of Texas, 10 countenance any attempt Il
claim an acquisition Of territory. or othe
advantage, on account Of the success 0
our arms.
But in Judging The acts Of our Gorera
meni, il nluss be admitted that staiesmei
think . conformity TO these usages which
constitute the Law Of nations, not as i
should be, but as il 10 practically, suit
cicpt 10 Justify their conduct. And hs
tina, iuieriar standard those acts and on
duties in relation to Mexico will be test