The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-12-18
POLK--MEXICo-THE INDIANS.

: Mr. Folk, III his message, seems 10 th:nf
Mexico might cheerfully give up a consider
able portion of her territory to the U. States
because some wild, savage Indians, make in
cursons into it and depredate upon the i'll
habitants, who, he alleges, are not able to
protect themselves.
True enough, the Camnnches do make in
cursons into certain portions of MeXico, and
ifthey can steal women and children, they
carry them offand hold them and refuse to
give them up without heavy ransom prices;
and ifthe Mexicans undertake TO recover
them without price, they defend themselves
and their captives, and in so doing Stay aud
kill such as interfere with them.
This sort ofconduct is barbarous, and cruz
ell, and not what should be expected of the
wild and ferocious Cumanches. Better
things than these should be looked for in
them, for though instinctiveIy cruel, they
! have.no doubt, heard ofor witnessed, at some
time, examples ola better humanity, than
those they exhibit towards the MeXicans.
| But, we appeal TO the caudor of every man
with moral apprehensons sufficiently acuteto
distinguish the guilt in any given case of I'M
provoked murder, if the conduct of the Ca
manches, morally considered, is whit worse
in the eyes of Heaven or man, than Mr. Folks
warning upon Mexico!
The Indians fall upon the Mexican towns
and villages, and if they are resisted, they
but slaughter such as impede their wishes
and refuse TO yield themselves up willing
captives. So our army, under the order of
the author of the Message to which we have
referred, slaughter men who are defending
their houses, their lands and their country
and this same author says he will continue TO
do so unless houses, and lands, and people
are surrendered 10 him rs lie shall dictate.-
On these conditions, no doubt, the Canaan
ches would cease numbering the men ofMeX
leo and the stealing of their wives and chill
dren.
Even worse than carrying the women md
children of Mexico into captivity, is the fruit
of this war upon Mexico.
Our army, in obedience to the command
ofPresident Polk, Stays hundreds, ifnot thou
sands ofinnocent women and children, i'll
their own houses, who have never lifted a
finger to court The cruel death visited upon
them by IN invading foe! The captured
Mexican women and children live in hope Of
escape with their ives;-but from the vista
ton of bombs and cannon shot there is no
deliverauce.
But to drop these reflections that came up
unbdden as we perused the Message, it may
not be out oCplace to remark that the eXpe-
rcnce we had in clearing Florida of a tribe
of Indians not very different from the ca
manches, should be lesson TO us, not soon
to be forgotten. Florida was sought i'll or
der to enlarge the area of slavery and 10
strengthen the South. Full 40 millions of
dollars were expended to drive out the Semi
mole Indians, and to clear the territory,that il
might come into the Union as n slave-holding
State. Thousands of lives also were sacri-
feed in the war. And let Mr. Polk get that
portion of Mexico, which for humane rea-
son he would wrest from Mexico, and who
is prepared to say we shall not have n second
edition the Seminole war? One reason
alleged for fighting the Semiuoles was, that
they stole slaves. The Camauches steal
Mexicans, and would they not also steal the
slaves that might be upon the same soil?-
and then the "honor of the country must be
indicated" by another Seminole war!
II is time for the U. States TO cease fighting
wars of conquest and for the propagation of
slavery 1t is time to cease staying our fellow
meu-men, women and children, in war for
any cause but the defence of our homes, and
our country. These have never been threat
ened or invaded but twice, and then our hon
or was amply vindicated--so well vindicated
that no nation has since dared 10 invade our
territory, nor will Great Britain rashly venture
TO do so again. We are too strong 10 demean
ourselves so much as TO invade a feeble, poor
neighboring republic-so poor that, accord
ing to Mr. Polk, she cannot pay the million
and a halfof dollars she justly owes our citi-
zens, which, poor as she is, she never repudi-
ated like some of our own States
Weleave the subject by repeating the idea
with which we ommenced--between the dep
relations of the Indians SiPolks,t the MeXicaps
must choose the former as the least inhuman.
MOVEMENT IN DELAwARE-A large meet
ing was held at Washington few days
since TO mature plans for calling Conven-
ton to amend the constitution of the State.
If convention is called, the question ofpro-
viding for the final extinction of all TINT re-
mains of Slavery in Del. will doubtless have to