The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-03-16
TUESDAY, MARCH is, 1897,

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that's enongh-prove that, and we want
10 more save, butt said the lawyer,
sunfortunately for my client, that's just
what we cam proves "TInen, why did
you pu. it inv 40 save appearances,
if You honors please" just SO in this
case-sTo save Appearances the Presi-
dent says, Mexico ssstruck f~irst;'' but, not
being able to prove il, he goes back TWEEN
to-odd years TO give, what he calls, ga
history of the causes that led to the war;
instead of giving the true causes in a
word, by saying, .m.irst, the annexation Of
Texas; second, the acquisition Of CALI
fornia."
But gentlemen dwell much upon the
ssglory" of this war. Glorvi-is there
any glory to be got by the conquest Of
these miserable demi-savage, down-trod-
den, and distracted Mexicans! Is il glo-
ry for an elephant to kill an ant, or a lion
to murder a mouse? Glory! No. sir;
that won't 10. There would be more
true glory in exercising generosity, mag
nanimity, and forbearance towards poor
Mexico, than in killing her people, and
robbing her of her territory. A war
with Mexico can be glorious in no event,
it may be disgraceral; victory over such
an enemy is not glorious, while defeat
would be the deepest disgrace. Individ-
uals have acquired and may acquire glory
by brilliant achievements and deeds of
noble daring, but NATIONAL eLoRy is out
of the question.
Now. sir, though disapprove of this
war. in its origin and in its objects: though
| condemn both the manner Of its com
mencement and the manner Of its prose
%cutlon, yet | have voted both the men
and money asked for BY the President TO
bring it to a speedy and honorable tcrmi-
nation. And why! Because we had no
escape. The President had plunged us
into the war without our consent. Our
brave little army was cut off from It's
supplies, and IN danger of utter destruc-
ton. We were obliged to rescue them
by sending speedy succor. But never
voted TO prosecute this war for the pur-
pose OF acquiring additional territory BY
conquest. No, sir, never. If we shall
succeed in getting this territory, what
shall We do with il? Shall we hold thy
military occupation! By sending an ar
my there. and keeping it there forever,
with all its a~ppendages and oppressive
burdens Of taxation, crushing the people
Of Tins country TO the earths Or shall
we incorporate il into the Union. And,
if we do, are those semi-barbarian, half
blood, negro, and mulatto Mexieans ft for
freedoma Are they capable Of being
frces Can You force them to be free?
No, sir; you know you cannot. But,
even il you could, have you any right to
force freedom upon these unwilling men!
Are we to go and bring them IN BY force
drag these resisting people into cur
Uniou by the hair of their head! But,
even If wiling to come. what preparation
have theyi Are they qualified to exercise
the rights of American citizens! Bit,
more than that. they are in a state of the
highest evaporation against us. Sir, |
would as soon bring a den of e~xaspcFaied
rattlesnakes into the midst of my family.
as attempt to force these ~trescherous
Mexicans into political union with our
selves-unwilling and exasperated as
they are. The result would be discord,
strife, civil war, and, ultimately, and per-
haps at no distant day, the dissolution of
this now happy and glorious Union. |
cannot sanction this appropriation for an
other reason. TO do so would be TO
sanction the doctrine SO boIdly& unblush-
ingly avowed here blythe gentleman from
Indiana, over the way, MIR. Wick who
says, that we are here simply 10 give the
! Executive what he wants; and that, il
we are no willing to grant it. and IN the
FORM in which he asks it, we onght to go
home, and let the people send here those
who are. That is the rule he prescribes
for himself and all good Democrats
Yes, that is the doctrine openly preached
on this hoor-thc floor Of an American
Congress-by the gentleman from India
ma, who assumes TO be ssSir Oracle
the official whip7er-in of the Democratic
party-the grand sheriff and head consta-
BILE, set up and authorized 10 bring the
Democracy TO order. And has iteome TO
this. Is this your modern progressive
Democracy, that the President must have
not Only whatever he wants, but in the
form Ie wants il? The purse aud the
sword he already has, and this bill adds
the treaty-making power. A moro dcspi-
cably slavish creed never was taught an
der the dagger and the cord in the most
grinding despotisms that ever has outraged
the rights of man. What does it make
lof the representatives Of a free peoplel
Ehe poorest, meanest, most sycopaantic,
subsersient, and crawling slaves that eveI
Kicked the foot of arbitrary power. We
must give the President all he asks 10
decd what business, then, have we here
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