The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-01-26

the President OF the United States. has
returned from his Punishment, and now
leads its army. Several thousands of our
brave citizens have fallen victims of this
war, whose graves are on the battle-helds
of the 9Th and 9th of May, at Point lisa
bel, Monterey, on the shores of the Rio
Grande, or on the line OF their return
homeward: and it is impossible to say
how many now bear within them the
seeds of fatal diseases in the army, at
home, or on their way thiiher.
The Administration seem TO have been
as ignorant of the Mexican character as
they have shown themselves to be of their
own powers and of the great duties which
devolve upon them. They evidently be-
lieved that a military array on the Rio
Grande would alarm the Mexican Go
vernment and induce it to avoid a conflict.
By a large cession of territory; and that
this would glorify the Administration, and
give great strength to It's party. But, if
this threatening attitude Of our army
should fail to i~ntimidate, it was certain
that a collision would take place, which
would afford an occasion for our troops to
sweep over the country, and, in the course
of a few months, to srevel in the halls Of
the Montezumas." And then all Mexico
would be annexed, or at least the terms
of peace would be dictated by the Admin
istratIon. In thus claiming, under their
own measurement, compensation for past
delinquencies, and indemnity for the ex-
penses of the war, a rich harvest of glory
was anticipated. Whatever NAV be said
on the subject, we are satisfied that some
such visions as these Aoated in the minds
of the President and his Cabinet.
But they have experienced a sad re-
verse in their hopes. The death-scene
has broken upon them. 1t is said that
more men have fallen in this unfortunate
and unnecessary war than fell in the late
war with England: a war which involved
our rights as a nation, and in which we
exhibited a prowess and acquired mill
tary fame, on the land and on the water,
that astonished the world.
But an eight months war has not only
proved fatal to many thousands OF our CT
%tizens, but it has brought our Treasury
to the verge of bankruptcy. The Sub
treasury hangs like an incubus upon the
moneyed action of the country. The
Tariff of 1916 viii greatly diminish the
revenue, and vet the friends of the Adj
ministration shrink from a vote for duties
which the Secretary of the Treasury de-
clares to be necessary to enable him to
obtain any further loans.
Can the Administration, under the cir
cumstances, ask the Wings to impose
taxes which have been refused by the
friends of the war! Common decency
would prevent this. The Wings will, no
doubt, appropriate all the means for the
prosecution of the wal which the Admin
istration may ask, and which shall be rea-
sonable. But, as the Wing system of fl
nance has been repudiated by the Admin
istraiion, and as they have imposed upon
the country the Subtreasury, ii is but just
that they should carry out their system of
finance, which their decided majorities in
both Houses will enable them to do. As
this state of things was brought about by
a series of measures which has been
steadily and ~zeaIously opposed by the
Wings, they are not answerable for the
consequences.
If the cooperation Of the Wings is de-
sired, LET the Administration repeal the
Subtreasury and re-enact the Tariff of
1S4e-let them undo so much as is in
their power OF the mischief which they
have perpetraied-and we hazard nothing
in saving that the Wings will Tot shrink
from the imposition of any taxes which
the exigencies of the country shall re-
quire. But they do not believe that the
credit OF the Government can be sustained
whilst that miserable contrivance OF a
Subtreasury remains in force. There is
not a man in the nation, we belieTe, who
has anv adequate knowledge of finance,
that does not concur with them in this be-
lief.
The futile attempt to identify the posi-
ton of the Wings with that Of the Oppo-
sition to the late war with England viii
not be c-ountenanccd by any one who has
a proper regard for his WI Character
Such a work must be left to the lowest
political driveIlers-those who fetch and
carry TO order, and who are only tolerated
because they are useful.
Whether we regard their patriotism
their intelligence, or their character, the
Wings constitute an association of men
unsurpassed in the history of any coun-
try. They conscientiously believe that
whilst the present Administration was
brought into power under the forms o.
the Constitution, a serious and possibly
fatal blow was given to the principles
which lie at the foundation of our Go
vernment; and they as sincerely believe
that this Mexican Wa was commenced
bv , rrosS u-eurnation of the Executive