Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-03-09
CORwIN's SPEECH.


this to see the providence of God. When
Moscow burned it seemed as if the earth
was Lighted up that tho nations might be-
hold tho sccnc. As that mighty sea Of fire
gathered and heavod and rolled upwards.
and yet higher, till its flames licked the
Tho stars and fired tho whole hca"cns, /.
did seem as though the God Of the Nations
was writing in characters OF flame on the
front Of his throne that doom that shall
fall upon the strong nation who tramp!os
in scorn upon tho weak. And whit Tor
tune awaits him, tho appointed executor
of this work, when II was NJ done! lie,
too, conceived the notion that his destiny
pointed onward 10 universal domInlOn-
France was too small. Europe no thought,
should bow down before him. But n5
soon az this idea took possession OF his
soul, no too becomes powcr!e5s. lis
Terminus must rcccde too. tight there.
whio he witnessed tho Illumination. and
doubtless meditatcd tho sublugation OF
Russia, He who holds tho winds IL his fist,
gathered the SHOWS Of tho north and bic"
them upon his SIX hundred thousand men.
They fed, they frozo, they por5had! And
now. tho mighty Napoleon, wao had re-
solved on universal dominion, he, too, IS
summoned to answer for the violation Q!
that ancient law, chou shall, not no. covet
anything which IS thy noighbors.' Ito"
Is the mighty fallen! He, benoalh whose
proud foo,s,op Europe ,rcmbei, he IS now
IN oxilo at I.!ba, and now finally priso-
ner on the rock Of ST. Helena, and there
on barron island. IN an unfrequentci
500, in the orator of an eXtln9Qi5hcd vol
cano, ,hcro is tho death bed Of tho mighty
cOnuucror! All his aHnexatluns have
como to ,hal Ills last hour is now come
ne, tho man Of destiny; no who had rocked
tho world as VITA the throes of an oarih-
quake, is now poworlcss-s;iii; oyona5 the
boggar SO no died. Ga tho wings OF Il tenn
post that ragged with unwonicd fury, up 10
the throne of tho only one Thu &c on.rUllcd
him while ho lived. went tho fiery soul OF
that wonderful warrior, another witness to
tho existence of that eternal decree thai
they who do not ruo in righteousness shah
perish from the earth. l!o has found
''room" at last. And France, too, she
has found "room.'' Her "cagc5" no~
no longer scream along tho banks Of Ito
Dauubo, the 70, and the Borsy!hcncs. -
They have returned home, TO their Old ey-
ric, between the Alps, tho Rhine and the
Pyroncos. So shall it be with YOURS
Of tho Cordllcras; ,hoy may wave with
insolont triumph in the halls of tho Mon
tczumas; tho armed men of Mexico may
quail before them; but the weakest hand
in Mexico, upliftcd in prayer TO tho God
Of Justice, may cal! down against you a
power in the presence Of which tho IRON
hearts Of your warriors shall be turned
into ashes.
Mr.. President, if tho history Of our
race has established any truth, II Is bat u
confirmation of what IS written, 'tho way
Of tho transgrcssor is hard" lnordinaio
ambition, wantonlng III power, aud spurn-
ing tho humble mnyims of justice, has, cV-
or has, and ever shall end III ruin
Strength cannot always tramPlo upon
wcakness-,ho humble shall be exalted
the bowed down will at length DO lifted up.
1t is by faith in tho law Of strict justice
and tho practice Of its prccep's that M
tons alono can be saved. All the annals
Of the human raco. sacred and proianc.
arc written over with this grea, truth IN
characters of living light. Il is my fear,
my fxod belief, that in this invasion, this
war with Mexico, we have forgotten this
vital truth. Whv is it that we layo been
drawn into this whirlpool of war! How
clear and strong was the light that shonc
upon tho path of duty year ago! The
last disturbing question with England was
settlod-our power extended lis peaceful
sway from the Atlantic TO the Pacific;
from tho Al,cghanics we looked out upon
Europe, and from tho tops OF the Stony
Mountains we could dcscry the shores oil
Asia, a rich commerce with all tho ma
lions Of Europe poured wealth. and nbun-
dance into lap on tho Atlantic side,
while an unoccupied commerce of three
hundred millions Of Asiatlcs awaited on
the Pacific for our enterprise 10 como nnd
possess il.
Ono hundred millions Of dollars Wi! &c
wasted in this frutIcss war. Had tins mo-
ncy of tho peop'o been expended IN ma
king a railroad from your Northern Lake:
TO the Pacific, as one Of your citizens ba.
begged Of you il vain. YOU would have
madc highway for tho world between
Asia and Europe. Your capital then
would DO within thirty or forty days tTav-
cl Of any and every point OF the map Of
the CIVILIZED word. Through this great
artery Of trade you would have carried
through tho hear, of your own country
tho teas Of China and tho spices Of India
to tho markets Of England and France
Why, why, Mr.. President. did we abandon
tho enterprises of peace, and bctake our
selves 10 the bavbarous achievements o.
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