Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-11-03

III, III
return it will be but to greve their friends and az
met 'heir country for they will fail to bring a
long with them the moral contagon caught in The
pesteniial atmosphere OF war. The gallant Scott
win 'fo remnant OF his victorious little army is in
'he rams OIL The Montezumas but does he s.revel'
,hcrc I'oes he revel amidst palaces shattered by
bombs and balls and blackened by fi.e2 Does he
revel amidst the dead and the dying both friend
and ioeE Does he revel amidst the proans of tho
wounded and the shrieks of the bereayed Oh moi
thc generous and the noble-heartcd cannot reyel
there!
This imbecile Administration and its blind SIM
porierS IN the war have constantly looked forward
10 the capture OF the city of Mexico rs the crown
ing act OF conquest, which would necessarily b,ino
about peace, profitable and glorious to them if moi
to our country. We have often heard them talk of
debating peace in the Halls of the Montezumas
IL now remains To be whether the fall of that
capital Is likely to accelerate re;ard the desired O.
vent. mere are men wiser than Mr.. Polk who
believe that the capture of that city is a positiy.
misfortune to us; that it will he the beuinninp of
disaster to our arms and disappointment TO our
hopes: lhey think that it will change the tone
ana character OF the war, while it will create the
necessity OF greatly augmenting our armies That
the MeNcans, eNasperated by repeated defeats and
inundated by seeing their capital in the hands of
strangers will be less than ever inclined to peace
But that, taught by experience that they cannot
win any hope OF success meet our troops i'm masses
~ h"' uo niolc pitcnSu DattleS, but Il har-
RAISING desultory war all the country, wber-
ever the invader is weak enough TO invite attack
Inc territory OF Mexico is than two Thousand
miles long. To conquer it we must do something
more than march over tive must garrison iis
towns ioruiy Its passes; patrol its roads and guard
.no oi supplies, and keep open and clear the
communications from post to post. To do this eff
'ec'uaiiy VIII require at least hundred thousand
men Tor Mexico has population of eight millions.
a"u' "uWeVer they may quarrel among themselves
they all hate MS. They were not coayed into friend
! snip by the eleciioncering procamatiuns which
ocott ana Taylor were made TO put forth They
were not soo,hed into confidence by the amiable adj
dress oil good people of McXco' They were not
cheated into faith 10y the assurance that we came A.
nong them las their friends and only to put down
thc iyrants that oppressed them - that we loyeJ
,her holy religion, their hierarchy and their priest,
iioou, lhey believed then, they know now
10y MIR. 1rst's sine qua Mons that Mr. Folks OBJ
Jec' was to get two or three Mexican States-to oet
them 10y bullying and bribing if he could and if not
then by downright conquest. And KNOWING This
they hate us with cherished animosity that will
s"o" i.Seit IN every act of vengeance which eXas
perated weakness dare attempt
Already the powers at Washinpton seem convin.
cedih they cannot get two three of the Mexican
states by occupying with a small army the chief
seat OF the hz,ecs, aud that more troops must he
sent and stronger efforts made for conquest The
residents paper Qhe Union Of October y comes
'N' AZ ooiu itliSi Tic rcnpu!CcS the old Admins
traiion plan ofconquest, by eeclioneering with .the
good people of Mexico" The putting down of
farades and the putting up OF Santa Anna had fail
ed OF the desired effect. The hypocrtical caioerv
and lying iatery of the Mexican people had proven
cquaHy unsuccessful And now, says the Union.
I'VE must put forth all our STRENGTH
We must change the character Of the ,car. We
must talk less Of the exercise Of Humanity, less of
the olive branch, and less of armstices We must
Dedr do,cn upon Mexico acM all our force, and
wage war that Is more like war, and less like a
peace!" Aye, the sad truth is avowed at last
NAT which was at first treated as Il small affair n
il'tle unpleasant episode in prosperous work OF
peace, has become an affair of life and death. de-
handlng the exercise OF our national strength an
or force Is to be arrayed in this wreched STRUGGLE
10 piunder weak neghbor of her territory and
with II we are to bear down upon Mexico with all
me nnIntgated horrors of war-fire and sword and
aeSoation, and confiscaton, and plumber and all the
namelcsS barbarlties which must attend a war from
when the eTcrc'Se Of humanity is excluded! If
I'VE must change the character of the war !" SO as
not 10 talk OF truce, nor peace, nor humanity, we
must also change our own character so as no long
eT 10 pretend to be civilized and christian peopie
we see now, plainly enough what is the object
Oh this war; and, surprising that the Government
paper speaks the sentiments of the Administration
we can ioresee the erociOus character which il is
ABOUT to assume. Can any American patriot con-
template the waging of such a war in Mexico as
boilaparte waged In Spain without shuddering for
his country and for humanity? Is there no way to
avert this impending calamity-no means TO MI, a
side this national sin -? know of none unless Gnd
IN MS mercy should put it into the hearts of our
congressman 10 do their duty faithfully, in spite of
a demented President and his bad advisers. To
Co''SIess alone belongs the war power of this ma
ton. Ill they Will, they can command The Deace.
But, surprising the TO continue on the new
pian-on our part talk of truce, nor peace. nor
nunanty-but with the avowed object of BEARING
Gown upon Mexico, until, by poverty and misery she
is compelled to sue for peace, any terms that the
resident may dictate, the question still remains,
can we, with all our force" conquer Mexico and
reduce her TO that low stage Of misery and derrada-
ton! have no thought that we can conouer her
even IN Just cause, with wise President and a
veteran army We cannot conquer eight millions
oil people, In their country and determined to
be Tree NO people are too poor to fight for their
homes and no weapon is too weak to be usedon an !
invading zoe. We may march through the conn !
Try, burning towns, pinnderng property, killing
lheh ana abusing women; but that is not the con |
quest we aim at. When we have waUed sucb , |
war for few years, spent many thousand lives and
TWO or three hundred million dollars when our
morals are corrupted, our political constitution per
Verted, and the spirit and practice of our Govern
ment essentially changed when we have lost the
respect and confidence Of all the American Repub
ics, 10 whom we ought to have stood in the rea
ZION OF leader and advising friend when. before
al chrlsendom, we have forfeited our character for
justice and magnaminty, then, this war still racing
On, we may find, to our sorrow, that we must bear
| large share lii the calamities which we SD wan.
only inflict. And all the world will acknovylodro
he justice of or suffering.
Infinite Wisdom has informed us that s.the wav
II the transgrcssor is hard - and infinite mercy has
made 1t SO in order TO deter men from TRANSMISSION
A MAN OF PEACE.
Two distinguished ladies' are at present residing
n BFookIyn, n. York-One the wife of a Gallant
jrIlIsh officer who was assassnated some wears A.