Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-02-24


er than another ofthe propensity of man
to behold the mote in a brothers eye, and
mot 10 consider The beam IN his opn, it is
found in these ever.renewing and ever-con-
demning judgments formed in England up
on the policy of the United States, both ex-
ternal and internal. Like the Pharisee of
old, the English people thank God they
are not as other nations are, ssor even as"
that great mobocracy upon the western
hemisphere, so hateful in the eyes of every
true believer in the divine right Of the few
to govern the many.
They thank God that they do not 60 to
war lit is antiquated--it is a barbarous
usage, unfit for a Christian people. Even
an honorable senator from New Jersey re.
capitulated the wrongs we had submitted to
from other powers, enumerating them with
mathematical precision-the Saxon, the
Gaul, the Dane, and almost all others
whose names are found in the nomencla-
ture ofnations, and thence seemed to de-
duce the conclusion that, as we had suffer-
ed much, we might as we'll suffer more. l
will not undertake to say, MIR President,
that we have not pushed our forbearance
beyond the true limit of public honor and
dignity; but | will say to that honorable
senator that our cup was running over
when Mexico attacked us, and that the lu-
ture would have been as full of danger and
uncertainty as the past was of indignity,
had we sat down and worked out our course
by the rule of three. AS SO many injuries
from Denmark gave such a measure of
immunity, what measure shall the injus-
tice Of Mexico give?
| feel little disposition, sir, to pour over
the histories Of France and England, and
placing my finger on the acts Of injustice
recorded there, to compare these with our
own policy, in our intercourse with foreign
nations. We never acquired foot OTTER
ritory by blood If they dare to say as
much, let them say it. ''Texas," says the
Times, ''has spoilt the morale of the Uni
ted States" Is there any morale left
in England If there is, it has survived
the shocks ofsuch acquisitions as the world
has never seen since the fall ofthe Roman
empire. We are men of blood, because
we resist the invasion of the Mexicans!
And what, then, are the men of England.
who have left the mark of blood upon the
soil of almost every nation on the habitable
globe2 The American mouth utters by.
pocrisy in high places, where forbearance,
and moderation, and philanthropy are eter-
nally preached, and conquest and acquisi.
ton, and commercial cupidity eternally
,practiced.
We have seen one kingdom overturned,
and its dominion pass to a foreign power,
because its semi-barbarous sovereign forgot
his own dignity and the rights of others, so
much as to flourish his fan in the face of a
consul. And we have seen the oldest en-.
pire in the world attacked, and its recesses,
so long concealed, laid open, and its gov
ernment prostrated at the feet of an invad-
er, because it insisted upon the exercise of
its indisputable right to prohibit the SNUG.
Cling of opium-a drug equally destructive
to the physical powers and to the moral
faculties. But sir, | have no disposition to
open ledger with other nations, and to
make regular entries OF their acts of Justice
and aggression, and to compare the &C.
count with our own. We claim no exemp.
ton from the frailties Of humanity. 1t were
well if war could be banished, and peace
forever established among the nations of
the world. That time will come; but it
will come when it is ordered in the proyi-
dence Of God. The eye of faith may dis
ern it now. But looking at things as they
are, and applying to them the ordinary
rules of human judgment, the reign of uni.
versal peace is still far remote. And, in
The mean time, five are struck, we must
strike back, or become by-word and a re-
proach among the nations of tho earth.
But, sir, passing from the external view
Of our difficulties with Mexico, we have
still an internal one to take, which involves
much higher considerations The causes
Of the war is grave subject of discussion.
Public opinion is investigating and pro-
its judgment upon them. For
myself, have no fear Of the result. The
more the question is examined, the more
will be our wrongs, and the clear
er our forbearance. In the Presidents
last message, an interesting synopsis was
given Of the conduct of Mexico towards
his country. No more conclusive review
Of national injuries has ever appealed to
The public opinion of this country, or of
The world. 1t recnpitulates, calmly and
with force, the still accumulating wrongs
we had suffered, and the final act which
crowned them--the invasion of our coun-
Try and the attack upon our army; an at
lack which the Mexican authorities declar.
ID they would make as far east as the Sa-
bine river.
! shall not, MI. President, go over the
whole ground Of our difficulties with Mexi.
20. 1 Iregret that it becomes necessary to-
investigate their history in this place. II
regret that unanimity does not prevail up.
IN this subject, when unanimity is so es-
,ential to prompt and vigorous action. -
While l regret it, however, | impugn the
motives of no one. Thank God, we are
IS free to investigate the conduct Of the
as we are to breate the air orl