Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-02-06
NOTES ON NEW BooKs.-PERIoDlcALs.

",
in which we take more special interest," have beer
our table for some days, and would have received
earlier notice, had not the press and crush OF mat
ter from the Capitol excluded what we have to say
upon them. We refer to the american Reuieu
and the Farmers Library: brief account of the
contents of each of which we proceed to give.
"1Ae american Revie,o. Wing Journal of Politics,
Literature, Art, and Science No XIV January, ls47
= Neso York, G. II. CoLroy"
new prospectus, in advising us of the plan
and prospects Of the ensuing year, announces the
association, in the political department of the Re-
view, of the Hon. ID. ID. BARNARD, late Representa-
tive in Congress from Albany, and much distin-
guished, during his term OF earnest and honest
public service, for ability and research. His ac-
cession the Review fail to add to the talent
already displayed there the solid advantages OF ex-
perience in public affairs, and OF craftsmanship
maturer and more practical. Mr.. b. has given
previous contributions to the work-in particular,
the very sound, skfu, and conservative paper on
the "Anti-Rent !" question, which appeared last
spring
The leading article in the present number Ton
the Presidents Message and the Mexican War; is
also his, and done with great force of exposure.
The mal-conduct, In the entire matter, which the
President has SO laborously endeavored to make
look fair is anatomical through its last tissue, down
to the very bones, and lies, under the reviewers
knife, grinning skeleton, most ghastly piece of
Executive osteology, beyond doubt. After exam
ming the historical perversions, the diplomatic mis-
representations, and the bold constitutional sophisms
with which the President has endeavored to
extenuate all the plain facts of this most unhappy,
unnecessary, and dangerous controversy, it lays
bare the dsingenuousness ofthe entire message, and
proves-what, indeed, no well-informed man, not
led by party conclusions only, could have doubt
ed-that the war is unjustifable as it was unne-
cessary, illegal it was impotc, and as merely
an Executive war as it has been most ill-managed
one. The comment on all that shameful, that au-
dacious part OF the message, which denounces as
$ moral traitors all those-whether private citi-
zens legislators and the coordinate trustees Of
the people itself-who have dared to differ with
Mr. Polk as TO the its causes, and its purposes,
is such as it should be--full of indignation at an
insult daring to the freedom of discussions to the
laws which happily confer upon President no
right to sentence nor even stigmatze his country
men, and even TO all official dignity and decency.
II would not be supposed, however, that the re-
view, IN thus condemning and amenting the war,
would urge any man to forget the duty and the ne
cessity OF cooperating in all measures, lawful and
expedlent, for sustaining the arms and the flag oil
our country, engaged in foreign land. The blame
OF its origin the faults of its management, not
upon the Wings. These alone it is their object as
IL is their right and duty, 10 expose; continually
watching also, Of course, against those fresh Execu
i've usurpations whclI--rdsy at best in
be the attendants aud may have been the motives
Of one commenced so in derogaon of all constitu-
tonal limitations and of all our public maxims.
Not responsible for the war; as little will the Mi
uory (if the Wings are really such) be responsible,
either in the field the council, for its failures
Their part Is PLAIN: IN arms, to stand shoulder TO
shoulder with the bravest OF those who favor the
war and usually command though they may not
them--to obey, in word, in the ranks
and, in like manner, a representative Minority,
10 give their votes for such lawful means Of prose-
cutting the contest the Executive tits author) shall
distinctly ask, and his war-maority (who share the
responsibility and power with him) be willing to
sustain. This loyal but negative course is all that
IS in their duty their power For they cannot
De expected to originate in that which they do not
control. 1t is for thuse in power TO bring forward
heir pans and to take care, of course, that those
plans shall be such as their own friends shall sup
port: piece of prudence often forgotten by the |
present discreet concern, (Uide the tea and coffee
pill, and that other for creating the anomalous officer
Of Lieutenant GENERALLY Supplies, the Wings stand
ready TO vote fares, if the Government and its
will devise and sustain fair system of
such But they (the Whigs) mus, not be expected
to carry through for the Executive unpopular and
odIous forms of supply (such as tea and coffee or
direct taxes) from which its own majority shrinks
IT. however, the be latter ally too unpopular or
the Administration too timid for such means
Though the simple and natural ones then the Wings
Will be Obliged 10 support some form Of loan-pro
vlded, as before, that is recommended by the Adj
mlnlstraton and sanctioned by It's party, and pro-
vlded, also that il be not some plan of turning into
a great paper-money machine that famous metallic
conrivance the Subtreasury, which was, at touch,
like King Midas of old, to turn every thing into
gold. OF Subtreasuries the Wings have long since
washed their hands, and must not be expected to
assist in making them any grosser deception than
they already are.
The remaining prose articles of The Review are
sufficiently various and generally agreeable. The
/" Notes by the Road Of Caius" (AIr. MITcHELL)
are continued, in very picturesque account Of a
visit to llyria and one of its vast caves--no mean
rival to that halfway house OF Pluto, the Ken
lucky mammoth.
continuation of the biography of THEIRS comes
next. We perceive that, except as an orator, the
cx-Minister's character does not brighten in the
progress of his story. The article we learn, is
by DIR. DIoNyuUs LARDNER. criticism mot con-
cludedl Of poem entitled Fesus" tmuch mag
ni6ed Of late) ensues. 1t seems made out Of all
that thrcc-sublimated nonsense and vanity which
folks nowadays style trapscendentalism but
which, after ALL is very little more than set Of
Virginia distractions put into verse and called pho-
sopby in poetry instead Of politics. The Review
exhibits skilfully enough, but quite unnecessarily,