Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-11-30
should now be resisting her intended and pro-

We Sn0ulI now DC IcslStlLS HtI il1eLuea 49, -
claimed invasion Of our territory. ANA when
this speech Of Mr. Cay shall have been read
throughout the length ard breadth Q! this great
country, many will be lie tears she! in silence,
that Henr. Clay-he who so ncby stood by MS
country in 1912, aid even 10 this day defends The
invasion OF Canada should have denounced
this war as 'unnalura-a war OF offensive az
gresson,' in which Mexico, not we, is defending
her fresides, her castles, and her ailafs-against
whom7 Why, against The gallant and patriotic
spirits who have so nobly offered up their lives in
defeEce OF their conntry's honor, and shed upon
on. arms halo Of glory, which has elevated our
ma ional character in the estimation 81 tae c'ii-
lied world, and called forth a feeling Of gratitude
and pride in The bosom Of every man whose heart
is capable OF beating in response 10 chivairous
deeds and gallant bearing. And yet il is Henry
Cay who thus c aracieriZes this ar-who thus
defends Mexico against The acls OF her chivaiIc
n.adefs-who thus Internationally endorses lhr
ahominable sentiments OF he New YORK TT
bune, and will shortly be quoled by IL as sane
tionin2 lis denunciaion OF our gallant army as
ba nd Of robbers, pundeiers and murderers, Tor
whose defeat and diSpers. on that editor and bis
colaborers are justified in praying as they have 10
the God of baues!
ave cannot subscribe 10 such doctrines; We
cannot, with all our reverence and respect for Mr.
Clay, unite with him in his seeming response 10
the hearess assaults upon those who have cover
ed our country with glory; and in our mpathIes
Tor Mexican sufernes, we cannot forget The SUI
ferings and death o; our owr gallant sons. II II
be, indeed, war Of conquest and aggression; il
We have wickedly assailed "ihc fi.esites. the cas-
ties, and the AFFAIRS OF Mexico !" il we have rob-
bed, p!undered, and murdered ner peaceful PEG.
pie; who and what are the men who have r0lnn
teercd 10 DO this deyilish work7 When The news
of the victories Of Palo Alto ard Resaca te Ia
Palma reached New Orleans, il we mistake mol,
Mr.. Clay was there, and avowed that, il younger,
he would himself volunteer 10 take part in The
war; His gallant son did so volunteer, and no.
bly, offered up his life Tor his country. But would
he have done SO, il he had believed that he was
waging such war as MIR. Clay describes, Ne
ver-nevcr!
I'm censuIing as he had right to do, The fc-
ly Of the Executive IN Fastening this war, and
seemingly nvlingsinvasion and attack b. tie
march 10 the Rio Grandc, instead Of quietly
waiting for the invasion threatened. intended and
arowcd BY the Mexican government, Mr.. Clay
has gone too far and put Mexico altogether in
The right his own country altogether il he
wrong. he has by his speech, in our opinion,
held out inducements for Mexico 10 withhold the
peace ne so anienlly Desires and thus, very unin-
lenllona!ly, pursued course at war with that
patriotism which has constituted SO conspicuous
'ra in his long life OF patriotic devotion 10 his
country.
Thirty years ago, Mr.. Clay could no, have
made such speech; ten years ago, he would mol
have done so; and that he should have made il AT
this lime, is alike unfortunate for his future lame
and Tor the achievement OF The peace he desires.
"Our countryside grant that she may always
be right; but whatever her errors and whatever
her position, right or wrong, our country-was
the sentiment, il not The words Of The ga lam
Decatur. II was sentiment worthy OF patriot
and man; il finds response in every Amer
can bosom; and whatever The errors OF The past |
We cannot pause in the midst Of a contest which |
has shed such glory upon our country 10 express
sympathy with our enemy, and thereby encour-
age him 10 persevere in his resistance 10 our arms
We desire peace quite a. much as Mr.. Clay pos
sibly can; but We do mol believe that the shortest
mode Of achieving it, is 10 proclaim 10 Mexico
and 10 the world that our country is The aeeres.
scr, and Mexico an oppressed nation defending |
"her frcsdes, her easiles and her ait0rs" against
our victorious leoiOnsr