Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-11-12
From III, OU0 S a.e Juraal.
A REASON FOR THE WAR.

Reasons. as plenty a. small potatn's in bush
el measure, have been given al snndry times dur
ing thg continuance ot The war, for oar contest
with Mexico; but none of them had appeared to
give enra satisfaction 10 the originalorj, and n
constant search is therefore kept up for Others
of more force or more popularity. Al first 1t
was to daiend our territory, which was invaded,
and succor our people, who were likely to be
driven from their homes; but this wCud not do,
Tor there wcrA those, even among th2 Ioc0tOcu
leaders, who denied with srr>ng show Of reason
that such invasion had or would take place.
Then it was being wag,d because The rights and
properly of our citiz,ns trading with Mexico, had
blen VIC ateil; but here the commission which
sat in Washington and just1d and Seued those
claims, unfortunately stared The cXcuSe.SoekerS
in III. face, aud thu was dropped. Again it was
urgel that this government wanted California as
m inlet to th, traffic of the east; but Mr., Polk
had lorsstallcd the "predesIinarians" in this by
asserting time and again that territory was not
the obi .Ct of the war. Unfortunate in all these
reasons, and driven by the silent warfare of The
ballot box, which has terrorS worse and more
unseuling to the nerves Of the excusers than the
rafting had from Mexican rhes-for these they
can and do avoid by staying AT home, but The
backwards is being made, and all these are but
the mcre "incidents" which flow from the con-
test, while the war itself is waged, as that man
of"circum stances" Mr.. Cass, declared, to show
10 sneering Europe what the universal Yankee
nation" can do in the battlefield! Mr.. Cass was
fearful that the rotten monarchies of Europe
would quite forget that the young and vigorous
Brother Jonathan was treading close upon their
heels in the contest for commercial power; and
this war, and its happy consequences, would n.
rouse them 10 due appreciation Of the young
giant lust in their rear. This was reason gral-
flying to the vanity orIhe country, and calcuat.
ed TO induce the people, in the excitement Of in
creased importance, to overlook the etfIson of
blood and treasure which that importance cost.
The idea was brilliant one, and although over
looked during the hot times of volunteering q.
mong the locofoco leaders, it is yet destined to
be duly appreciated. A an evidence that it is
deemed a formidable excuse, we copy the fol.
lowing timid response from The Statesman Of last
evening:
"The Administration and The War.-The idea
ihata republican form Ct Government unils its
citizens for the prosecution Of a war. either o.
fsnsve or defensive, though generally believed
10 be true few years since, is now as obsolete
as Mr.. Webser's idea of u great National Bank
to regulate the exchanges Of the county.
"When the present war broke out, fears were
entertained of success. arising from this belief.
This first two battles, Palo Alto, and Rosaca de
Ia Palma. were fought and won bv regular
troops. The rest Of Iha battles were fought by
volunteers and regulars, and none Of the cam
paigns Of Napoleon show more cool, collected
courage, and daring instances of herosm, than
was exhibited by the raw troops in the baules
which followed In every engagement the odds
were iearfllly against us, yet the herolsm OF The
brave men who bore alofi the banners Of our
country. has caused victory TO follow victory in
su"h rapid succession, as to exIort praise from
the lips Of those in Europe who underrale, when
ever it is possible, every thing that Americans
Say or do.
with tho single exception that the Admins
tra,ion did not send all the troops At once that
the law authorized (and wo understand that the
fault lies mors with The generals in command
than with the adminstraon,) the present war
has been conducted with Judgment and skill
wor;hv Of all praise. The head of the War DE-.
nar,m mt, himself soldier Of no mean reputa
lion, has acquired much credit, aud when the
hand of an impartial historian traces the events
Of the Mexican war, the administration will re-
ceiye that credit which the party hacks of leder-
nlism, aided by venal press, would lain rob
IT,"
!, may be worth while 10 cast up and soc what