The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-03-17

continued and unpunisnou Piraucai asRfess
perry by the Mexican authorities-and the
eousy unprovoked, unlustifiable. and Alge-
rine barbarities uoon inotiendiog American citi
y-ns-demanding of us the Jack sonan compro-
mise af the lannon's mouth admitting the full
JUSTICE of this war; the righteous retribuhon for
The piracies of Mexico-admitfing that we shall
stand endorsed by all civilized naiions as fully as
In our punshmen's Of the Algerine pirates for
their iawless aggressions upon the commerce of
the Mediterranean, yet we incline to the belief
that had the wise saeacty and penetrating fore.
sight of Mr. Calhoun been regarded, this right
eous and inevitable war" might have been no
morally evaded. Honorably evaded, because
Mexico 10 weak, and ignorant, and distracted and
we are strong. enlightened and united-and the
strong can afford TO be msgnanimous to the weak,
in cases where IL would be cowardce and infamy
10 compromise with party equally powerful.
A great oblect-the object OF his life, a greater
arrestirg this war, was the great object of the
establishment of free trade. The repeal of the
British corn laws was the first radical and irresis
tible movement to this free trade mlenum-the
tariff act Of '46 was the second The great work
in the two hemipheres was beginning smultane-
ously. Il was an auspieious cooperation and
the long cherished dream Of South Carolina was
approaching blessed fulhlment, when 1t was in
tercepted by the march OF General Taylor to the
Rio Grande and his collisions with the enemy, and
"Tbe dream was past and with Il hedn
The hopes that tariffs high were dead.
The bill of as was peace b,ll-the act Of 18th
May preceding was for war. We must avert
the war, the era OF free trade and the suprema-
cy of the policy OF South Carolina 10 forever ex.
tipguished. In attempting to avert the war, Mr.
Calhoun stood alone" solitary and Alone" and
his warning, were scarcely heaid-prophecies
since fulfilled to the letter, were drowned in the
enthusiastic excitement for vengeance against the
enemy. A curtain was thrown over the promise
OF free trade and the day Of its approach we can
rot now foresee This was Mr. Cahoun's posi-
ton during the long session. His eye was then
fxed upon great object, and all his efforts to the
last were directed to hasten and facilitate its &C
complishment. He knew that war would
entail a national dc br-tnat national debt would
entail increased taxation; and that increased
taxation would be death to the free trade
policy OF South Carolina, and disproportionate
entaiment upon her articles OF consumpt ion,
augmenting the profits of the manufactures of
the North, and diminishing the comparative value
of the exports of the South-thus by double
process enhancing the wealth and strength of the
North at the expense of the South. He was de-
feated; and the prize which was one day within
his grasp, was the next day forever removed from
his eyes, in the declaration of the war against
Mexico Rather" said he. when the bill was be-
fore the Senate, and standing up alone against it,
"rather would drive dagger to my heart than
vote Tor this precipitate measure" He saw that
the great purpose--the single at anment of long
and laborious life, was suspended upon the slen.
der fiament of hair, and rather than sever il,
he would sever his own heart strings What
moment of intense despair must have succeeded,
when the hair was clipped, and like the chande-
trade fell with crash AT his feet, and its spark
ling and broken crystals We're strewn in mockery
around him We well recollect his pallid and
desolate face upon that occasion He stood the
impersonation OF a king despoiled of his domi.
mons.
Such was the policy-such the object OF Mr..
Calhoun in the long session of the late Congress,
and such the consequences He was contendng
for free trade; and was overthrown. Like Leo
midas in the pass his fight was glorious but he
was annihilated on the spot.
The short session presents different contest
and far more immediate and temporary results
Free trade was the purpose Of the former, the
Presidency is the object OF the latter and the safety
of the bill OF '46.
The short session comes on. The peace is es-
tahlished with Great Britain, but an expensive
war is established with Mexico, and free trade is
delunct. The South must stand upon temporary
expedens. or the tariff policy of the north will
supersede the foothold acquired by the act of '46
The demands of the government require increas.
sd taxation, which may be mitigated by the spec
diest means Of closing the war. Mr.. Calhoun
gathers his little guard about him. They stand
apart from the administration. ready to interpose
or co operate upon the plan defined or understood.
The Lieutenant General is submitted. IL is
new scheme--it may disband or disorga.
nze the armyIn may indefinitely pro,
invidious tariff impositions upon the South
to meet the heavy expenditures The little
guard unite with the wings: and defeat the pro-
ject. Mr.. Calhoun submits his plan of defen-
it is only economy in the expenses OF the govern
mont which will secure the rights OF the States
and save the policy Of the South az far secured
from utter annihilation. But again, Mr.. Benton
10 the nominee for Lieutenant General his con.
duct pending the consideration of the bill, his
betrayipg modesty of retirement when it is taken
up, disclose the fact. Benton will never do. He
is the greater Ajax to the restoration of Mr.. Van
Buren, or Mr.. Wright, and the South has had
enough of them. All his life he has stood in the
way Of Mr.. Calhoun, and the South Carolinian
cannot sustain him. This is a mere incidental
Objectionable great point is the policy of the
South.
Mr. Richie, seeing the detection of Mr.. Cal
houn, attacks him and his corporal's guard as
Co adjutors of Ampudia and Santa Anna Mr.
Yu!ee throttles the offender on the spot; debate
follows--Mr; Calhoun is drawn out and charges
upon the Administration the provocation of the
war, in the march of the army of occupation 10
the Rio Grande. Mr.. Turney, elected TO the Sc.
nate by the wings, reads Mr.. alhoun and the
church, and in the act er reading them out, he
read himself in. Steady, my boy, steady--our
pen is disposed to run 100 skimmingly along.
The plot is disclosed-venice is preserved-Mr
Calhoun is denounced for the high crime Of being
a candidate for the Presidency, in opposition to
the programme Of the Administration, (not as
yet disclosed,) and he is ostracised and turned
out, as the wings turned out John Tyler, for
poking the constitution in their faces. On great
constitution, how many Gins have been commit
ted 10 thy name We put that in by way OF an
emollient TO John Tyler. But, again,
Mr.. Calhoun is read out OF the party, and Mr.
Richie is turned out Of the Senate. A hue and
cry is raised, and the great nulfer is to be hunt
ed down even TO the rice shes of South Caro-.
lima. But MIR. Calhoun wishes to fortify himself
in the S,uth-he is sure of the south west on the
improvement of those 7" inland seas !" but as
Wright or Cas- may carry the north, it is well
enough to consider the tributaries OF the great
lakes unconstitutional. But he must make sure
OF the South against the Vaccinations oil the next
Baltimore convention. There Is a chance OF
maintaining the South in the chance of securing
the Presidency. The South is the object, the Pre-
sdency is buttne fundamentally. An independ-
ent candidate, securing the South IN advance,
will drive the regular nominee to an exclusive
battle with the wings in the North. Suppose Cass
10 be the Baltimore ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the
wings TO appoint one candidate for the whole
Union. The Intervention of the Southern candi-