Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-10-21


also war; aad If thar was war, If il existed al,
all, existed by our act and not BY hers, for her
act was consequent upon ours. The most
that the President was at liberty 10 say, with
out coDdemning his own Government, was,
that there had been collision Of the forces OF
the two republics on territory claimed by
each but this collision he had no right 10
term war, for every body knows that il takes
something more than collision Of their res
pec,ive forces on disputed territory to con
stItuie war between two civilized nations
In no possible point Of view was the announce
ment Of the President, that war existed be-
tween the two republics. and existed by the
act of Mexico, correct Ii did not exist at II
or if II did. il existed not by the act OF Mexico,
but by our act. In either case the official an
nouncement was false, and cannot be defend
ed
"The course the Presiden. should have pur-
sued is plain and obvious. On learning the
state of things on the frontier, the critical con-
dition Of our army of occupation, he should
have demanded ofCongress the reinforcements
and supplies necessary TO relieve ii and secure
the purpose for which il was ayowedly sent
to the Rio Grande; and, If he believed II
proper or necessary, 10 have in addition LAID
before Congress a full and truthful statement
OF our relations with Mexico, including all
the unadjusted complaints, past and present,
we had against her, accompanied by the re-
commentator Of declaration Of war He
would then have kept within the limits OF his
duty. proved himself a plain constitutional
President, and left the responsibility oil war or
no war TO Congress, the only war making
power known to the laws. Congress, after
bava
declared war-most likely would not but
whether so or not, the responsibility would
have resulted with il, and no blame would
have attached to the President.
"Unhappily, this course did not occur TO the
President, or was too plain and simple to meet
his appreciation As if fearful, if Congress
delibera,ed, il might refuse TO declare war,
and as If determined TO have war at any rate,
be presented TO Congress, not the true issue,
whether war should or should not be declared
but the false issue, whether Congress would
grant him the means of prosecuting war
waged against US by foreign power. In the
true issue, Congress might have hesitaed-
in the one actually presented there was no
room 10 hesitate, if the official announcement
Of the President was 10 be credited, and hest
tation would have been criminal.
"By declaring that the war already existed,
and BY the act of Mexico herself, the Presi-
dent relieved Congress of the responsibility of
the war, by throwing il on Mexico. But since
he cannot faston il on Mexico,- war did
not already exist, or if so, by our act, and not
hers,-it necessarily recoils upon himself, and
he must bear the responsibility of doing what
the constitution for6ids him to do,-of making
war without the Intervention Of Congress-.
In effect, therefore, he has trampled The consti
tuition under his feet SET dangerous precedent
and by The official publication ofa palpabte false
hood, sullied the national honor.
at is with no pleasure that we speak thus
Of the chief magistrate ofthe Union, for ichose
eleration to his high madrtsponsibie office reo,a.
setues roted. But whatever may be our at
tachment 10 party, or the respect we hold TO
be due from all good citizens TO the civil mag
istrate, we cannot see the Constitution violat-
ed, and the national honor sacrificed, whether
by friend or foe, from good motives or bad,
without entering, feeble though il be, our stern
and indignant protest"
This writer goes on further TO say 1--WE
are far from regarding Congress in echoing
the false statement of the President, as free
from blame. II ought 10 have seen and cor
rected the Executive - mistake. Yet il is
not surprising that il took the President at his
word. The late Congress had some able mem
bers, and it adopted some judiclous measures;
but we express only the common sentiment
of all parties when we say ii was far from GOV
ering itself with glory, and tina, il is to be ho
ped another Congress like it will not meet
gain very soon"
Here drop the subject of the origin OF the
war. shall have few words 10 say upon
the resolutions Of the House Of Delegates in
my next J. p. KENNEDY.