Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-12-24

this fact, had there before been any reason {,
doubt IT, The popular elections which have in
iervened certainly leave no excuse for a doub
upon any mans mind, that a majority ofthe peo
pie Of the United States are against this war
and lis authors.
Instead Of reinqushing. in Difference to tn,
popular will, thus clearly expressed, any part o.
his original scheme Of fconduering and annexing
a considerable portion of the territory Of MeX.
CO, The Presidentconl to Congress anddomand,
its concurrence 10 a plan for colonizing and an.
nexing one.half ef Mexico, with recommen.
daIion TO continue the war until be, the Conque.
TOR. eoHqusrs all the residue ofthat unhappy Re.
public, in the event Of her not willingly sever.
ing from her body her most valuable provinces.
Instead Of advising Peace, which this Govern
mcnt might have any day on terms of honor,
he informs Congress, in a sanguinary strain, and
almost in the dialect of the shambles, that he is
persuaded "that the best means of UiHdicaiiHg
The national honor and interest, and o. bringing
the war to an honorable close, will be to prose.
cute it icith decreased energy and pOlccr IN THE
VITAL PARTS of The enemy'S cOuairy!" He
knows that he and his war stand condemned by
his own counuymen. lie cannot, if he would,
mistake the sentiment Of the People; and yet he
Graves more conquest, more butchery: he de-
mands deeper penetration into the vtals of our
adversary, and yet further waste of the blood
and treasure Of our country.
Before hotakes captive our senses by the Sc.
ductiXe indictments, in which his Message a.
bounds. to yet wicer course of rash an bition
and suicidal aggrandizement, let US stop a mo.
ment to consider upon what grounds he places
( and nsIcs the career Of cruelty and conquest
/ IN which he has already embarked our country.
| We are glad that the President has, in his Mes.
sage, prclaccd his recommendations as to the ll-
ture with summary statement Of the causes OF
complaint heretofore alleged by him as being oil
prior date to the war. together with his under.
standing of how the war began. A single par.
agraph includes the whole story, aud, as we
propose TO examine it with some particularly
we publish it:
alt is sufficient on the present occasion to say
that the wanlon violation Of the rights of per
son and properly of our citizens committed by
Mexico, her repeated acts of bad faith through
II long series of years, and her disregard of sol
emn treaties stipulatjng for indemnity to our in.
Ilurcd ctlzens, not only constituted ample cause
ot war on our part, but were Of such an aggra.
waited character as would have justified us before
the whole world in rcsorting 10 this extreme re.
mcdy. With an anxious desire to avoid u rup.
ture between the two countries, we Corbore for
years to assert our clear rights by force. and
continued to seek redress for the wrongs we had
suffered by amcab!c negotiation, in the hope
that Mexico might yield to pacific counsels and
demands Of justice. In this hope we were dis.
appointed. Our minister of peace sent to Mex.
leo was insul'ingIy rejected. The Mexican Gov.
erument refused even to hear tho terms of ad.
Justment which he was authorized to propose;
and finally, under wholly unjustiiabIo pretext3,
involved the two countries in war, by inva.
ding the territory of the State Of Texas, striking
the first blow, and shedding the blood of our
citizens on our own soil"
In undertaking again 10 review these aver.
mcnts by the Executive, now that they are a.
gain offered in his Justification, and in support
/ ol that war al aicrHccioRcm against Mexico
which he recommends to Congress we are well
aware that no force can be added to the reason,
ing, nor any strength to the conclusions of that
admirable tract from the pen of the venerable,
patriotic, and learned Albert GaIIarin, in relation
/ TO the Mexican war, which we have lately had
the satisfaction Of spreading before our readers.
10 his authority upon any question of public
law ornallonal obligation, we, ut least, who have
known him from the days of his great public
services IN Public Councils, first as Il leader OF
the Republican party in Congress; next as a
Member of the Cabinet of President Jefferson
during all Of his Administration, and of that of
Mr.. Madison until be was called TO represent his
pp nllrfoI Inp tl.,, - 1.
and Bayard IN the great Negotiation which en-.
dcd III the Peace Of Ghent-wc. whose first cs-
says in our present vocation may be said to have
been guided by his hand aud by that of his ev-
cr-honorad friend and official superior Mr.. Mad
i5on, are bound by every sentiment of respect
and gratitude to pay Difference so profound,
that it would be with the greatest distrust of our
own judgment we should entertain any opinion
on public question materially different from
his. Happy and proud are we to find that, on
the subject of the causes and the character Of
thus war, his views are in full accord with those
which we have found it our duty from time to
time to present to our readers. Most fortunate
for our country do we consider it, that he has
been willing and able to come forward IN the
present emergency, to instruct and counsel his
lClluW-CltICHSs however earnest ana nOn0SuV
the Press may have done its duty; however able
and ioarlcssIy distinguished Statesmen of the
present day may have exposed and denounced
the new career upon which our country has en-.
tered as the sole disIurber Of the peace of the
woro; however bright the craftsmanship which
the great Patriot of the West has so recently
brought to bear upon this great question, the Ad-
dress Of Mr.. Gallalin has shown it was vet pos.
slbIe for wise and able man to add to the force
of even our own convictions, however decided
on The subject Most fortunate, we repeat, do
we consider this opportunc contribution to the
common stock of knowledge Of one standing in
the foremost rank Of the intellectual greatness,
and yet apart from the passions of the day and
above them; one who, after most distinguished
career of public service left popularity and rep.
utaIion uneXhaustcd, and quilted high trusts
whilst they yet courted his acceptance: one of
the foremost men, in word, of that iIus,rious era