New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-06

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us and not against us-which should set forth the
state Of the nation without prejudice, uniairness
or narrow partisaDship. II ought to be kept with
in a compass which all our Journals could convent
emily publish and all citizens find time to read
1t ought. we think ia common fairness. not b. be
constructed on the principle OF the bar room dis
putant who talks so loudly and necessarily rs
not to allow his opponent 10 get Ia a word edge
wise, and then exults IN his harangue as unan-
swerable because no one has had a chance h.
answer It,
But more especially does modesty and respect
TOR adverse convictions become a President stand
ing in the position OF Mr.. Polk-the leader and
mouth piece Of discounted party The ques
tons which he now propounds and discusses have
been for months past at issue before the grand in
quest Of the Nation He has argued and rcargued
them IN Message after Message-his psrtisans
have discussed them on the stump and through the
journals -they have had every opportunity TO
commend the views he approves with the great
advantages Of the power aud patronage OF the
Government and the prestige Of almost unbroken
success on their side. But they have been met IN
the canvass by men at least equally able, equally
enlightened. equally strong in their convictions Of
right, and have been sgnally overthrow. All
that Mr.. Polk now urges has been already com
mended to and weighed by the People and by
majority of them pronounced unsound and made
qustc to balance the opposing consideration
When, therefore this discarded public iunctionary
with notice to quit at short date posted on his
door. ventures to assail the line Of policy just ap-
proved by the majority OF his countymen not
merely mistaken and injurious but actually i'm
PEELED by a dishonest and SELLS spirit-a DISPOSE.
ton 10 grasp undue advantages and build up ia
vored and privileged classes-how shall We refrain
from reminding this general beler that his case is
Substantially that OF the culprit who curses and
gnashes his teeth at the attorney Sho prosecuted
the jsry who convicted and the Judge who sen
fenced hm--the serpent that Kisses hsrmessly
yet venomously at the heel which trsmples him
The returns of the late Election his sufficient
answer.
That Mr. Polk has always misapprehended, OPP
posed and hated the Protective Policy and its al
iuncts is no news TO us. We, knowing his past
career, were not deceived by his Kane letter
would that others had not been That he should
argue, however unsessonably aud mmoderately
against the policy we cherish is his right, and
do not object TO it. But when he steps entirely
beyond the line of manly argument to impute base
motives to bis antagonists-to accuse the found
ers and advocates of the American System with
deliberate design 10 build up favored and privileged
classes-we ieel that the proper answer to his
oalumnes is an expression of the scorn and aver
sion they have excited Why is he not content
with the ignominy of defeat. without seeking To
add that OF general loathng
Mr.. Polk processes to be Democrat-a pupil
and loyal follower of the political school whose
doctors in his youth were Madison A. j. Dallas
Crawford, Cahous, Clay, Lowndes, Tompkins
Snyder, Baldwin, Sc. &c. /, not utterly ignorant
Of the history OF those days, he knows that the
great majority OF the leading Democrats OF lsI5-20
were among the champions and authors OF the
American System, while majority of the FEEDER
sists IN Congress were adverse to II. H. there.
FORE he sees fit to inoupate the Democrats Of the
last generation as the champions OF monopoly and
privilege, while he makes the Federal opponents
defenders Of equality aud Justice, how shall he re-
press a popular suspicion tina, the like has been
true in other csses-may be true now
Mr.. Polk dilates ia glowing terms ON the i'm
mensc value OF our recently conquered territories.
which he deems chcsply purchased by the ex-
pense OF the Mexican War. Such computations
are easily made; but what do they prove
Public Debt OF Sixty or Seventy Millions seems O,
no consequence to the President who has borrow
ed and spent the money, and who throws its
payment on his opponents saying, 1t is but
triAe-it easily be met BY such calculations
have the governments ct the Old World been
loaded down with obligations almost beyond the
hope Of relief Rat suppose he were now coming
into instead of retiring from power-woud not
this indebtedness wear a very different aspect
Nay If he were one of the ten Thousand widow.
whose husbands had land down their lives IN Mex
ioo. or Of the thousands OF crpples whom tina, War
has doomed to eat the bread OF dependence aud
sorrow perhaps he might not think 81 lightly OF
the cost OF this War Great as are the pecuniary
burdens 1t has imposed ON the country. we esteem
them as nothing when compared with its mora
peHe"'ons ans the eere"ements and suherincs
it has occasioned.
So OF the value Of the conquered terr,torie.
We exclude the Governor OF all from His univsrs.
when We calculsie that, because certain region
has great capacities, therefore its possession must
benefit us. Spain reasoned thus in graspinc
Southern and Central America. and that mssn,6
cent acquisition was her ruin. Great Britain IN
sists on holding Ireland in her tslons, aud finds
therein weakness instead 0! strength. Thus the
gosd Of California the finding OF which IS pure
accident, and has nothing properly 10 DO with the
results of the War may strengthen aud benefit,
or it may deprsve and destroy II the New
Territories shall become the homes OF intelligent
moral. industrious. lsw-loying Freemen, they msn
well be deemed acquisitions bat II they shall be
given over in good part TO the dark dominion o.
Slavery-ii they are isted to resoand ike Mr.
Folks plantation. with the crack OF the overseers
lash and the grosns OF unrecompensed, hopeless
Toll, then far better for rs and for all had they
been left 70 the bear and the savage Tor ages 10
come.
Whether the President intends to threaten Con-
gress with veto in case bill shall pass excOd.
lag Slavery from the New Territories, the reader
will judge. His elaborate calogium on the Veto
Power and his assumed demonstration OF the in