The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-02-04
The Mexican Warandthc Wings.


Mexicois governed by military chieftains.
Each in his turn raises all army, or rather
gets portion Of the standing army to dec larc
in his favor, drives his predecessor iiom
power aud out of the country, causes himself
10 be elected president, and then all must
bow 10 his will and pleasure until he in turn
is driven out OF the country. Each in his
turn enriches himself and his friends by
plundering the people, without the smallest
effort by any to advance the interests of the
country, 10 enlichten the people, or TO aine.
lioraie their condition in any way or manncr
Hence the Mexcans, in arts and sciences,
are little ahead Of the dark ages. For the
plow, they still use the crooked stick or, TO
give better idea of their plow it is Il stick
with a short sharpened prong, team is
hitched tothe stick, and this prong is drawn
through the ground. This plow is univer
sal throughout Mexico, and is true index
Of their advance in agricultural and mechan
ic arts.
When you hear from our own people who
are there the accounts of the rich and extern.
sive fields Of corn, wheat, and all kinds Of
grain; the abundant production of every
kind of fruit, from the orange to the apple
of the iropic, temperate, and frigid zones
the finest grapes and wines in the world
that il is country with the most salnbrious
and delightful climate in the world, where
you may go out into the open field every day
in the year and pick ripe fruit, green peas,
cucumbers, melons, and all kinds Of vcge-
tables; that every day in the year is seed
time and harvest; and that such are the
characteristics of all the table lands of Mex
leo: how plainly and strongly dothey brand
with ialsehood the wing cry that Mexico is
a barren and unproductve country, worth
nothing but for It's mines.
What would the eastern and northern
states Of our own country produce without
manure, and plowed with knotty stick
We that have lived there can answer.
tell you, Mexico is the most delightful and
desirable country on earth. 1t is one c,er'
nal spring, never hot, never cold--a,mos,
phere dry, salubrious, aud healthy. The
people OF that country have no sickness
Physicians are hardly known among them
and they live to great age. These are the
characteristics Of the great valleys Of the Ia
Die lands. Ofcourse it does not apply to tn,
gulf coast, where the sun pours down it
scorching rays, or TO the mountains who's,
rocky SUBMITS are covered with everlasting
snow. Thepeople olihis delightful country
ever since Mexico has been nation, hav,
: been torn and distracted by feuds. Pulitica
; demNgogues and military chieriaihs, neve
doing thing to benefit the people, hav
plundered them of their substance until the,
have become nation Of robbers from tn
, highest to the lowest. Theft, robbery, an
, assassination are their only arts. They ar
) sciencsd in thcsc-thcy are taught then
from their infancy. The assassination q
, two, three, or more Of night in q city is II
: uncommon occurrence. audi taken little o
, no notice Of. Such is Mexico, and such
l the condition Of her inhabitants. ......
, Now, let me ask every candid and rea
sonable man, shall we take this country an
{ this people under the genial influence Of on
, government, and indemnify ourselves "a
: our loss Of treasure, and that the lives Of S
4 many brave spirits, for whom a natio
nouns, land hallowcd be their memort
4 while their spirits return to the Godthat CAV
= them, and their deeds of glory remaii, q
n example to oil coming generations y sha
n not have been sacrificed in vain2 Or sha
o we abandon this people to the reign of ,yrar
h ny, ignorance, crime, and misery W
/. have possession of the country, and can ca
silly put every state under territorial govern
!, ment; and ask the American people wit
v confidence, is il not only our right, but o,
n duty-a duty we owe to an oppressed pc,
= pie and TO the cause Of humanity, to redecl
n this people and that delightful country fro
u the reign Of every species Of wrong aud ou
d rage, and make them civilized, enlightcl
I,l I'D ko Ia In d,