Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-03-03

( turn Tue pOUEHsilarc lntO lnc SWORD. we "'c
suited to grow by development and assimilation,
rather than by sudden accre,ion by gradual cX-
tension. than by rapid acquisition by honora-
bic and well.carned gain, than by rapacious APP
preparation. The very publicity inscparable
from all the operations of our government is Ia
tai to the successive conduct of aggressive war.
which, like most other crimes, must be planned,
if not perpetratcd, in darkness. But it is not,
perhaps, surprising that the party which aims to
break down the industrial establishments of the
country. and smother those peaceful arts which
have hitherto SO largely contributed TO its
moral and physical prosperity, should seek to
withdraw attention from the pcrnicious tenden-
cies OF its general policy to Gid political demon
alization and financial quackery with the srlen-
dor of foreign conquest, and to furnish new,
though guilty, occupation TO hands which are
destined no longer to find employment in the
quiet pursuits of civil life.
A great effort is made to hide from us the
cnormity of this war; and TO reconcile our con-
sciences to its turptudc by exaggerated pic
lures of the wrongs we have sustained at the
hands of Mexico; of the glory which the Prov
ess of our troops will reflect on our national
character; of the advantages which we are to
reap from few successful campaigns. The
South is told that. by the acquisition of new ter
ritory, we shall obtain for that extension of
slavery, which is alleged to be essential TO the
permanence of the system, the continued politi-
cal ascendency of the South. and the future Sc
curity of the STAKEHOLDER. and shall thereby dis
appoint the dclusve hope with which Mr.. Walk
crs famous letter cozened the Democracy of the
North into the support of annexation. as meas
ure favorable to the ultimate extinction OF slave
ry: the north is encouraged to hope that, by
force OF the Wilmot proviso. engraitcd on some
war bill. or treaty OF peace, the further spread OF
slavery will be prevented, and thus the vauntcd
extension of the area of freedom will at length
come to be no longer an impudent mockery; and
they who have clothed two nations in scarlet and
| in sackcoth and kindlcd the fires Of hell in ten
thousand hearts, would blind us to all this mise
nv, all this guilt, with the dazzling lustrc of the
brightest level of the diadem of commerce.
the trade of the east, which the balmy gales of
the Pacific are to wait TO our failure commercial
mars in the secure Ravens of California, in gal
Icons more richly treighted than the hali-forgot-
ten prizes of Drake and Arson.
| ! am not an apologlst for Mexico: still less
an admircr of her poty or her institutions. No
man can be better persuaded that she has done
us great Wrongs-wrongs for which we might
lawfully have exacted atonement, had they not
been provoked by our injurious treatment OF her
no man can hope less from the future prospects.
or the future disposition of country cursed
with the two worst possible forms of misrue-
the tyranny of the soldier and the tyranny of the
priest. The people of Mexico are, technically,
the enemies OF my country. wish them no trl-
umphs over our diplomacy, no trophies over our
arms but ! have no sympathy with that mstak-
en- spirit of revenge, which gories in visiting the
errors of rulers on their ignorant and unohend-
ing subjects none with that Internal passion
inJ;.ns tho Circod rocr,;ts that constitute SC
iarge nor,ion Of the Mexican armies none
will that hell-Lorn ambition, with
"Eye Tim, scorche,b all il pares upon;"
,,h;ob soorns Tho v;o,or;.s IF reace and vouch
s,f's ,to nhn,int e., 49, b,,, ,bo m;r;s,er of mis-
or,, and 1oa,h ha.o ~, dos;,e that a singl,
) Mexican wife should no made a widow. a singl,
: Moyic,n child an ornhan: and | would rattle
that nv country sbnuld sit down in homes
shame, Than purchase. at the prce of rapine AM
tears and blood. the unjust glory" of wavin!
her fac over all the wide continent that stretch
es between the stormy Atlantic and the shore
; of the TRANQUIL Sea.
e
one murder makes '"''ih' u'oosa"'' "''o
;, But the cold-blooded politician, who, safe in hi
u cabinet. provokes hostillties for the sake OF th
o patronage that war may give hlm-the ambition
e statesman. who wages war OF conquest for tn
i extension Of his country's territory, or the gor
i OF his own AdmInlstratlon-the hot-headed ri
e Ter, who bathes continent in blood to avenge
lancied insult. or breach of dplomatic etiquett
o these are wholesale manslayers, whom no caI
!. mage can elevate to hcroism. Napoleon tina
l. man of iron and blood. repented, trembled wep
o when he remembered that he had needessly al
r ticipated the attack of an outpost, and thu
h shortened nv n day the lives of n few soldiers I
c crafty fine curiosiiv of n woman with the spet
= incIe oC a hattie But what comnunc,ions llay
a visited our rulers far the blood Of those who f.,
d in tho ranks in thr valley of the Rio Grande. ;
II tho s,orminr If Monterey at Ruono Vista.
i. Cnrro CnrJr and in ,ho.n songuinarv coptlic,
}, nnanr ,hn u,l,, nr Wexco. Cnr thc uno,,andin
g anJ rnrosi',in,, women and Children WIN we,
o "ia,,h,ornJ i, ,te homb,rdmen, IF Vcr, Cru,
!. in havo r,iin, yic,;ms f. the irfuriated NM
# oom ~ " ~, rmJisnnIuoJ m,rnndinr soldier,
~ r'. ,,' ,,'''sa,,J, ".hn,n thc rost;ienco of Il
n w .'I ';i,1'' ;,,n ,,,o ,,r,,o. G,r II
p mp n's si'on''. 81 herosvenen, ,yhn.
u,'o" a''' ,',,in',a,,. oyen in tho hiobyv,,
H. ON" r.t' a'o ~ no'
10 vi u,''s nt,ol,r ,,o ,o,,, oons;Jor,t;o,
~, nu' WINE , ,t; W. !, ~ ft ,i'a, a
Il, 'p''''eStou W. va, .hrac,or of tho oriain
snou'u Niune i'''p ,,'e and al ;,s ,,,onJa
~ .1"'a oH"S'' -" " ''y 'asm,o nf wh;ch ,h
-, '''''c9 a',u Wv i',,;,;,n,,o ;cro, n
~ arc 10 ! "''c "''e""y saI, 10 ,ao.ns hy Viii
W. .eS.''y .,, ''n,'o,,J
M '"1' ,,or ,u,,,olr T., maintain III
w. t Ivy 'ar0 "pY" oons;J,red an,
Of cie, IL, anJ ;,s means w,s clearl,
ch ins, and sn,,icient ground for declaration
a. l "7. a"u -. M Ja,ormin,t;