The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1848-02-08
- ,AlLErTER FROM GEN. CAss.


WAsHIScTox..D Dec. 23, 1s47.
. DEARs SIR i havea received yuar Ileuer,
and shall sansxerit, as frankly ass itls writ,
ten. $50, ,u5 sf3 sguigd yslIaH .lo-ll2 lusn
-, You asks me whether / amin favor Of the
acqnisiiion Of Mexican territory, and what
are my sentiments with regard to The VII
mo, Proyiso2 ,vrb aH IL s1.ga' ~ t.
m have so often, and SO explicitly stated
my views Of the frs. question: in the Sen
ate, that il seems almost unnecessary to re-
pea, them here.a As youareques. ii however,
! shall briefly give them. o5to sa..J
.e,l lhiak them that no. peace ushould be
granted to Mexico, ill a reasonable indem-
nifty Is obtained for the injuries which she
has done U.s. The territorial extent of this
indemnify s,inathe Erst instance, a subject
Of execg,iye consideration. There the con-
stiluton has placed il, and there lam will
lug TO leave IL. no, only because have full
confidence infils jad,cious exercise, but be-
cause in the evetvaryihg circumstances Of
war, il would be indscrcet by a public de-
claratiea, 10 coamit the country to a line of
Indemnify, which might Otherwise be en-
larged, as The obstinate injustice Of the enc
my prolongs the contest, with its loss OF
blood and treasure oah a,l i.o.,, p aIaadg
IT appears to mei that the kind of meta
physical magnanimity, which would reject
all indemnilysat the close,of bloody AND
expensive wal, brougl,, on by a direct attack
upon our troops BY the enemy, and preceded
by succession of funjnst aacis fora resies
Of years, is as unworihy.of the age in which
we liye, as i, is revolving 10 the common
sense and Practice of maneind. II would
,conducel bu, little ,opour security, o. indeed
TO our presentrepu,ailon, 10 declare that We
rcpudiale all expectation of compensation
from the Mexicansgoyernmen', and are fight
ing, uc, for any practical tesull, but fors
Sague, perhaps phian,hppic' object, which
escapes my penetraiioD, and must be defined
by those, who assume this new principle o
national Observation-Disclosures . All wars arr
tosbe deprecated, as we'll by the statesman
las by the phlanthropist.s They are grea
evils; out there, are greater evils than these
and submission TO injustice is among them.'
The nation which should refuse to deient
its rights and its honor, when assalied, woult
soon have neither TO defend; and when driv
en- to war, il islnot by profession Of disin,er
esiedness and declarations Of magnanimity
that its rationa! objects cancbe best oblained
.or,o,hey easions ,aughtalesson sof ;forbear
ance--thee strongest isecufily for permanen
peace. We are at war with Mexico, and il
vigorous prosecution is the suresi means o
.ts,speedy termination, and ample indemnit.
the sures, guaranty against the lrecurcnce
such,iriustice as provoked it, cad 20 .<i1
+, ;t The Ilyilmo, iPfoyiso has been before th'
country so,netime. II has been repeatedl.
discussed in Congress, and by the pub
press. lam strongly impressed with tn
opinion, tha, great change has been goin
eusiny the public. mind upon this subject
in NV own as we'll az Others and that doubt
are, resolving themselves into convictions
and that ,he principle it involves should b.
keptout ofahe national legislature, aud lei
testhe people of the confederacy iu''thei
respective local goyerniRehts g,1il oi fg
The whole subject 10 a comprehensly
one, aud fruitful of important CONSEQUENCE
Il would be illrtimed 10 discuss ritf here. &.
slaH not assume that responsible task, abt
shall con6ne myselfto sucfnsgeneral view
as are necessary toihelfah exhibition -oism
opinions. !ssm34i sasad sysd bna orilei
n Wemay well regret thegexistence ofslar'
ryih ihe southern. states. and wish ,they ha
been saved froma,ts introduction But ther
ills. and notyby iheaes .of1,he present gem
raiion;i and, we ,mustdeal With, as a. glei
practical question, involving The most m
mentopss consequencesr We have neith'
the right uoriihe power to touch iiiwhere ,
exists; and five had both, their exercise, b
any sheretofore suggested, might lsa
l...a ne-srrrrk aNl 2h nH1nfk RliHa.L 4