Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-03-31

But even mougn my vote slahuS SUI
itary upon the record, | feel willing that II
should pass the test ofan enlightened people.
[ have witnessed the baleful effects Ola stan.
ding army. 1t has brought us into this wal.
Had we been destitute of an army, the Pre-
sidcn, would have been unable to involve us
in hostilities with Mexico. The nation is
now sustaining an army in that country at
an expense Of one hundred and twenty-five
thousand dollars per day. This sum is drawn
from the hard earnings of the toiling mil
lions; and what do they get in return! Why.
they subject the people of Mexico TO our
will. We, who have declared that all men
are born free and equal, "that to secure our
natural rights governments are formed a.
Inongst men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed" now squander
untold millions for little purpose, except TO
give evidence Of our own want of sincerity
in the profession we have made to the world.
We see the officers Of the army on every
street Of this city, living at their ease, and at
the expense of those who toll for their daily
bread. These things are inconsistent with
republican Institutions. Rather than vote
for resolutions lauding our military officers
for shedding the blood OF our fellow men, !
would vote to bring back the fifty thousand
troops from Mexico and diaband them. |
would have them return TO civil life; | would
have each earn his own support, and by his
labor contribute something TO the general
wealth of the nation. The army is a cancer
upon the body polite. 1t is striking its f.
bres Into the vital parts Of society, and ex-
tending its virus into the veins and arteries
of the Government, and if continued must
sooner or later dissolve our institutions. 1t
has already assumed an importance which
must strike the rejecting portion Of our peo-
pie with establishment.
On the 4lh July last, at an encampment
far in the interior of Mexico, at a meeting Of
the officers Of our army, one of their number
was nominated for the highest office in the
gift of the American people. Thus early in
the history of this Nation has an attempt been
made by the army to dictate TO the people a
President-to send us from the camp a man
to guide our ship Of S,aie-one whose hands
are dripping with human gore-so that " hen
he shall lay his fingers upon the book to take
the oath of Office, he may leave the sacred
volume polluted with the blood ofinnocencet
Are such things becoming a moral, a chris
tian people?
Yet both political parties vote resolution:
which in their tendency serve to encourage
our citizens to leave the peaceful vocations
of civil life and enter the army. ! regard the
policy wrong, and its influence delelerious
All such votes of our party paraIyzes ouI
moral power, and takes FROM US the ability tC
do that good for our country which We nigh
otherwise effect. | think our Legislation
should be placed upon high moral grounds;
that We should here, in our official acts, ad'
here to the SAME rigid morality that we prac
iise in private life. | do not know that it il
more criminal in the sight, of heaven for {
man in private life to lend his counsel and
influence TO shed innocent blood, than it i:
for him in this Hall to vote TO sacrifice the
lives of hundreds and thousands of innocen
people. If a man in private life lends biz
counsel or his influence to shed the blood o.
his fellow man, he is hanged as unworthy o
longer associating with human beings; but l
he voluntarily enters the army, and goes Il
Mexico, and there aids in staying hundred
of men, women, and children, who never in
jured us or our nation, why, sir, we tende
him the thanks of Congress; We express t,
him our natiOn's gratitude.
Mr.. Chairman. this morality will no
stand the test of conscientious scrutiny
Our political morality is certainly of doubt
full character. No man dares practise in pri
, vate life upon the principles which guide on
votes in this Hall. am aware, sir, that
D odlu NAV INC DuuilC hlllu 10 NV IIt III
TO adopt the same morality in our Legislation
, which we practise at home. ! answer, tina
E fact depends upon us Uho act far tie public
. Let us but rigidly adhere 10 The dictates Of
, pure morality here, and / entertain no hest
, talion that the people will justify US. | d
not believe thai those who sent us here in
tended that We should leave our morality a
home, or that we should forget our mora
p. responsibility while engaged in the work {
legislation.
/, In what | say against war, | allude onl
4 to foreign wars-to wars Of conquest and az
gression: | make no ~allusion to wars Of DE-
fence: | believe them Unsuitable and propel
, Self defence is the first law Of nature: An
. were | IA Mexican as | am an American,
would meet your army at the frontier with
n sword in one hand and a torch in the othe'
and by every means which God has give
me, | would defend my country.
!. When, in March 1913, /, together wit
twenty other Wing members Of This body
a including the venerable member whose shrol
ded seat reminds US ofthe bereavement whic
our country has recently sustained, by a pull
lished manifesto called the attention OF tn
people to the annexation of Texas as III
commencement of a system of conquest ar
military acquisition which must in time prov
fatal to our institutions, we meant What u
said Ii is true that our efforts to arouse III
public mind TO the evils which we clearl
foresaw proved useless. Our warnings, lik
those of Cassandra, were not credited; the
y fell dead upon the ears of the people: b
. we now see our predictions fully verified
- Sir, | must have read the history Of our rae
q in vain, il this fostering Of a military spir
does not bring upon our Nation conse9ueI
ces of the most dangerous character. | al
= aware that it is said these resolutions
thanks were nothing more than a schema {
= President-making which is regularly man
tested in this Hall once in every four year
BOT the presentation Of the hrs,, was eyi3en
= ~ designed to carry out the roWinatIon
" MeGlco, to Uhich ! have alluded,