The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-03-04

oi MEXICO, we LOOK III Dy Iorce. lnougn a
Wing, do not stand here partisan. shall
speak with the freedom of history. have no
sympathy with this late cutlery against Presi.
dent Polk as bringing on this war. shall do
the President the justice to say, that In all Mex
ico never heard the first man alledge the march
Of Taylor to the Rio Grande, as the cause Of Of
fence, or of the war. l am not going to debate
the worn out topic Of the annexation of Texas;
the melancholy and disgraceful causes that led
TO the contamination OF the iniquity. All
America knew that foreign territory could not
be acquired except by TREATY, and treaty could
only be made by the SENATE and PRESIDENT
But slavery demanded sacrifice Of the Consti-
tation, it was made then, II always has been
and always will be made, so long the slave
power rules this nation. In taking Texas, you
took the WAR. So said the Mexican Minister, so
said Iouston, President Of Texas, so said Conven-
tions of several sovereign States, so said common
sense. That actual hostilities might have been
avoided by the President combining the army to
the left bank Of the Nueces, or to Corpus Christi
even, have not the least doubt. But the good
natured President no doubt thought, little moro
robbery was all right. Texas claimed to the
Rio Gnnde-I'll take the Rio Grande, and then
being in possession will hold 1t with peace.
What was the claim of Texas TO the once prov
ince Of Mexicol conquest and other. How
far did she conquerl to the Nueces and no fur
Their. Her expeditions TO Santa Fe and Mier,
both signally failed. San Patrico is on the east
bank OF the Nueces l have been there myself,
there is not single house or improvement on
its west side. say, when our army marched
into The Mexican Territory, and planted its bat
teries, bearing upon the Plaza Of Matamoros.
amidst the people fleeing from their cotton and
sugar fields-that the President Of the United
States made actual war upon Mexico. Every
man in America knows this to be true. VIII
lie live forever The President, no doubt, usurp-
ed power belonging only TO Congress, but Con-
gress had just usurped power belonging TO the
Senate, the Constitution had been overthrown.
This nation is corrupt, TO talk Of impeachment
is worse than nonsense. Let the guiiless throw
the first stone, The Nationsl lntellIgencer has
found cut that Mr. Polk Is a dsspot, and our
Government despotism! Indeed! When the
liberty Of the press was attempted TO be over
thrown in kentucky, he closed his columns 10
my oefsnce, but he allowed Paris correspond
ent To apologize for the act, by quoting the des-
potisIns of Europe. And now he begins to find
cut THAI there is danger Of Despotism I'm these
States! Sagacious editor! far-seeing patriot.
Ten thousand men have been slain, one hun
bred millions Of money have been spent, a
standing army of one hundred thousand men Is
asked for: the purse and person Of the reviewer
are in danger. What shall be donel Why,
send for Mr.. Walsh, These things are common
in Enrope.
But we are at war, how shall we get out Of IL
Do Won want more landi The appetite Of the
great slave champion himself Is Quilted at last
Mr.. Thompson says that slavery cannot extend
into Mexico. Why they heve there, reached
that delightful condition upon which Southern
patriots love to dwell free labor 10 at the Stars
ing poiRf.-Save labor won't pay--it cannot,
therefore, exist. Mexico can't help US; she may
cherish some recollections Of by whom IL was,
that she was robbed of province large
as France. Therefore, Mr.. Calhoun--honest
John--far- seeing Jshn-patriotic John-begins
to perceive danger to our Republican institu-
tons,
Texa. cannot claim beyond the Nueces. II
more rs acquired, IL is by my blood and trea-
sure; by your blood and treasure-it is ours;
not one foot of it belongs to Texas. 1t is
free territory, free under the Constitution Of
Viii The North be forever Tssf E S w sdsa Pov'o
Total annexation! we want to extend free in
stitutions over poor Mexico; we want to give
the gospel 10 the miserable heather, Is the
spirit OF hypocritical and fendish propagandsm
never to diel You have lost ten thousand men
and one hundred millions Of money; and have
possession of some four or five of the most in
significant Of the twenty -four Mexican States!
Will you work the sum- Have you counted
the cost of this so great philanthrophy1 Can
you levy the expenses OF the war from the du-
ties at the sea ports, when commerce has ceased7
Will the mines be worked when plumber stands
with greedy hands to seize the Accommodations
Of laborl Will you forage on the enemy viii
one man sow, when another reapsi Let me tell
you, all hopes Of drawing revenue from Mex
leo are delusve! Levy contribution, forage, dis
tress the enemy, compel a peace! A neighbor
of mine learned that sheep woald kill brars.
After a time, said, neighbor, how went the
experiment-did you kill the briars7 yes,
said he, but thsp killed the sheer too. II eight
millions Of people could be united to MS on
equal terms, enjoying security ofproperty, free
dom Of the press and Of religion; IL might well
compensate for the blood which has been split
the desolation Of farms and vilages-the pangs
aud tears of widows and orphans-the myriad cal
antilles which the war here and in Mexico brings
in its train. But will il he done1 The past gives
nc assurance of suck things. The South has
shown no such greatness of soul--she has not
done for the children of her own soil, what she
proposes TO aliens of other landsl The North
has given us no such evidence Of independence
Of spirit. She has on all occasions, when a
deed of oppression was 10 be done, been too ready
to calculate how many coppers it would bring
into her Golfers. Give her the price Of blood and
she is always contemptibly tame
A line Of defence seems fall Of similar objec-
| tons 10 a war in the vitas" Of the country
1t would take nearly the same number Of troops;
deprive us Of the little helpwe may now receive
| from ievies upon the enemy; whilst il would al
low concentration Of their forces, and attack up
oil us in detail A total withdrawal of the ar
my east Of the Nueces river, seems to be puer-
| ilo aud absurd. II Mr.. Clay had taken the
ground of his Lexington speech before the last
Presidential cleo ton, we might have been saved
| from this war. But il comes too late. The
moral power of the nation Is weaker now than
| Il was then. The lives Of our people have been
| sacrificed; our treasure has been expended.
agree that In an unjust war, We cannot claim in
demnisy for our own expenditures. But then
Mexico owes us from three TO five millions Of
/ money, on the old score. She has accumulated
uoen us robbery and insult; and now when we
have the power to right ourselves, and all this
evils of war are accomplished, we must grow
| suddenly mag IA ni,nous 80 / shall not speak
of the beauties of California-of the ports o.
| San Diego and San Francisco-nor of the South
pas, over the Rocky Mountains, which leadi
| through present Mexican terrtory-nor OF the
| mines of New Mexico--nor Of the navigation o
the Rio Grande, ~ inducements to shed blood
and do injustice. But blood having already beeI
shed, and injustice already done, would CLAIM
INV rights / contend that the line proposed b!
the President of the United States, running will
the Rio Grande from its mouth TO latitude s,
deg. North, and thence due West to the Pacific
in not too much indemnity for what MeIic'
owes. / would for this pay her not one cent
| II you want &c pay her, pay her for Texas Bu
these provinces have never been source o
power to her, and never will be. She has no
extended to them the protection Of the Fedora
Government. They are subject to Indian at
tack and pilIage. They have few people, an
would never throw disturbing force into on
rouDcils.