Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-02-05

be very Daniel Of ihe dead is right, the King Of
Great Britain, nor the United States nor any State
Government, never could confer any right to lands
among us; the agrarians (the Surrogate's cousins
germany are correct; and every strong man, has
better right to farm than its weak proprietor,
whom no law maintains but that which gives Mex
co rights century older.
But it may be that our Surrogate intends to argue
that Mexico has no rights but what she wrested, at
her revolution, from Spain. Certainly, that does
make il very bad case, both for Mexican indepen-
dence and our own; both which are suspected of
having just the same false title.
As if, however such law were not enough, with
out any help of morals, our Surrogate next argues
ethically if any body owes you, or you say he
owes you, debt, you may kill him and keep his
estate by way Of damages.
Mostluminously, after thus showing that conquest
has made us perfect right to have and to hold =
Mexico, our Puffendorf next contends that " there
is no such tenure known in the international code
as that of conquest" We are, itappears, to hold
it (Mexico) for the use of man" at large, all the
world over g for the benefit Of mankind - " for
the use of the inhabitants of the world - we the
American people, have devolved upon US the great
work of restoring to man his long-lost rights
This, then, is clearly the genuine title by which we
are 10 legitimate our conquest; for conquest Che
avers) can itself make no title. Well; but we are
to conquer Mexico as zoe conquered our present
seats and neW, so the old title is only to be
legitimaed by our giving IL TO the use and benefit
Of mankind, rather than ourselves. So that really,
it comes, after ALL to but this That nations have
no dominion property in the soil; that il is the
common property of all mankind; that land is no.
body's in particular, but every body's; that being
so, any body may seize upon it, provided he be
strong enough; bmthat any body still stronger may
fall upon him and rghtfully take it away, by only
going before Surrogate McVean and his Conven-
ton, and swearing that he steals, robs, and murders
!" for the benefit of mankind aud to restore the
long-lost rights Of the human family
As for all that the Surrogate says when, quitting
human things, he comes to divine, and, laying down
the lawgiver Of mankind, heputs on for it the saint
and the prophet, talks about consecrated means
our mission to subdue the earth y the work to
which are i" ordained !" the !" fulflment of our
destiny" and, in short, issues us Gods orders,
much as if he were Adutant General to Providence
in this war, we have only to say that bandit in the,
ballad to which we have referred for the source of
his ideas, talks quite unctiously about the Deity
destiny, and all that and that decidedly prefer
the rhymes to the Surrogate's reasons:
"An kinds of creatures stand and fall
"By strength OF prowess of wit
"Tis Gods appointment who must sway,
AL rba;.
Since, then, the rule of right is plain,
"And longest life is but day,
"To have my ends, which call rights,
'sIl take the shortest way"
And thus among the rocks he lived
Midst summer heat and winter snow;
The eagle he was lord above,
And Rob was lord below. -
So was it-,couH, at least, have been,
Blu, through untowardness of ate
For polity then too strong
He came an age too late
Or, shall we say, an age too soon
For, the bold man living now,
How might he flourish in his pride,
With buds every bough
Then rents and factors, rights Of chase,
Sherifs and lords, and their domains
Would a have seemed but patry things,
Not worth moments pains.
Rob Roy had never fingered there
To few meager wales confined;
But thought how wide the world, the times
How suited to his mind.
And to bis sword he would have said
"Do thou my sovereign will enact
"From land to land, through halt the earth,
"Judge thou Of law and fact
"Tis fit that we should do our part,
"And proper that mankind should learn
"That not to be surpassed
In fatherly concern.
"0f old things, all old;
"Of good things. none good enough
"Well show that know how to frame
"A world Of other stuff"
Now, that is what we call genuine Locolocolsm
and manifestdestinarianism and, with all suomls-
sion, we think it much more agreeable statement
of his own principles than that which Surrogate
Nc Vean has put forth from the muzzle OF either OF
his bunderbusses-his report or his speech.
THE NEW DOCTRINE.
IL