Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-03-10
TERMS: So so i'm advance.
WHOLE NO. g..

WHO BEGUN THE WAR On the 4th inst,
the Y. S.House OF Representatives, by vote
of los to 81, refused to rescind their declara.
tion Qnserted as an amendment in the vote of
thanks of Gen. Taylor that the war with
Mexico "was unnecessarily and unconstitu.
tionally begun by the President" Among
the gentlemen who opposed the rescission'
was MIR. Duer, of Oswego county, n. Y. An
hour or two afterwards, the House took nm
the Loan Bill, and Mr. Duer made a speech
upon ii, in which he said -
1t seems unquestionable that the origin of
the war was the annexation of Texas To
say 1t led to the war, was weak and ex-
ceptlonable expression. Annexation was
war. 1t was unnecessary 10 refer to Grotius.
Vattel. or any other writer's on international
law to sustain this position. II was CAPABLE
OF being made plain TO the commonest under
standing il was of the nature of an axiomat-
&c truth. 1t was not denied that when Texas
was annexed. Texas and Mexico were at war.
What then became Of that war: Why, un-
less the annexation of Texas produced peace
(Which was absurd, the war followed the an
nexation; we annexed Texis, and the war
with her. Her separate independence being
gone, and she being annexed 10 US, the wal
continued with u.s."
we do not propose 10 deny this statement
which at least has more truth in it than the
declaration that the war was begun by the
President, but only to ask how the two
| positions are consistent with each other If
the annexation of Texas not only led 10 the
war, but " was war" itself, then of conse-
quence the war was not begun by the Prcsi.
dent, but by Congress. 1t was as much the
act of Congress as any other act of that BODY.
the President sanctioning it by his signature.
Yet the President who so sanctioned it, was
not James K Polk, be il remembered, but John
Tyler. And it was both passed and sanction
ed under the solemn protest of the Mexican
Minister, Gen'l AlmonIe, that ii would be
considered by his government equivalent to
declaration of war
10 assert now, in the same breath in which
these facts are acknowledged and avowel, that
the war was "begun by the President" mean
ing President Polk, who was not in office when
the Annexation resolution was passed, seems
TO US far fetched and unreasonable
II Annexation was war, then war was en-
tailed upon the present Administration by the
Administration and Congress which preceded
it. 1t was not lett optional with President
Polk whether or not to carry the Joint resoIu-
ton (of annexation) into effect Had he refn-
sed or neglected 10 do it, he would have been
liable to impeachment
Our object in making these remarks. is moi
so much 10 defend President Polk, as to point
out what appears 10 US gross Inconsistency
on the part of his accusers. Men who main
tain that Annexation not only caused the war,
but was war itself, are precluded from char
ging Its origin upon the President Jour. Com
To the Editor Of the Union:
SIR: Will you oblige Tie by publishing
the letter which follows. and which ! cut
from the North American, printed in the CT
ty OF Mexico on the 18th of January last
1t was written by Pennsylvania mother
more than sixty years OF age, to her son, a
private soldier in the ranks of our army
That son was the only prop Of her age, ant
his labor was necessary 10 her support; and
yet she thinks but OF her country and its
honor. am proud of this old lady, and
wish to show her to other States and other
countries as one TO be initiated We may
pardon the little fling she gives at the & Mex
lean whigs," believing as she does that they
have added to the peril of her boy She is
but one of thousands of Pennsylvania meth
ers; and / extract her letter, to show that
one State. at least, will stand by the coun-
try in this war. SIMON CAMERON.
GIRARD, ERIE Co., Nov. II, 1947.
My DEAR GEORGE: Once more | take my
pen with heavy heart, being almos, in de
SPAR of hearing from, much less of seeing
you again. You promised, when you wrote
to me from Jalapa, that you would write once
a month; but have not got one line from
you since. | still TO you and why you
don't get my letters can't imagine hope
you will not neglect writing if you get this
We have various accounts from the army
Surrounded as we are in this country by Mex
lean wings, we have all kinds of news. The
; federal papers pronounce vengeance and woe
upon you poor fellows who are suffering prl
walton and exposure in foreign land, fight
ing for the rights and honor Of yonr country
| feel, for my part as if / should like 20 see
all such unprincipled traitors share the fate Of
Rley's legion, or placed in front of Worth's
division. we'll guarded, so that they could no
. run ; for, if we may Judge from their discourse
and expressions, you would have seen then
in full flight with Santa Anna for Guadalupe
| would like 10 have seen them at the storm
ing of Chapultepec, or taking Of the city. o
in some of Worth's hard fought battles prevI
: Gus 10 that, in place of riding about al thei
] ease, denouncng the war ~ unjust AMI un
f called for; and some go so far as 10 say they
hope you may find all your graves il Mexico
I For my own part, know that feel as sensl
bly, as any mother can for son, and shout
feel very happy to have you at home bu
. you have chosen the army, not through nc
cessity, but of choice, and | am sur
that no truer or Drawer heart beats beneath III
ar-spang.ed banner of freedom than yours.
From your affectionate mother,
DELILAH TURNER
To GEO. w Turner, Co. K, 7th ResrU
n Infantry, Mexico.