The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-27
THE UNION
MIR. Caihoun-merieo.


houn's late speech the Mexican war. was dlsap-
pointed at finding that he had taken views OF the
subject He has said nothing that might not have been
read in the newspapers for the last eighteen months
nothing that not Familiarity discussed in my social
circle before the began He should have made that
speech on the first vote of supplieswhen the famous
preamble anrouncet the existence OF BY the ac OF
Mexico. wish he had. It might have produced valu-
able results. would have concurred at that tn,e III
most OF his ylews-perhaps the country might have done
so L is VAIN 10 say he had not opportunity; ihai ne
would have delivered IT, had the Senate paused day, as
ne desired II is the characteristic of greatness to selze
upon critical moments-to speak and to act when IN
Mr.. Calhoun from making this speech the instant
when that preamble was proposed announcing war And
then 1t would have been in tme now IT is zoe iatfalG
geher too late The face OF things is wholly changed
and considerations entitled TO the utmost weight IN May,
1916 it is little short of absurdity to urge Then
might have stopped the Rio Grande, and drawn our
line from il along the 32d degree of latitude But sixty
millions OF money expended-~a dozen pitched battles
fought and won-towns and castles deemed preSnaoie,
captured heights and passes carried at the
point OF the bayonet-the enemys very capital stormed
and taken-and of blood she'd and impershable
glory won surely all these things have changed the
whole aspect OF affairs. Mr. Calhouns project now is
TO disentange ourselves from this war-withdraw our
selves from the central parts OF Mexico, and take up
defensive line History might be searched IN van though
could trace 1t by authentic records TO the day that
circumstances 50 extraordinary Shall we vote our hard
fought battles silly brawlshe heroic daring OF sol
dlers fanatic foly-the brilliant halo of glory which has
settled around our national Standard deusve marsh
light forth from pools of ignorance and corruption
Shall arnish the honor and disgrace the memory OF
those gallant spirits who have fallen in this war, by de-
clarng that they fought and died for nothing Shall
having overrun the enemys country, scattered his ar
mes, swept through all his Notifications, and seized his
capital exhibit to the world the pitfu and ludlcrous
spectacle of deliberately refusing reap any advantage
from our achievements through incapacy or faction IT,
at this stage OF the armies are to be stopped In
md and withdrawn, let them not rest at any de-
ensive lne, think hereafter of any lines but plough
lines or lines OF steamboats, If rhetorical ourlshes or
lodi
rest them now, let our men come home from Their fields
of idle and msdreced valor and hang up their arms
forever We are not warlke people-we shall soon be
afraid to defend iiresdes Let make our ah
dav before the peace societies. and demand ecognzances
for good behavior towards from the rest of the world
But the question is asked with great simplicity, What
are we to do' Why. what our hands find to do, let
do 1t with all our might Let us carry on the war or,
rather, let us make a WAR upon the Mexicans, We
curses of the country and dispersed the armies which
the base instruments of their base ambition. We
have freed the people from tyranny and rane and scat
tered among them millions of dollars Our invasion
has been thus far an unmixed blessing to the great
body of the Mexicans and they would load us with
their gratitude, but for their ignorance and prejudice
Yet they feel that is at least eu to them and 1t
wonder they clamorOus against peace 1t would
be the easiest thing the world to make peace popular
The simple plan IS to make war-what war must always
be- to be efective-a scoMge Let us levy heavy contr
buttons everywhere and make them support our troops,
and pay them also Let sack few of their cltesyes,
them, Bonaparte did half the cities of Europe as
Wellington did in India and Spain; the Allies did even
Paris PARTIALLY the English did OWN CAPITALS as
all nations must do who make REAL WAR, and ann to
conquer peace" Thus lar have been carrying on
what may be called sentimental war When the Mex
have thrown themselves path, we have
indeed. cued them; but on all other occasions we have
been as polite on their own soil as strangers under the
roof OF hospitable host. We have gone in arms, it is
true, but have breathed nothing but peace From the
very beginning have, at every step, begged and en-
treated, the most pulling accents, Tor peace, until the
Meyicans beleve-an have good cause to beheve-hat
either from fear of them, fear of something else we do
ed to cutting anohers throats punderng their prop
erty and razng their dwellings, they knolo what war is
and know that INVASION very Tar IRON being war
Our passages and chivalrc ousts do not up
to their ideas of it at all. They to them brilliant
amusements-surpassng ul!-fghts but they strike no
terror, marked by of those horrors which char
acterze all the wars which the world has hitherto
known. am no advocate OF war. was not, at first
advocate of this war, though we had just cause for 1t
But mock war-a war with seml-baroarans, conducted
the strlcest principles OF ballroom etiquette u.s. 10 say
the least ridiculous If, them we desire to solve the
problem, to put end to every difficulty, and establish
substantial peace, let begin at once to show the
Mexcans that carry REAL WAR. Although
have read of the seges of Numanta and Saragossa and
know that there is large intenixure OF Spanish blood
in Mexico, have idea that they could ever undergo
second campaign such all other nations save ours
would have waged from the beginning. Let us lay aside
sentiment, surrender scky humanity to wing and abo-
ton orators and chastise the people who soon at their
prisoners rob and assassnate straggers and murder the
'counded on the field Of battle. Chastse them they
deserve and as we shall be justified by God and man in
they now do for When this brought about every
thing will be easy. government will soon spring up
competent to make peace; and the awe in which we
will be held by the body of the people, will be the best
possible guaranty for IFS duration.
But to do this, will destroy the "nationality of Mex
ico, ii is said Nationality Where is their nationality
Are they not, and have they not been, dis
organized and debased mob "a horde of robbers utterly
incapable of maintaining position among civilized ma
tions' God forbid that we should swamp our nstl-
lions by admitting such rabble to equal participation IN
them with ourselves look with disgust on the imme
date annexation this Union OF any but their unpeoped
regions Nor would be less fatal to us to hold Mexico
as conquered province, to be governed by vceroy OF
rans by chassng their wild and nsoen pride, annihia
ting their factions, compelling them to unite for the sake
ry fear of arms; and Providence has brought
us into contact with them, it is duty to do it. This is
clearly our emission" The longer postpone the ac
complishmen of it, the it will cost in treasure
and in blood. SOUTH CAROLINA.