Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-01-07

eued nations Of Aneriea. Beyond this they
have no right 10 60.
The allegation that the subiugaiion Of Mex.
leans, oI improving their social state, and Of in
creaslug their happiness, is bat the shallow al
IemP1io disguise unbounded cupidiIy and ambi-
iion. Truth never was or can be propOealed by
fire and sword, or by any other han purely mo-
raj means; by these, aud these alone, The chris
Ilan yetgloa was prOpogiled, and enabled, in
less than three hundred years, 10 conquer idol
airy. During the whole of that period christi.
anliy was tainted by no other blood than thai Of
It's martyrs.
The durios OF the people Of the United States
towards other nations are obvious. Never To- |
sing sight Of The divine precepi, "Do 10 9th |
ers as you would be done by;" they have only /
10 consult their own conscience; for our beney-
olen' Cre'aor has implanted 10 the hearts Of men
the moral sense Of right and wrong, and that
sympathy for Oiher men the evidences Of which
are 81 daily occurrence.
itseems unnecessary TO add anything respec.
ting that false glory which, from habit and the
general tenor Of our early educaIion,. we are
taught to admire. The task has already been
repeatedly performed in Ear more able and inn
! pressiye manner than any thing could say on
the subject Ii is sufficient 10 say that at this
time neither the dignity nor honor Of the ma
lion demand further sacrifice of invaluable
! lives, or even Of money. The very reverse is
Q the case. The true honorand dignity Of the na-
> ton are inseparable from justice. Pride and
S vanity alone demand the sacrifice. Though so
D dearly purchased, The astonishing successes of
0 the American arms have at least put il n the
+. power Of the United States 10 grant any terms
= of peace without incurring the impgIaiion Of be-
ing acIunled by any but the most elevated mo-
&. lives. Ii would seem that the most proud and
0 vain must be satisfied with glory, and that the
!. most reckless and bellicose should be sufficient
0 ly glutted with human gore.
$ A moro truly gloriously termination Of the
1 war; moro splendid spectacle, an example more
t highly useful TO mankind at large, cannot well
n be conceived than that of the victorious forces
e Of the United States voluntarily abandoning all
B, their conquesls, without requiring any thing else
. than that which was strictly due TO our cIzens.
: VIII.-7erms Of Peace.
have said that the unlounded claim of Tex
as to the territory between the Nueces and the
I. Rio Norte was the greatest impedimont 10 peace.
OF this there can be no doubt. For if, relin-
gushing the spirit Of military conquest, nothing
shall be required but the indemniies due TO our
clIizens, the United States have only 10 accept
the terms which have been offered by the Mexi.
can Government. 1t consents to yield terri
tory five degrees Of ofInliude, or nearly three hun.
dred aud fifty miles in breadth, and extending
liom New Mexico to the Pacific. Although the
greater part Of this is quite worthless, yet the
; portion Of California lying between the Sierra
Neveda and the Pacific, Ond including the port
Of San Francisco, is certainly worth much more
than tho amount of indemnllies Justly due to
our citizens. II is only in order to satisfy
those claims that an accession Of territory may
become necessary.
1t is not believed that the Executive will favor
, the wild suggestions Of a subiugulion, or annex.
" alion Of the whole of Mexico, or of any Of It's
interior provinces. And, if | understand the
! terms offered by MIR. Trisl, there was no intcn-
y lion to include within tho ccsslons required tho
y province OF New Mexico. But Tho demand oI
u both Old and New California, or of seacoasi
. Of more than thirteen hundred miles in length
} (aitudc % deg. to ~ deg.) is cxravagant and
. unnecessary. Tho peninsulais altogether
= less, and there is nothing worth contending for
south of San Diego, or about latitude 80 deg.
In saying that, if conquest is not the object Of
: the war, and il the pretended claim Of Texas 10
: the Rio del Noue shall be abandoned there
cannot be any nsuperable obstacles 10 the resto.
u ration Of peace, il is by no means intended TO
$ assert that the terms heretofore proposed by ei
J. ther party are at this time proper. And | APP
i prchend that the different views Of tho subject
: entertained by those who sincerely desIe spec.
/" dy and just peace may create some difficulty
. There are some important considerations which
u may become the subject Of subsequent arrange
9 menls. For the present nothing more is strictly
0 required thnn to adopt the principle status ante
II beilum, or, in other words 10 cvacuae the Mex
' icun territory and TO provide for The payment oil
the indemnIes due TO our citizens. The scru.
y pies of those who object TO any cesslon whatev-
i er Of territory except on terms unacceptable to
;, the Southern States might be removed by pro.
. vision that would only pledge territory sufli.
. cient for the purpose, and leave il in tho posses.
u sion of The United Stnles until the indcmniIics
: Lad been fully paid.
Is Were 10 listen exclusively 10 my own feel.
e ngs and opinions would say that, If The prop
J. osiIions which have attempted TO establish are
corFect--iI am not mistaken in my sincere
= conviction that the war was not unprovoked by
u the Mexicans, and has been one Of iniquitous
0' aggression on our part--it necessarily follows
u that, according to the dictate OF justice, the Uni
y ted States are bound 10 indemnify them for hav.
" ing invaded their Territory, bombarded their
n town. :, and inflicted all The misercs of war on
II people who we're lighting in defence of their
's own homes. If oil this be true, the United
II States would give Gman adequate compensation
9 for The injuries they have inflicted by assuming
Is the payment Of the indemnities justly due tc
0 their own citizens.
= Even if fair purchase Of territory should BE-
convenientio 10 both parties, it would be far prefer
able TO postpone il for the present, among cIhsr
/. reasons, in order that il should not have the ap.
! peurance oil being imposed on Mexico. There