The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-05-24

fhulSulties, anu luli ihoeiiny iot oaCtiiiCeS, VIC
received. ...-
Cd. "Are you in favor of, or opposed TO, the
Chartcring United States Bank7"
When the question was agitated as a mea.
sure of financial and political expediency, loo.
ked no further into the subject than to keep my.
self informed generally ON matters of public in.
tercst. During its struggles for a recharter,
and when wrhing and reeling under the blows
of the palrio, President Jackson my judgement
was instructed that such an institution, however
wisely restricted or cautiously guarded must Of
necessity, have within itself elements DANCE.
rous TO public and private virtue, if not TO the
appropriate and healthful action of government.
So the people seem to have regarded and de-.
cided the question, and it is difficult to conceive
state of affairs to tempt any sane, or 10 excuse
any honest man, in the effort ito give it vitality
again"
Sd. care you in favor of the present indie.
pendent treasury7"
Decidedly in favor of the principle;-of its
working in respect to economy and convent.
ence, in receipt and disbursement of the public
moneys, MISUNDERSTANDING under the i'm.
preston that, in those respects, (its machinery
notifications may be desirable; and if so. that
the wisdom Of Congress will apply the remedy.
4th. "Do you favor, or oppose, the distrhu.
ton of the proceeds of The sales of the public
lands among the different States?"
Were in position 10 vote, or exercise per.
sonal influence, oppose it to the utermost
However honestly designed, it is difficult to i'm.
agine scheme fraugh, with greater evil, or
more ingeniously devised to corrupt individuals
and masses-Staes and Congress. Besides,
will not such disposition of the proceeds ope
rate fraudulent stewardship of the great trust
con6ded to government for the general goodl
5th. "Are you in favor of, or opposed to, the
tariff ls46?"
| Absence, since the passage of that act, has
deprived me of the opportunity OF informing
myself by observation, or by communion with
othe RS, as 10 its practical operation. As gen
eral principle Of economy, applicable to our
institutions and circumstances, should hope to
see a tariff Tor revenue, critically adjusted TO
the various interests and rights Of every part of
the country, limited strictly to the means neces-
sary to an economical administration Of the al.
fairs OF the country, including every proper and
constitutional interal improvement protection
regarded cs purely misunderstanding, never.
theIess, to see the day, and that not remote,
when trade will be free and unfeitered; when
no interest Of our country will need, or desire,
aught of protection against foreign competition.
l have thus, my dear sir, in a plain way, frank.
y answered your questions, trulhfully. If not sa.
iisfactorily.
Cordially reciprocating your kind expressions
of personal regard, believe me, very respectful.
ly, your obt serv',, W.. WORTH.
JOSEPH Mil, ESQ.,, Chambcrsburg, Pa.
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH MExIco!-l; is
now the settled conviction ofthe best informed.
that we shall have no treaty with Mexico. 1t
is singular result Of conquest that the conquer.
or should be embarrassed by the fruits of his vic.
tories-hat he offers to purchase from his enc.
my the possessions he has won by his skill and
ralour, and that the enemy refuses the boom
scorns the concession. We repeat that this is
without parallel in history. Having entitled
ourselves to all the benefits ofterrorial dis.
membermcnt by the laws of war, while the
defeated and humllated party refuses the price
we are willing to pay for that which was ours
without money equivalent, the question natu-
rally arises,-What shall he done with Mexicol
There are three courses open. i. The entire
abandonment OF all our conqucsts to the line of
OF the Nueces. 2. The compilation of our con.
quests and absorption. 8. The adoption of a
defensive line. The first is entirely in contra.
dction, 10 public feeling and opinion, even if it
were e1pedient to throw away the fruits Of our
victories and expenditure Of blood and treasure.
Ifihe question were for the first time raised,
whether we should punish Mexico for her con.
tumacy and bad faith, BY an invasion Of her ter.
sit fho L.. 81
Our acquisition OF territory, limited as it may
be, has resulted in costly experiment TO obtain
national redress by war, as it may prove
source Of danger TO the stability of the Union.
The question assumes a different aspect if we
areto surrender to weakness and obstinate pride
all that has been obtained by national sacrifices,
alter concession which have been spurned.
We trust that as the is little support in popular
sentiment for the abandonment of Mexico, SO
we hope there is less for entire conquest and
absorption. 1t is here that our people should
guard their desires by self.imposed moderation.
The virtue in nations of abstinence, in the face
of temptation, to acquire territory is as rare In
the annals of republics as is it in those Of mon.
arches. In Offering 10 purchase from Mexico
that which is ou's by the rights Of conquest. we
have so far practicalIy y contradcted The truth of
the remark, that in our war with that country
we have exhibited the same spirit of territorial
aggrandizement. Let US not then listen to The
counsels which would advise the entire suhju.
cation and dismemberment Of Mexico. Our
mission is not 10 extend the area of freedom by
the agency Of conquest. Liberty never yet
made for herselfa path by the sword, where her
institutions have been firmly planted. The idea
of glorious destiny to be wrought for the re.
public by physical force and the strong arm Of
power, has immeasurably lost its influence over
the public mind. Our people have recovered
the sell. possession, we trust, that belongs to
that reslraint on the spirit Of adventure, which