Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-02-16
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
A Ouandary.

OOpNOtUOT6 CulnOuu COUu0tItuS tuc war,
saysit might have been avoided, that we
have claimed Of Mexico more than our
rights, that the Nueces was the boundary,
and urges several other points. Whiie
Texas was under negotiation for annexa-
tion, map now on file in the State Depart
ment, and prepared under the auspices of
the Executive, Of which Sophomore Cal
houn was then member, gave the Rio
Grande as the Texan boundary, and near
ly alT New Mexico as Texan Terrhory:-
But now, when we are engaged in a war
which Mexico began by attacking us,SoPh-'
Calhoun and divers other Sophomores who
voted for the annexation Of Texas, say that
the Executive is ali in the wrong, and that
the Grand River was never thought of as
boundary. And thus these Sophonores
go on in their orations, making fish or flesh
of every thing, according to the interests Of
some candidate for the Presidency, and not
of the country. -
What do the Sophomorestexpect to gain
by this? We mean for the nation, the on
| ly person with whose rights and interests
they have any business. Let us grant all
that they claim. Let US admit the injus-
tice Of the war, call our armies home, ,aban-
don Mexico, admit the Nueces to be the
boundary, and relinquish all thought of in
demnity. What then? Aye! What then2
The question is quite important to states
man and patriots, lift be not to sophomores?
Let US abandon Mexico, and leave it to
French monarchy. What would a French
monarchy do with il? Curb its plumbers,
elevate its rabble, develop its resources, i'm
prove its advantages Of communication be-
tween the Atlantic and Pacific, open to i'm
migration from France and Germany make
it rich, powerful monarchy, with ample
revenues, a large army, and increasing ma
Wy. Even the English aristocracy would
assent to this, for much as they dislike the
| French as, rivals, they hate US as ritals
still more formidable. i his would compel
us to maintain large standing army, OF
which the Sophomores are no,O as much "a
fraid with out cause, but of which they
would then have cause TO be afraid. And
then looking back upon us,and seeing how
we had not only assented to this, but had
permitted the prize 10 pass from our own
hands, after having thrown nway thou
sands Of valuable lives, and incurred n
heavy national debt, they will very Justly
excla;m, 'what fools were our fathers in
permitting such formidable and hostile
neighbor to grow up in Mexico, and how
unjust were they to us, their posterity, lin
imposing upon US the burden OF fencing o.
gainst him. ta6
: We of the present generaion have no
t moral right to be such fools. Nations live
long; longer than generations, and the gen.
Grafton that seeks merely the interests of
its own lifetime, and neglects those of its
|
generation is morally bound to consult the
: interests Of its successors, through all time
so far as it can see; and our gratitude is
. Que to the foresight Of the Revolutionary
generation, for the great benefits which
e they transmitted to US. And we are bound
: to transmit the same to posterity, with as
many additions to them assoar means will
allow. Therefore we are bound, under ex-
: isting circumstances to conquer, anneX,und
$ .9ngIo- -.fme,icanize III exico, and transmit
3 it to our poserity, and to posterity's poster
: ity, as a part of the United Siatescf An e..
J ica, and not as their rival enemy. WOan-
ticipate the consequences OF this position,
!. and leave the Sophemores and their editors
: and letter.wrters to state them. And when
o they come, we shall know how. to- meet
them. tij At'~e ',t
q Tho Sophomores Of Mr. Jefferson'stin'e
, onno,ed the annexation Of Louisiana. -0
What benefit to the great West would
have been the continued possession OF the
= Mississippi by foreign power! How
much more prosperous and powerful The
United States would have been, had the
growth of the w est been restrained,a ,and the
, American people kept Eastward Of the
Mississipnii We might eventually, though
,. later, have got Louisiana through war
with France But we should have spent
much blood and money, and greatly re-
strained our growth. Andwe should not
: have got it so soon, nor without contest,
u and perhaps not ut all, had the counsels OF
= the old federalists, the conservatives, the
"grannies" of 1903, prevailed !ever the
statesman like foresight and sagacity OF Mr.!
Jefferson. And would the postcfity of
these .swise men of the east, +" the sons and
! grandsons of the Ceramics" Of 1903, now
surrender Louisiana TO France or Spaint
So far from this are they, that they never
look back to 1905, without thinking, ""hat
short-sighted old fools were our fathefs!H
! Sophomore Webster, Sophomore Benton,
! Sophomore Clayton, Sophomore fearce,
: Sophomore Calhoun, Henry Clay, Master
r of Arts; John @. Adams, Doctor OF Laws
o are great men,-wise men, learned mon,
E sspractised statesman" in opposing tho an
: nexation of Mexico through fear of stand
y ing armies. But when our sons and grand
6 sons see our confedefacy covering the
= whole continent, with no standing armies,
because they have no neighbors to watch,
!. !. commanding the commerce of India and
$ China by steamships on the Pacific and
f Railroads on the Continent, with telegraphs
extending from Montreal to Mexico, from
/ New York 10 San Francisco, powerful,
J prosperous, homogeneous and united, a
: match for the world, at peace with me
I whole Of it, because all their Interests wll1
e be peaceful they will look back tosIeeo.
: and seeing how these very great ana wise
: men would have. prevented all this by sur
), surrendering Mexico to European r,sul,
+ shin, they will exclaim, ''whut short sighted
: fools we're these much vauntedt WISE men
| r IL. D. 81 Era u