Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-03-30

I
was consunma'ed. She had refused
to conclude peace. by which the war
'hat then existed might be finally end
ed; and she thought that the laws of
nations required her to do nothing
more. And it is now we'll established,
THAT before the march of Gen. Taylor
from Corpus Christi was known at
Mexico, orders had been issued from
| that city directing that the American
troops should be attacked and driven a.
cross the Sabine.
| Such, fellow citizens, is the plain
answer to the most prominent, argu-
mcnts of such Of our people as condemn
the course pursued by our government
in It's relations with Mexico. But
there are other circumstances connect
ed with this subject which should not
be left out Of view. When the news of
the surprise and capture of Capt.
rhornlon's command reached the city
of Washington, both houses Of Con-
gress, almost with unanimity, passed a
bill declaring that war existed by the
act Of Mexico. For some Sine after
wards nothing was heard of the in US
tlce of the war, or the usurpation of
the war-naking power. 1t was not
until the ruin and distress which had
been predicted as the result of Demo
cratic measures had faiIed-no: until
the cry of repeal, which had been ut
tered so loudly by the leaders of the
Wing party, began to be UNDECIDED,
that it was pretended tina: the country
had been plunged into an iniquitous
and unholy war. and the Constitution
eiisregarded and trampled under foot.
Then it became necessary to find some
new issue, to bring forward some new
principle, Oh which the Federal party
could be rallied with hope of success.
Our domestic affairs were obs,nately
prosperous, and our foseign relations
afforded nothing to cavil at but the
Mexican war. That was Immediately
seized on. Members of Congress, who
had voted that it existed by the ACT Of
Mexico, under the stress of party ne
cessitv, perceived at once that it was
brought on by the President Of the u
nlted States. Many who had never
questioned our perfect title up to the
Rio Grande, discovered that the Nue.
ces was the boundary Of Texas, while
they admitted that the whole subject
was in dispute, and open to negotia-
ton. The occupation of Fort Brown
was declared unjust, while the seizure
of Corpus Christi was not objected to.
The public credit was assailed-the
expenses Of the government were ex-
aggerated, and defeat and disaster fore
told. Men who delayed furnishing
the necessary supplies for prosecuting
the war, complained that our opera
tions were not conducted with suffici-
ent vigor; and the waste of human life
was proclaimed by those who express
ed desire that our gallant soldiers
might find hospita5le graves on the
Mexican soil.
But all these things have failed to
array the people against their country.
They have, with reason, distrusted
men who were eager to condemn the
United States for not declaring war
before our troops moved from Corpus
Christi, and yet could find no word Of
reproach to cast upon the Mexican
government for issuing orders to at
tack them, ere their march was COM
menced. And it must be gratlfyingto
every patriot 10 know that notwith-
standing the opposition at home and
the enemy abroad-notwithstanding
the demands for peace by those who
were prolonging hostilities by encoura-
ging the public foe-we have not only
been prosperous, but victorous-our
gallant soldiers have borne themselves
worthily. Every battlefield has been
bu, an arena, on which all-both Off
GERS and privates-exhibited noble
desire to excel in gallant deeds. But
it must excite feeling of dissatlsfac-
ton, in despite of these reasons for
pride and ngiatulation, that there is
party amongst us, who would cast
away the fruits of our victories, and
have the blood of our brave soldiers to
sink into the earth with no other effect
than to enrich the spots on which they
fell. Against this, the Republican
party enters its solemn protest. Whilst
i, requires security for the future. it
demands indemnity for the past. The
Wings of the North have striven to re-
Jet the only indemnity which the pub
lie enemy can give, because oftheir
hostility to slave institutions of the
South. When it is considered that
majority of the whole Wing party is to
be found in the Northern States of this
Union, it cannot be matter of sur
prise that the Federalists in all sections
Of the country, have, with great una
nimity, determined 10 acquire no terri
tory in paymen, sf,he expenses oSthe
war. This convention does not mean
"a GOV that tic nol,tical onponpnfs IN