Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-06-01

1has it yet IN IFS power 10 receive the
proudest titles in the estimation Of the
world? Was i! TO be expected seven
| months since-the capital, the ports
and the principal cities being lost, the
army jisorganized and the passions of
she people inAamed-tha the calaml-
] ties Of a foreign war would cease, and
!, we should have j, in our power to nour-
ish the hope of a peaceful and happy
future?
! 1t will be expected that | should
speak to you of the great and interes-
ting points in the internal admlnls'ra-
ton of the Government, and refer
briefly to its history during the short
period of its existence. Without 'he
Slightest exnggera'ion, ] can assure
you that in the most difficult crisis
which the Republic has ever seen, and
with no resources to meet its absolute
necessities, it has maintained loyal or
der. resisted with the law more than
with an armed force, the violence Of
factions; preserved The morality Of the
Government, prevented ruinous losses
to the treasury, and above all, it has
never allowed the bond of the Federal
Union to be broken. But, gentlemen,
these points should not, whatever your
feelings or preferences under ordinary
circumstances, draw your attention
from the awful responsibility Of the
present moment-when the question is
either Var or Peace acath the United
States.
The treaty, gentlemen, concluded
by our plenipotentiarles in the city Of
Guadalupe, is submitted TO the judg-
ment Of the national representatives OF
public opinion, and to the verdict of
foreign nations. The termination of
war such as we have suffered, the char.
ges which 1t has produced, are in'eres-
ting to the whole world.
The Mexican Republic has treatedtbe
United States, and :hey with it, as in.
dependent people. The spiri; with
which the negotiation has been con-
Quoted might be cited to show that we
90 not deserve al the charges which
have been made against us during the
war. True, fertile and beautiful POI.
ton of our soil is cede,i-a portion o!
considerable extent, and containing the
elements of new and aourishing States.
do Lot wish to conceal The truth at
moment so soIemn--much less the
profound regret oecasioned in my DO.
som by the separation Of Upper Cali
fornia and New Mexico, from the ma
.ional Mexican Union.
1.-THE treaty could have been submit
ted to your delibera,ion precisely as it
came from the hands Of the plenipo,en-
tiaries, my satisfaction at seeing the
war at last brought TO an end, would
not have been lessened, as it is this
day, in consequence of the modi6ca-
ticns into it by the Senate of the Uni
ted States, and which have received
the sanction of the President. | could
have wished that no alteration had
been made in negotiation which was
in conformity with the general views Of
She Government cf,he American Union
mot only because ] look upon modi-
fcations as unfavorable, but to prevent,
also, their being the subject of exagge-
rated comment.
Il
We have occasion this day 10 Ia
ment that the peace policy did not II,
that time prevail. Those who were
opposed to i, have been since unde-
ceived, but their enlightenment, has not
been able TO exempt she Republic from
misfortune. Tardy and barren as the
lesson was, we ought never TO fox Get
it. And, gentlemen, we will no, fer
get it, but let us make glorious elfor',
that our children may not curse our
memories,
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