Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-01-19

private and political virtue and morality.
Your forefathers, the founders of the
Republic, imbued with q deep feeling Of
their rights and duties, did not deyiate
from those principles. The sound sense.
the wisdom, the probty. the respect for
public faith, witt, which, the internal CON
Germs Of the nation were managed, made
our institutions an object of general adj
miration. Here. for the first time. was the
experiment attempted with any prospect
Of success. Of Representative Demo-
cratic Republic. lit failed, the last hope
definitely posfponcd; and the eyes Of the
world were turned towards YOU. When
ever real or pretended aprehension5 ofthe
imminent danger of trusting the people at
arg" with power were expressed. the an
swcr ever was, Look at tmcricai'
la there external relations the tnitcd
states, before this unfortunate war. had,
whilst sustaining then ust rights. ever ac-
ted in strict 60 nforrnity with The dictates
Of Justice. and displayed the utmost mod
Grafton. They never had voluntarily in
Jured any other nation Every acquisi-
ton Of territory from torign Powers. was
honestly made the result Of treaties, not
imposed but freely asscnted TO by the 9TH
or party. The preservation Of peace was
ever a primar. object The recourse TO
arms was always in self defence. On its
exPcdlcncy there may have been a differ
encc Of opinion. That. in the only two
instances of conflict with civilized notions
which occurred during period Of sixty
three years, )173.; to 1916. } the just rights
OF the United States had been invaded by
a long continued series of agoressions, is
undcniablc In the first instance war
not declared; and there were only partial
ho9tlities between France and England.
The Congress of the United States, the
only Legitimate organ for that purpose. did.
IN l3I2. declare war against Great Rrl-
tam Independent of dcprcdations on our
commerce, she had for twenty years car
rcd on an actual war against The United
states. ! say actual war, since there is
now but one opinion on that subject; Il re-
ncwai OF the lnprcSsmcnt Of men sailing
under the protection of our flag would b"
tantamount to a declaration Of war. The
partial opposition 10 the war OF 1912 did
not rest on denial of the an"rcssons OF
England and Of the Justice of our cause
but on the fact that with the exception of
imprcssmcnis. similar infractions of our
just rights had been committed by France,
and on the most erroneous belief that the
Administration was partial t. that country
and insnccrc III their apparent efforts TO
restore peace.
At present. all these principles would
seem 70 have been abandoned. The mos,
Just. a purely defensive war and no other
IS luStlhablc, IS necessarily attended, wa.
train Of great and unavoidable evils
What shall we say Of one iniquitous in its
origin. and provoked by oursclvcs-of a
war Of aggression, which IS now publicly
avowcd to be one of intended conquest
II persisted in, its necessary conSc-
qucncr Will be permanent increase OF
our military establishment and of eyccu-
tive patronage: its general tendency TO
make man hate man. to awaken his worst
passions. to accuStom him TO Tho taste Of
blood. 1t has already dcmoralizcd no
inconsiderablc portion OF the nation.
The general peace which has been pre-
served between the great European Pow
crs during the last thirty years may not be
ascrbcd to the purcst motives. Be these
what they may. this long and unusual re-
pose has been most beneficial TO the cause
of humanity Nothing can be more in
dalous than the warbctween two adjacent
Republics of North America.
Your mission was. 20 be model for all
Governments and for all other less favored
nations. to adhere to the most elevated
principles of political morality, TO apply
all your faculties TO the gradual improve
nent Of Your own institutions and social
state. and. BY your example. to exert q
moral influence most beneficial to man
kind al large. Instead of this. an appeal
has been made to Your worst passions: to .
cupiditv. TO the thirs. Of unl ust aggrandzc-
mcnt by brutal force: to the love of mill
itarv fame and of false glory: and it has
ever been tried TO pervert the noblcst feel
ings ofvour nature. The attempt is made
10 make YOU abandon the lofty position
which Your fathers occupied. 10 substitute .
for it the political morality and heather .
morality and heather patriotism of the he
roes and statesmen of antiquity.
have said that it was attempted to pre-
vert even Your virtues. Devotedness 10
country. or patriotism. is a most essential
virtue. since the national existence of any
society depends upon it. Unfortunately. !
our most virtuous are perverted. not only
by our vices and sclfshness. but also bv
their own excess. Even the most holy of
our attributes. the religious feeling. may
be perverted from that as was but too
lamentablv exhibited in the prosecutions.
even unto death. of those who were deem
cd hereiics. Ii is not. therefore astonish-
ing that patriotism. carried - excess.
should also be perverted. In the entire \
devotcdness 10 their country, the people.
every where and at all times, have been
too apt 10 forget the duties imposed upon
them By justice towards other nations
1t is against this natural propensity that
YOU should be specially on your guard
The blame does not attach to those who. !
led by their patriotic feelings. though efro-
neouS. flock around the national standard.
On the contrary. no men are more worthy
OF admiration. better entitled TO the thanks
Of their country. than those who. after
war has once taken place. actuated only
hy fh, nltr,,St p,otiyos daily and with fnt,