Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-01-07

clare war agsiusi Great Britain. Ind pendent
Of dspredalons on our comm rec. she had for
twensv years carried on an actual war sgains
The United Slaies. say actual war, nee Ihers
IS n0w but one opinion on thai suhlsci; renew
al OF thai imprcssm nj Of men sailing under ghc
protection Of our flag would be aniumonnt 10 a
declaration Of war. The partial opposition To
the war Of 1879 did notrast on denial OF the I
sgcressious Of England aud Of the justice Of our
cause, boz on the fact that, with the exception Of
tmpressmenis, similar inlracIions Of our just
rights had been commitIed by France, and on
the mOsl erroneous belief thar the Admnslra.
tiOn was rauial 10 that country and insineere in
their apparent efforts 10 restore peace.
A prescaI all these principles would seem to
haEe been abandoned. The most jus', purely
defensive var, and no other is wsIhsble, is ne
eessarily attended with a Wain Of great and
unavoidable evils. What shall we say of
,ae iniqui'Ous in hs origin, and provoked by
verselves--of war Of aggression, which IS
now publicly avowcd TO BE- ono OF intended con-
TuosIi
lf persisted in, its necessary consequences
will b. permanent increase OF our military p.
tsblishment aud Of executive patronage; lis s,en-
Cral tendency iomake man hate man, to a'Raken
his worst passions, 70 accustom him to the tasle
of blood. Il has already dcm uraized no incon"
siderable portion Of the natiun.
The general peace which has been preserved
between ihe great European Powers during the
last ihirty years may not be Inscribed TO the pu-
-4vst motives. be these what they may, this
long unusual repose has been most beneficial 10
the cause OF humanity. Nothing can be more
iujurIeRs to Il, more lamentable, more scanda.
loas, ihaa the war between two adjacent rcpub-
lies Of North America.
NGur mission was, 10 be a model for all Gov
erRtncnIs and for other less favored nations, 10
adhere TO the most elevated principles Of polili'
cal morality, tC apply all your faculties TO the
gradual improvement of your own institutions
and social state, and, by your example. 10 exert
moral influence most beneficial to mankind nj
large. Instead Of This, an appeal has been
made 10 your worst PASSIONS TO cupidity, TO the
thirst Of unjust aggrundizemcnI by brutal force,
TO the love Of military fame and false glory; and
II has been even tried TO perycrt the nobesI fee.
lings Of your nature. The attempt is made TO
make you abandon the lofty position which your
fathers occupied 10 substitute for il the political
morality and healhen patriotism Of the heroes
and statesmen of morality.
have said that il was attempted 10 pervcrt
even your virtues. Deyolodness TO country,
or patriotism, is a most essential virtue, since
the national existence of any society depends
upon il. Unfortunately, our most viruous dis
positions are perverted, not only by our vices
aud sefshhess, but also by their own excess.-
Evon tho most holy Of our attributes, the rel.
rio is feeling, may b. perverted from thai cause,
as was but TOO lamonlaby exhibited in the per-
sacuIions, even unro dah, of those who were
deemed hcrecs. 1t is not, therefore, nslonsh.
ing that palrlolIsm carried to excess, should al
80 be perverted. In the entire &c, o;cdne's TO
1hGlr country. the people, every where and at all
times. have been too apt 10 forget the duties i'm
posed upon them by justice towards other nn-
uons. Ii Is against this natural propensity that
you should be specially on your guard. The
blame does not auach TO those who, led by ihel
patri' &c feelings, though erroneous, Aock urounC
the naIionnl standard. On the contrary, no met
are more worthy Of admiration, better entitled
TO the thanks Of their country, than those who
alter war has once lukcn place, ucIuatcd only BY
The purcsI motives, duly aud with the urmos
scl(.dGyotedncss, bravedr andsakc their owl
lives in the conflict against III. u tal enemy.
must confess that do mol extend the same char
itylo those ciylliuus who coolIy mud deliberate
ly plunge the country into an unjust or unneccs
sary war.
We should have but one conscience; au(
most happy would il be for mankind were states
RicD aud politicians onl as honest in their man
ngemenl Of the internal or external national con
Germs US they arc in private life. The ire
prouchabe private character Of The Prcsiden
and OF all the members of his Administration il
known and respected. There is not one o
them who would not spurn with indignation The
most remote hint that, un similar protences tC
ihoseaeged for disInembering Mexico, ho nigh
be capable OF attempting TO appropriate 10 him
self his neighbours farm.
In the total ubsence of any argument tina, cnr
Iussly the war in which Wa are now involved
resort has been had 10 most cxlraordinrry as
serIion. Il is said that the people of the Cniet
Suites have an hereditary superiority of rae,
over the Mexicuns, which gives them The RICH
10 subugate and keep in bondage the inferior na
non. This, it is also alleged, will be the meun
of enlighlcnng the degraded Mexican, of i'm
proving Iheir social state, aud Of ultimately in
creaslng the happiness of The masses.
il is compatible with the eprincple Of De'"oc
Tacy, which rejects every Hereditary claim o
individuals to admit an Hereditary superiority o
racesi You very properly deny that tho soI
can, independent Of his own merit, derive any
right or privilege whatever from tho merit o.
any other social superiority of his father. Cur
you Tor moment suppose that very doubtful
descent from men who lived one Ihousand year
hgo has transmitted 10 you q superiority ove
your tellow'monl But The Anglo Saxons were
inIeroTio the Goihs, from whom the Spaniurd.
claim 10 bo descended; and they were in NJ
respect superior 10 The Franks aud to tho Bur
gundans
1t IS not to their Anglo Saxon descent, but to
variety Of icauses, among which The Subsequent
mixture OF Frcnchhed Normans, Angevins, aud
GaycOuH n1nst moi ka C,rn,,,.. IL,