New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-02-03
Builder ON the Ethics OF War.

Mr. Benjamin F. Butler, whose Sandy Hill ca
reer was 20 redoent oil piety AMI finance thus
laws down the Law 20 Us Anti War men in letter
TO the late Tsmmany War Meeting
"To those who thins the unjust. inex pedsDt Or
needless would respectfully commend the lsnggsse OF
John lay relation TO the Of 1912 He wholly dis
sppTovei Of that ana yet in letter written on
the subject in july 1872 10 be found In the hr volume
Of Nj. Life he As lhs has been Consffution
ally declared the people evidently bound osappor
it, the teh Constitutional lara do o. shall pre-
scribe
ITO this latter sentiment. entirely sgbscFbs the
American doctrine Instead Of withholding from the
Administration ueedfu supplies Of meu and money, the
manly and matt II s-emsto me- OF the opponents
Of the present would be- - take measures Tor repeal
ing. ina constitutional way, the laws By which It = De-
csred aud kept This S. moreover the course OF Wis
DON ard humanity for 20 deny Authorization
which PEELED IN obedience 10 existing Laws 10 carry
on s expensive and DIN cult the essential 10
the 10 poffac the duration # conflict. 10 in
its cost 90 sggravste s horror and indirectly to
encourage and assist the public enemy
What is it that John Jay stands sponsor for
Simply that those whose judgments condemn
War which has been constitutionaly declared
should nevertheless obey the laws and constituted
authorities Of the country. All well does anybody
deny thisl Do the Wings act in opposition TO i'll
We defy the ex President OF the Washington and
Warren Bank to show one particle OF inconsistency
between Gov. Jsy'sprecepta and our practice. Does
Then let him call for the imposition of direct taxes
aud we will heartily advocate such imposition and
pay our quota promptly and fully Does he need
men If for the defence Of the country, we stand
ready TO march whenever legally called upon; If
for the invasion of another country he has con-
stitutonal Right to require services bat there
are Wings enough who have readily volunteered,
and will do so again. What more does the ex-
fnancer want Would he have us call right
wrong and evil good because the President has got
the country into war; What r0ald he havel
Bat we must not withhold needful supplies.
Neediul for chat For the defence Of our own
country That is not pretended. For the subsis,.
ence safety and comfort Of our Army in Mexico
Certainly we will not For the augmentation Of
that Army and the prosecution of its conqaests
Nay, but to ichat end shall they be prosecuted
The President is not omnipotent in this matter
Congress is q coordinate branch of the Government;
aud has responsibilities to fulfil crimes 10 avoid oil
to answer for, As well as he. Why should We pros
ecute our conquests in Mexico Have we moi
more OF her territory already than We claim Is
an indemnity Have not overrun and s1biuga
ted her until she has no army left to combat and
| is to be gained by doubling our forces and con
quests We do not perceive and Mr.. Butler dOeI
not indicate. And until Congress shall be enabled
to discern some good end to be achieved, TO whs
end shall incur farther debt Of Twenty to Thirty
Millions Has it not right 10 consider
We have not wasted words in commenting
considerations founded in Chri. anity or in Human
ity to the ex.President, We have not asked hin
by wha, principle of ethics those who hold the W a
to be wrong shall press eagerly forward to imbru'
their hands in innocent blood Yet there are thcs,
on whose consciences such questions press heavily
however strange this may seen to Mr.. Butler.
CosRrorIoS.-Ino account Of the proceedings Of III
Board Of Aldermen, les, Tuesday il stated that AID
Purssr moved rssolutions upon the Mexican war. Til
was mistake resolution havrs reference to that
offered when net in order, bat that which Az.
offered before the adouruDenf, WA eoposrrg the Tee
' al IN h. Kse oft h City priscr