The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-03-13

progress, has been most curious and confused
At first, both parties appeared to agree together
in the declaration of war, with some very few
aud uncomfortable exceptions. But as VIC
tory followed after victory, and as more
money was required to accomplish these
brilliant victories, new and strange phe
nomena then became apparent in the political
world The ~hig leaders began to find reason
Tor crying down the war throughout the country,
principally, however, upon the score Of the eX-
penditure and money which was required to
prosecute the war But, singularly enough, in
the armies which made these expenditures ne
cessary, the best generals and the best soldiers
were wings, and nothing else than wings. The
democrats fought for their country in Congress,
and the wings upon the field of battle. The
conduct, moreover, of the old democratic and
the old wing leaders, seems to have been
strange and inconslderate. What u spec
table TO contemplate Webster and Benton
opposing this peace, and Calhoun, who was
originally opposed TO the war, now nobly
and ably sustaining the treaty, and exert
ing himself to the utmost TO bring about its rati
fcation Webster aud Benton, with a few ultra
politicians following at their tail, seem to have
acted like spoiled children, or enfants terribles,
the French call them What can be the
meaning of all this !-what will be its effect
1t seems that in the Presidential campaign, Mr.
Polk is now certainly in very singular and
happy position. He began the war. He car
ried it through. He has now ended It, sue
cessfully and brilliantly, after forty splendid
victories-after the acquisition of immense
glory and territory, and only a hundred
millions of debt. He is lucky and fortunate
Ia 81
the democratic ranks who will be able to har-
monize all the difficulties and contentious which
divide the party, and to overcome all the Will
mot disturbances and quarrels which the little
politicians of the day have created. We do not
think that the swindle practised upon Mr. Van
Buren,, four years ago, will ever be repaired
Mr.. Cahoun's position is equally as strong and
commanding as that OF Mr.. Buchanan or Gen.
Cass'
But what will be the condition of the wings!
What will be the position of Mr.. Clay? What
that of General Taylor? We are very much dis
posed to believe that the termination of the war,
in the manner in which it has been done, and
the quarres of the several Generals and militia
ry officers (Which will yet bring out many new
Developments and much "soup'') will tend to
throw 30 much ridicule, farce and odium upon
military politics in general, that the public will
be induced to abandon military men altogether
for any other purpose whatever than mere
blood and carnage, and 60 back upon states
men, who have heretofore guided and inAu-
enced the different parties In such a stu
alton of things, we should not be sur
prised to see Mr.. Clay the candidate of the
wing party on one side, and Mr.. Polk the
democratic candidate on the other side
Most certainly Mr.. Clay owes it to him.
self, at this crisis, to come out again, and
explain his position anew, and to take before the
people more national, more comprehensive,
more liberal and enlarged view of the public
interests, than he did in his famous speech at
Lexington last fall. If he were to do this, it
would operate to do away with the bad effects
OF that, for him, unfortunate harangue.
These are some of the views and some of the
conclusions which occur to US at this particular
crisis of public affairs, Immediately upon the
track of the ratification of that great and impor-
tant document, the treaty. 1t will take yet some
time for individuals aud parties before they Will be
able to settle and adjust themselves to the new
order OF things. Our merchants, our manufac-
turers, our tradesmen, and business men gene
rally, will have less difficulty than the politi-
clans to do this. time of prosperity is about
to open upon US, greater and more astonishing
than ever before has taken place in all the past
history of this republic. Our military deeds
and military fame, together with our financial
power, will secure for peace with the whole
world, and particularly with Europe and South
America. The nations of Europe, standing as
they do upon the eve of a general revolution
among all their governments, will see that |
we are the only stable, the only free and
happy people in the whole civilized world. We
have, therefore, every reason to be pleased with
the commencement of the Mexican war-with |
the carrying out of this war-with the peace
with the treaty-with all the negotiators in it,
great and small-with the conduct of both pa rites
in the -Senate-while we laugh at and ridicule
the child's play of those who put themselves in !
opposition to the current of the age, whether as
politicians, or as journalists, or as editors, or as
loafers. Up the sails again, and away before the
breese!
CREDIT TO WHOM CREDIT is DUE-Our ama- |
bic contemporary, the Courier DIES Etats Unis
charges US with publishing, without giving him
credit, certain passages of their VS., and using
it in the columns of the Weekly Herald transmit
ted to Europe. Captain Jonathan Downing once
found loafer wearing his coat and breeches,
which had been stolen from Captain Downing's
ship, and which this loafer had altered in the
buttons and flaps of the coat, and put and call
ed his own. Captain Downing stripped the
gentleman of his borrowed plumes, and kicked
him down the stream, after he got his own.
We are much afraid our amiable contemporary
is in the same predicament. For the last eight
or ten years, the Courier has been quietly taking
our own news-both foreign and domestic
translatng il into their own language, and then
passing it off on their innocent readers and the
community, go as TO make it appear that these
efforts. in cleaning and getting news, were got