Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-02-25

have so long cxerSied military rule over that
people to be, like he Roman legons or the
Turkish Janizaries-ft and dangerous instru.
ments to set up military power at home. Any
Government set up u Mexico, under the pro-
lection of our army, will of course fall, whencv-
er the army is removed.
My next objection to proceeding in this ca.
reer of conqucring Mexico is, that the effort has
already incurred debt Of sixty millions, which
will exceed a hundred millions year, and 90 on
accumuaing; and this deb. is a lein and mort
gage on this country, and on every farm, and on
industry and the fruits Of industry. of every man
in this country. which, though now deferred.
must be felt and endured for succession of
generations.
My next objection TO the conquest of Mexico
is this; II we conquer Mexico, we are, by the
law of nations. bound to pay the debts of Mexi.
co. Nothing is more GEAR than tho law of M.
tons on that point. refer you to one of the
most common and approved writers on that sub.
ject, VatteI, (book 2, sec. 9o3.) After treating
much on the subject he says: For a conqncror
to refuse to pay the debts of the country he has
subdued would be robbng the creditors with
whom he is not at war;
The debts of Mexicoare Of very great amount,
chiefly due to the people of England. These
debts are the property of creditors who are not
Mexicans, and we have no more power or right
to take or destroy such property, than we have
to take any other property of people with whom
we are at peace. Now sir, | do not say what
lawlessness and reputation may become in this
country, but this do know, that if we are to
preserve any respect for our national character,
and the opinion of mankind, and to hold posi-
ton with civilized nations, just sure as we
conquer Mexico, just so sure we shall have the
uncounted millions of her public debt to pay.
Nor am sure that even taking the disgraceful
position of reputation would prevent it. When
Frederick the Great of Prussia conquered the
Kingdom of SiIesia, the debts which Sile-a
owed to Englishnen were demanded of him bv
the King of England and, after some shutting
and much negotiation, he was constrained to
pay them.
My next objection is, that we have declared
to the world that man is competent to selt-gov.
eminent, and we are now, in this country, pre-
sentiny to the world a succes sful experiment Of
the principle Now, by the conquest of Mexico,
we show, to the world that, in Mexico, it is
shown man is not competent to sef-government
or even sufficient to preserve themselves from
foreign conquest. That even in this country
we cannot control our spirit of aggression and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, but proceed to swallow " or
"absorb" a neghborng republic, weaker than
ourselves, not competent to selt-prOteCtion and
so ignorant and degraded as to be incapable OF
internal free government, but yet desirable cit
liens of our free republic. Our conduct and
our professed principles will, in this way, soor
become laughing stock, a by-word, aud Il re-
{ proach in the world. The propagation of re
pubcanism by the sword is gross incon
si>tency as the propagation of religion in tina
, way. Neither can exist but as matter of choice
r and opinion, of the people, with whom it pre-
: walls.
Much is said of destroying the nationality o
{ Mexico. Sir, to my mind, the uniting MeXic
= to this country, with It's mixed population c
. seven or eight millions, of Spanish, Indian, an
negro admiXture is to destroy our own nation
atty. We cease to be the nation we have bee
and now are: the nation which achieved indie
pendcnce and established civil liberty. The ma
ton over which Washington presided
a treaty of peace is the result of war. II i
the product, the creature. the child of the war
and must ever be considered as made bv tn,
pressure of the war; therefore, whatever terri
tory is coded in treaty of peace, and especial!
if it be territory of which military possession
: was taken aud held during the war. is and mus
; he ever regarded as acquisition by conquest
1t is altogether vain and idle to attempt to dis
guise the true character OF the transaction b,
calling it purchase or giving to it that form
: The sale is coerced, and let us not attempt t
} debauch our moral enemy, when Frustrated I,
business and bargaining, as the condition Il
peace.
l will now proceed to inquire into some Of the OBJ
iectons which have been made to putting end t.
this wIcched war. The first is, that canno
, ma Ike peace. That ] regard as utterly uniounde'
and untrue. There Is not n man OF ordinary intel
lIgcnce in America who can Tor one moment, be
lieve but that peace may be made with Mexico OF
any day, il We will but abandon the project OF conquer
ing or Remembering that country. From the yer,
terms offered by the Mexican commissioners TO Nlr
Trs, stated III the Presidents message this is per
tccty certain.
But it is said peace should not be made until re
ceve in the treaty, indemnity, not only for the debt
due by Mexico To citizens, but Tor the expenses
this That Mexico should pay what Is due by he
to our citizens, is undoubtedly true, and no treat
should be made without provision therefor, because,
treaty were made without such provision they wou
be discharged, But that indemnity can be obaine
by land for the expenses OF this war, an entire de
sion. What is understood by this people as lndennl
ty Undoubtedly 1t is Understood that land Is Ia b
had, by the sales OF which money is TO be obtained,
replace in the Treasury the millions are expcnd
ing in this war II will be remembered thai Mr. lrl-
informed the Mexican commissioners that even IT III
business and boundary OF Texas were adjusted his IN
strucons from the President were such that no peac
could be made without the whole OF California am
New Mexico were coded to us ana lhat We Would
thereupon, make compensation therefor IN money
VIVA, il is worth beyond our claims Tor the expenses
, the war.
From this i, is certain, that indemnity for the expen
OF the alone what the President liislst
ed on tor it made sine qua hOu that We mus
have the whole OF New Mexico and pay the differ
ence. How then, can il be said that the war is pros
ecued only for indemnify The Mexican commits
sioners then asked Mt Trst, it, when the orlgina
cause OF the war adjusted 10 wit the Texas busl
ness we could Justify continuance o the war to com
pei them 10 sell their country. This question hasnev
er been answered but the war proceeds But In
great deusion which prevails IN relation to tins suetc
OF indemnify, by taking land, Is tins MeHco mas i'
, land to cede TO us or to any body else. When an!
i,.i nv one
. ouered by another the sovereign or government
succeeds to all the rights OF the ioner one, and has
jurisdiction over it, and owns so much OF the land "a
belonged TO the former government but does not ac
ouire any title to any land. owned by individual pro
nrirtors Spain always mad. her grants OF land, tt
individuals in very large tracts. New Mexico is al
old country and there is not an acre OF land IN IT,
pabe OF cultivation that has not been granted 10 midi
yiduals hundred years ago. The notion, them thai
we can by possibility, obtain any money from land tina
can be gotten either by conquest by treaty OF Mex
leo IS nm utterly unioundcd delusion Something ha.
been said among the people TO mines, but believe
this Government has not attempted 10 practice an,
delusion on our people, by pretending that anything
can be Obtained that way. except the small per cent
which is paid by way OF tax on the gold and silver
poduced. The truth is, mnlng Is kind of lottery -
There are no mines valuable the mines of atri
cultural wealth in the soil OF our country The MrNi.
can mines are the ownership OF the Government
but are in the hands oi foreign capitalists from whom
they cannot be taken.
Il is obvious too that whenever the resolution i,
taken that shall proceed, and conquest be made
until the amount taken, and To be kept shall nav the
expense OF the operation there is no limit to the claim
1t is forever advancing; and Mexico does moi know
md war; ~ tIpin ttl, law