Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-03-03

probabilities are in favor of its ratification Now
let our readers look at it for one moment: This
Country has wagcd War upon Mexico for nearly
two years, at a loss Of some .ffeen or wenty
thousand American lives, and of not less than
eighiy or a manfred millions of doiiars, for the
purpose of what? Why. says Mr.. Polk, in
demnity for the past and security for the fu-
turc! !" And yet, it appears that we are about
10 assume 10 pay The debt Of Aerico to our citizens,
Ohe non-payment Of which was the main cause
Of the war y and to pay that Government FIJI
TEEN MILLIONS of dollars for the territory
we acqure-prcciscly what we paid France, in
1905, for Louisiana, without the preliminary
flourish Of bloody war. Louisiana was a
valuable purchase. We needed it for the secu
rity and prosperity of our commerce. The pur-
chase of it put forever at rest troublesome inter-
national questions as to the right of navigating
the Mississippi.
But every square mile of the acquisition We are
about to make from Mexico with the exception,
perhaps, of California, which it would have been
easy TO secure by pcacetW negotid'ioR md p'tr-
cIaso.) will prove curse, instead of an advan-
taoe. to this Union. We need It for no purpose
Of offence or defence. for no good purpose con-
nccted with the prosperity of our commerce -
| for no purpose properly connected with, or grow
ing out of, the legitimate objects for which this
confederation was formed The acquisition of
| it is uncalled-lor and unnecessary. 1t will in
troduce new and inharmonious elements into
this Union. 1t will place foreign and a Bit
terly hostile people under our laws, without their
wish or consent-a people, too unacquainted
with our institutions, and untitled for either the
rights or the duties which their new citizenship
will confer and impose upon them. It will i'm
part new bitterness to the sectional divisions that
already distract the Union. And in every lirIt
in which we can view it, it is lraught with the
heaviest curse to the American Nation-opera-
ting only as lire-brlnd thrown among the R1r-
en- bonds that unite the several States.
This is the way we regard this .'vast acqusi-
ton which appears to be near at hand and we
ierNentIy trust that no falterng or trucking to
peculiar Institutions, no wax-no>ed subseryi-
ency will be exhibited on the part of the Free
F States of the Union. Let The principle Of the
" "m" Pr0r'So Saacfyy erey inch AZ territory
IRE get from Nerico. Let there be no fiiuching
here. FREE TERRITORY or nono, should be the
lntleXib'c determination of every friend of his
Country and of Humanity. Let us not be visit
ed with the deep disgrace of pundering territory
from Republic mhere siarery does not eria. for
the purpose, or with the possibility, of fastening
that accused " institution O upon it. We had
rather this Union were shattered in thousand
fragments than that it should be instrumental in
enarging by one hairs BREADTH the area Of I'm.
man savery-iust as we would prefer that
gun should burst into thousand fragments
rather than be fired into an unoiiend,ng crowd
Let us ascertain who are the friends of the
Wilmot proyiso--who are willing or unwilling
to make it a test queIion-who are for FREEDOM
and who for Siarery!l