The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-02-29

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E utterly opposed to the policy Of an acquisitive
war, which must have been planned in Dark
ness But it was not thing to be wondered
at that an Administration which was in direct
hostility to the encouragement of the useful
arts and the protection Of domestic industry
should seek to divert public attention from its
selfish and ambitious policy by holding up the
tinsel of military glory, and waving before the
gaze of the people the false and meretricious
splendor oil foreign conquest, and thus finding
out a new and guilty employment for hands
which its own course had takeu from the in
dustrial occupations and pursuits of private
life. An effort has been made to hide the tur-
Ipitude of this war Of aggression by exaggera-
ting the wrongs we had experienced from the
Mexicans and the glory to be acquired by VIC
tory over them. The South were told that the
success of the contest would provide ample
| space for the spread and the confirmed estab-
lishment of slavery, and effectually dissipate
the delusive hope with which MIR. Walkers
letter had cheated the Democracy of the North;
while at the same time the North was encour-
aged by the hope that the Wilmot proviso
would be grated ON some of the war bills and
would thereby practically prevent the further
extension of slavery. Those who had clothed
two nations in scarlet and dipped their hands
in the blood of each other, hoped to blind the
eyes of the people of this country by dazzling
them with the prospect of admitting the East
India trade into the ports Of California.
| Mr. M. said he was not the apologiSt of Mex
leo ; he entertained no admiration for he
character, nor was he disposed to deny that
she had done us great wrong; ard none could
hope less than he did from country under the
double burden of the despotism of soldicry and
the despotism of priest. The Mexieans were
technically, the enemies of his country, and he
wished for them no trophies erected at our ex-
pense; but, on the other hand, he had no SYM
pathy with men who would visit the sins of as
piring and cruel leaders on the poor degraded
beings who were but the passive instruments
/ of their tyrany and hell-born ambition; who
scorned the civic victories of peace, and had
chaplets to bestow only on the bold and reck
less soldier. He had no wish to see Mexican
women converted into widows, and their cities
given to the flame. lie had rather his coun-
| try would sit down in honest shame than en-
loving the guilty glory of having, by lawless
violence, spread her dominion over this entire
continent. One murder made villain,
thousand made hero; but the statesman who
sat coolly down in the seclusion of his closet, <
planted war Of party ambition, and the hot
headed ruler whose orders bathed land III
| blood, were but wholesale manslayers, whom
no amount Of carnage and destruction could
ever convert into heroes. Bonaparte, the
greatest captain the world has seen, turned
pale, and wept, and tremblcd when he discoy-
cred that by an order raslIly given to crafty 4
woman with the sight ola battlefield, he had
shortened, though but for few DAYS, the lives
of many of his faithful soldiers; but what COM
FUNCTIONS visitings what gracious drops Of gem
! ba1
exhibited at the sweeping slaughter in the
streets of Monterey, the crushing of women
aud children in the bombardment of Vera
Cruz, at the pestilence of the camp, sweeping
thousands into an untimely grave, or even at
the tears and mourning that were to be wit
messed in the highways Of this metropolis?
But, while discussing the questions of NOR
ais involved in the prosecution Of this war, II
would be well to inquire into the origin, the
the causd cdusarua,, which was to be found in
the annexation of Texas.
Perhaps the bare act of annexation itself,
apart from the motives which led to it, and the
means BY which it was effected, might not war
rant declaration Of war on the part of Mexi-
co. To determine this point, it WAS requisite
that we should know more than would, in all
probability, be ever known 10 the present
generation touching the relations of Mexico 10
her revolted province. 1t might be urged that
Texas was at the time actually Independent; &
it was possible, though the fact has never yet
been proved, that her revolt from under the
Mexican authority was justified by her misrulc
and expressions; but our ground Of judgement
must have respect to the motives and the means
which produced her annexation TO this Union.
The annexation was held TO be necessary to the
security of the STAKEHOLDER: it was Indispensable
in order to the securing of bis rights as guaran-
teed bv the constitution; and the reference
drawn from these premises was, that therefore !
the General Government was bound 10 ard IN
the proiect. 1t was true that timid sHgges- |
ton had been added as to the probable loss OF I
orcat market for Northern manufactures; and /
humbug was gotten up about Texas being |
necessary to the Union as means of strength |
inc the defence OF an exposed frontier; and, rs
a make-weight, they had been thrown in an |
apprehension Of the power Of British influence !
which would be exertcd there should rot an !
nexation be effected; but passed all these con-
sideratiens, because, though they might posi-
bly, be successful in quilting such persons as
had been simple enough to give credehce to
the Kane letter, assuring them That Mr.. Polk
was a friend to protecting domestic industry,
yet-it was perfectly notorious that they never
had avaied to influence single vote IN Con-
gress- congress had had before IL me haAeu
question as a Southern question-as the ques-
ton of slavery. The question before them had
been whether this General Government was
or was not called upon to strengthen that IN
stitution, by giving it space for greater ex-
tension? Up to that time it had always been |
contended by the South, and generously adj !
mitted by the North that the General Govern
ment had no jurisdiction as to slavery; but, as
had been well said by another, in their over
heated zeal, the friends of annexation conce-
ded principle which the abolitionists had not
been slow to take advantage Of, VIZ. that Con-
gress had the right oflegislation on subject /
which had hitherto been confined exclusively
to the Legislative power Of the States.
However wrong the motive ofthe war might |
have been, there was yet more Of crime in the /
mems used in bringing it 20 pass. Whoever
wished to read the blacklist page in American
b;storv sbouId ferret ont fhe secret iutriouas