Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-07-15

III all The great accomplishments man has maue,
his steps have been, in the beginning, through Sc
yerest toll and the mosf m,reienting destruction
We climb continually over the ruins Of the past
TO hopeful present and golden future. Where
now would be those Institutions we love so much
and defend so constantly, whose promises are
boundlessly rich, had not their first uprisings been
watered with mans blood, and had they not been
planted here with surest trust in their power! The
stronger always oyercomes the weaker and always
will, IN nature and in society. There is dspo-
sition on the part OF man, in obedience TO Gods
law, to advance at all hazards and at any expense
'All history teaches us this. The Jews advanced
with the sword TO plant their banners where deep
er barbarism had prevailed The peaceful truths
OF the gospel have been taught TO nations whose
idols were first destroyed by fire, and whose hor-
| rid rites had been wiped out by the bloody hand
of war. We look with pity upon the degradation
man lies under without christianity; but enever
have removed and never remove national re-
ligon but by force. The heroes who went to war
with the cross in one hand and the sword in the
other were instruments in Gods hand for the ad-
'vancement of man. Nothing but force would have
destroyed The ruinous institutions of the old world,
which weighed.upon the people with such sad
misery. Man, degraded -by barbarsm, broken
down by the alsity oil the social and political laws
under which he exists, taxes his first step apcard
by ,cading through The fieid Of battle. The uni
'versa law Of progress takes in this element, rang
ing it by the side of others, giving it its proper
rank in the elementary means of reform. Power
is the great controlling influence Of course, and it
must be physical power before it is moral. 1t is
| hard to find war out Of which good has not
grown, either from the attendant reform of abuses
the establishment OF political rights, or the COM
'pusion of nation its first sep toward enlght-
i eminent is useless n nrove this hx ;nct,ncac
The law is sufficient, and it is our weakness not
our strength, which makes US start back when we
| contemplate it. We dread the horrors of bat
tie; but we would, as independent firm, unshrink-
ing pr0greSsors, march steadily on TO the highest
! glory. Men, as unconscious instruments in the
hands OF God. are obedient to the great law of
power; and euen ,ohen blinded by circumstances,
i and filled wih the io,oesf passions are working
ont The great results has la,os demand. These
inexorabe laws bind all men, individually and in
masses. From them alone comes their retributon.
The tlmd man, who cannot contemplate them,
may never know them while he who contends for
his rights with the sword of the Lord and of Gid
con-, and he Who forces his Uay ,cih the torch of
ciriizaiion and the soord into degraded countries,
each opens the way for The glory and moral ele-
ration of future generations either consciously or
as blind instrument in the universal government"
Our reauerS VIII owe Us ulanks lor placing
within their reach so compendious view of
the principles of those who, within the term of
the present President have been instrumental in
dishonesty well unnecessarily engaging us
in one bloody and bootless war, and had nearly
involved US in one with greater Power, in which,
if our officers and soldiers had won laurels, as no
doubt they would have done, the country would
not have found so easy prey it has done in the
case of Mexico.
The resolutions of the Baltimore Convention, to
which We have referred, demand the assent Of the
People to the entire subversion of the principles
upon which the foreign relations of this Govern
ment had been conducted from the day of its nau-
guraton in 1889 up to the day of Mr.. PoLK's in
ducton to the Presidential chair i to the subsitu-
ton OF policy of interference and aggression, for
one of nonnervention in the affairs OF foreign ma
ions and of abstinence from any other than COM
mercal relations with them; to policy of war.
when war is not necessary, in preference to policy
of peace with the foreign world to the assumption
by the President, during state OF war-and even
when clandestinely composing war--of powers
not granted by the Constitution to the Executive.
but usurped by him as being analogous to powers
belonging prerogativeiy TO the Executive heads of
European Governments to the effective CONVEX
sion, by such arrogatons OF the Government of the
United States, into monarchy, an elective one in
deed, but one whose official head is more soye- |
reign and independent ruler than at this day is
any crowned head in Europe, if Russia be excepted.
The Baltimore Resolutions, moreover, by their
indiscrminate and sweeping appreciation Of the
whole Of Mr. PoLK's Administration, require the |
assent Of the People not only to his acts, but to his
modes Of acting even to the pleas, pretences and
glosses which have covered and colored his various
Ii has thus become matter Of necessity, would |
we not quietly submit to this exaction of assent to
all the heresies Of doctrine, usurpations Of power,
and errors Of design, on the part or the present Ad-
minstration, TO review briefly as possible, with
such additional lights as the last few months have
thrown upon them, its leading characteristics.
Should it be objected that il is Mr.. CAss and not
Mr.. Polk, who stands before the People as the |
Democratic candidate for the Presidency, we reply
tha, is with the principles and not the person, Of
the candidate that we have TO do; and that Mr.. |
CAss has SO far committed himself to the PRINCIPLES
and acts Of Mr.. Polk that Il is impossible to draw !
al T.. al. NJ