Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-03-29

the hard earnings OF the toiiing million.
A contest based upon such conflicting
interests, we cannot regard in the light O.
farce, ore mere scramble between con-
tending politicians for the spoils Of Office
The great object of government being te
promote the welfare and happiness Of The
people, a most Wcighty responsibility
rests upon all who have any part in shap.
ing the course Of a party based upon cor
rect principles. The platform upon which
the democracy haye planted themselve:
for the attainmeat Of this great end, being
the inmut;,ble principles Of justice ane
christian philanthropy, we cherish oul
political sentiments no less sacredly thar
does the religious professor the peculiar
tenets Of his faith. In contending for thu
equal rights Of man and.thc true dignity
Of labor, against the insidious encroach-
ments Of a disguised and ruthless foe, re-
garding our quarrel as Just one, we
have felt inpelled to engrge in it earnest
ly, according to the injunction of the wise
man" Whatsoever thy hand findeth te
90, 40 II WITH tiny ml2hL
The events which have transpireG
since our assuming the control Of this pa.
per, mark most interesting epoch in GU,
national history, forcibly illustrating the
progressive tendency Of the age and The
mighty onward impulse Of this vast Re-
public. Texas, then separate republic
had in February, l845, been admitted with
in the pale Of the Union on an equal foot
ing with the original states, and soor
thereafter, acceding to the terms of adj
mission, she became an integral part of the
United States. Hereat, the ire Of Mexi.
co being enhindled, she rashly precipitat.
ed herself into war with this govern
ment. The sequel is known. After .
protracted and sanguinary struggle, oul
enemy, subdued and at our mercy, hum
bly, sues for peace at the feet Of the pow
er at whose hands she has SO often spurn-
ed the olive branch. The negotiations will
result in the acquisition, on our part. Of
territory sufficient for half dozen new
states, and a proportionate augmentation
OF our national strength and Importance.
One of the most important features Of
this struggle, is the strong development,
of the American character, and the pro-
found respect and awe with which it has
inspired the world. The wisdom, pru-
dence and firmness of our worthy Chiel
Magistrate in the prosecution of the war
reflects the highest credit on the nation,
while the dauntless bravery and proves
of our armies have won imperishable re-
nown. Another important feature, and
one whose traces will long remain as dis
tinctive marks of parties and statesmen
in this country -redounding in all honor
to some, and to the confusion and eter-
nal infamy Of others-is in the fierce po-
litical opposition encountered by the cen
stituted authorities Of our country in pros
ecuting this war. The federaIists, who
have in all times past stubbornly opposed
step,by step, an extension Of the area OF
freedom, arrayed themselves in OPPOSE
ton to the annexation of Texas; and, hav-
ing declared on the side of Mexico at the
outset, they have steadfastly adhered to,
comfortcd and encouraged her, sympa-
thising with, and pleading her cause, and
to the very last have been true to the enc
my. t.s
At the commencement of our labors
here, the policy of our democratic admin
istration, which has since proved so emf
nently successful, was but partially de-
yeloped. The propositions to repeal that
bill Of denominations, the black Thrift, and,
by adopting the Independent Treasury
system, TO complete the divorce of
bank and state, were treated by our OPP
ponents as pregnant with the most disas-
trous consequences to the country. In
1916, when those measures were passed.
one wild and prolonged shout of "Ruin'
went up frcm the leading federal organs,
and their echoes at all points of the COM
pass rent the air with an answering howl
of ruin, ruin, ruin.' Il
Behold the result! How widely differ
ent from these alarming predictions.
Scarce eighteen months have elapsed since
the Tariff of 1916 and the Independent
Treasury went into operation, and SO tho
roughly has their utility been demonstra-
ted-so unusually has the country pros
pered under their benifcent influence =
that panic itself is silent, and the fed
eralists have been compelled to abandon,
in appearance, at least, their opposition.
Driven from point TO point before the pro-
gressivc march Of intellect, they now pre-
sent the strange anomaly Of party desti-
tute Of Gay principles, bound together by
no ties save an inveterate hatred for the
friends Of equal rights, and an unhallow-
ed lust for power and hankering after the
spoils. rs .t51
With the vast improvements that are
going forward in the arts and scie. ces, al
once shortening the road to knowledge.
facilitating intcrcommunication and stimu-
lating commerce---with the lightnillgs Of
heaven directed along tclegraphic wires.
transmitting intelligence between the re-
hottest points with the velocity of thought
the dominion Of prejudice and supersti-
ton must soon give way before the diffu-
sive light Of knowledge. The teachings
OF experience will not be UNDECIDED. The
spirit Of enquiry, is rife among that por-
ton Of our people who have been blindly
following blind leaders, and they begin te
see in which direction lies the ditch.---
Like the electric spark, the democratic
l,rincipfe is ahni,t tn communicates ;tsalt