Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-12-09

other country. They are composed indiscri-
Intimately Of all professions and pursuits--far.
mers, lawyers, physicians, merchants, manu-
facturers and laborere; and this, not only a.
mong the officers, but the privates in the
ranks Our citizen-soldiers are unlike those
OF any other country in other respects. They
are armed, and have been accustomed from
their youth up to handle and use firearms;
and large proportion of them, especially in
the western and more newly settled States,
are expert marksmen. They are men who
have a reputation to maintain at home by
their good conduct in the field. 1"t& :,
They are intelligent, and there is an indi-
viduality of character which is found in the
ranks of no other army. In battle, each pri.
vate man, as well as every officer, fights not
only for his country, but for glory and distinc,
tion among his fellow citizens when he shall
return TO civil life.
The war with Mexico has demonstrated
not only the ability of the government to Or
ganize a numerous army upon sudden call,
but also TO provide it with all the munitions
and necessary supplies with despatch, con-
venience, and ease, and to direct its opera
tions with efficiency The strength Of our
institutions has not only been displayed in
the valor and skill of our troops engaged in
active service in the field, but in the organi-
zation of those executive branches which
were charged with the general direction and
conduct of the war.
While too great praise cannot be bestowed
upon the officers and men who fought our
battles, it would be unjust to withhold from
those officers necessarily stationed at home,
who were charged with the duty of furnish
ing the army, in proper time, and at proper
places, with all the munitions OF war and o.
ther supplies so necessary to make it eflicient
the commentator to which they are entitled
The credit due TO this class of our officers is
the greater, when it is consderd that no ar
Iuy in ancient or modern times was ever bet
Ter appointed or provided than our army in
Mexico.
Operating in an cnemy's country, removed
two thousand miles from the seat of the fed
eral government, its different corps spread O.
yer vast extent of territory, hundreds and
even thousands of miles apart from each
other, nothing short of the untiring vigilance
and extraordinary energy of these officers
could have enabled them TO provide the army
at all points, and III proper season, with all
that was required for the most efficient SER
vice.
1t is but an act of Justice TO declare that
the officers in charge of the several executive
bureaus; al under the immediate eye and SUI
| pcrvision of the Secretary of War; performed
their respective duties with ability, energy
and efficiency.
They have reaped less of the glory of war
not having been personally exposed 10 its per.
lis in battle than their companions in arms
but without their forecast, efficient aid, and
cooperation, those in the field would moi
have been provided with the ample means
they possessed of achieving for themselve.
and their country the unfading honors which
they have won for both
When all these facts are considered, it may
cease TO be a matter of SO much amazemen
abroad, how it happened that our noble army
in Mexico, regulars and volunteers were vic
torious upon every battlefield, however fear
full the odds against them.
The war with Mexico has thus fully de
velloped the capacity of republican govern
ments to prosecute successfully just and ne
cessary foreign war with all the vigor usual,
attributed to more arbitrary forms of gov
ernment. 1t has been usual for writers OF
public law 10 impute to republics want o
that unity, concentration of purpose, and vi
gor of execution, which are generally admit
ted to belong TO the monarchical and aristo
cratic forms; and this featu.e of popular gov
ernment has been supposed TO display itsel
more peculiarly in the conduct of a war car
ried on in an enemy's territory. The wa
with Great Britain, in 1912, was a great ex
tent confined within our own limits, and shet
but little light on this subject But the wa
which we have just closed by an honorabl,
peace, evinces beyond all doubt that popu
lar representatives government is equal I,
any emergency which is likely to arise il
the affairs of a nation,
The war with Mexico has developed mos
strikingly and conspicuously another featur
in our institutions. II is, that without cost 4
the government or danger to our liberties, w
have in the bosom of onr society of freemen
available in a just and necessary war, virtual
ly standing army of two millions of armet
citizen-soldiers, such as fought the battles O
Mexico.
But our military strength does not consis
alone in our capacity for extended and sue
cessful operations on land. The navy is al
important arm of national defence If tn
services of the navy were not so brilliant a
those of the army in the late war with Mex
co, it was because they had no enemy t
meet on their own element. While the arm
had opportunity of performing more conspcu
Gus service, the navy largely participated j
the coduct of the war. Both branches of tn
, service performed their whole duty to tn
country.
/, For the able and gallant services of the o.
!, ficers and men of the navy-acting indepent
emily as well as IN cooperation with our troOI
in the conquest of the CALIFORNIA;, the car
I ture OF Vera Cruz, and the seizure and occl
patton of other importan, positions on the P;
!, cifc coasts, the highest praise is due. The
i vigilance, energy and skill rendered the mo
effective service in excluding mututions
o war and other supplies from the enemy, Will
: they secured a safe entrance for abunt
: ant supplies for our own army. Onr e!
It tended commerce was no where interrupte,
II and for this immunity from the evils of wa
Is the country is indebted to the navy.
e 1.-THE President says the concert of actie
e between the army and navy on the Pacif
and Gulf operated to great advantage and tn
g the great results will tend powerfully to pr
h serve as from foreign collisions.
It Within less than four years the annexatit
IT of Texas to the Union has been consumm
D, ted; all conflicting title to the Oregon TER
l. tory south of the forty ninth degree of nor
: latitude, being all that was insisted by any
y my predecessors, has been adjusted, al
d New Mexico and Upper California have bee
!, acquired by treaty. The area of these seve
q al Territories, according to report careful
prepared by the Commissioner Of the Gener
| I "A a.