Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-03-02

which John Tyler now occupies, solitary
and alone, as the great enlarger Of the
"area Of freedom" There was, more
over, Il special motive for taking steps to
secure the acquisition OF part, at least,
of California. The surrender of our
claims to northern Oregon had been pre-
determined. 1t was foreseen that this
sacrifice of Western interests, this NOR
LITIGATION of Western pride, would excite
a feeling of indignation which must be
appeased, and nothing seemed more like
ly to accomplish this end than war with
Mexico, which would furnish congenial
occupation TO the restless and adventur-
GUS spirits of the Mississippi valley, di-
vert public attention from the unpopular
policy of the Administration in respect
to Oregon, and atone for the loss of the
northern portion of that territory by new
acquisitions on its southern border.
Entertaining these views upon the Or
igin and purposes of the war, can con-
slider it in no other light than as a ma
tional crime but, independently of this,
it is an offence against the moral spirit
OF our time, a retrograde step in the
movement of humanity,a violent wrest-
ing Of our national energies and nation
al resources to unnatural, inappropriate,
and mischievous uses. The creative arts
of peace, the arts of production, multi
plication, and conversion, are now uni
versally recognised as the objects on
which the physical powers of man should
be mainly exerted; they are arts emil
nently suited to the character and wants
of our people, and the genius of our in
slitutions, and it is complete inversion
Of the principles of true craftsmanship in
the nineteenth century, as well as vic.
lation Of the rules Of Christianity, to cal
upon our countrymen to turn the plough.
share into the sword. we are suited tc
grow by development and assimilation
rather than by sudden accretion; by grad.
ual extension, than by rapid acquisition
by honorable and well-earned gain, than
by rapacious appropriation. The very
publicity inseparable from all the opera.
tons of our Government is fatal TO the
successive conduct of aggressive war
which, like most other crimes, must be
planned, if not perpetrated, in darkness
But it is not, perhaps, surprising that the
party which aims to break down the in
dustrlal establishments of the country
and smother those peaceful arts which
have hitherto so largely contributed t.
its moral and physical prosperity, shculc
seek to withdraw attention from the per
nicous tendencies of its general policy
to gid political decentralization and finan
cial quackery with the spIendor of for
eign conquest, and to furnish new
though guilty, occupation to hands whic
are destined no longer to find employ
ment in the quiet pursuits of civil life.
A great effort is made to hide from u
the enormity Of this war, and to recon
Gle our consciences to its turpitude, b
exaggerated pictures of the wrongs W
have sustained at the hands of Mexico
of the glory which the prowess of gu
troops will reflect on our national char
acter of the advantages which we ar
to reap from few successful campaigns
The South is told that, by the acquisi
ton Of new territory, we shall obtai
room for that extension of slavery, whic
is alleged TO be essential to the perma
hence Of the SYSTEM the continued polti
cal ascendancy of the South, and the fu
ture security of the stakeholder, and sha|
thereby dIsappoint the delusive hope wit
which Mr.. Walkers famous letter COZ
ened the Democracy of the North int
the support of annexation, as meosur
favorable to the ultimate extinction c
slavery the North is encouraged to hop
that, by force ofthe Wilmot proviso, en-
grated on some war bill, or treaty c
peace, the further spread of slavery wi
be prevented, and thus the vaunted ex
tension of the area of freedom will a
length come TO be no longer an impu
dent mockery and they who have cloth
ed two nations in scarlet and in sack
cloth, and kindled the fires of hell in tie
times ten thousand hearts, would bin
us to all this misery, all this guilt, wit
the dazzling lustre of the 'brightes
jewel Of the diadem of commerce." tn
trade of the east, which the balmy gale
of the Pacific are to wait to our futur
commercial marts in the secure haven
of California, in galleons more richl
freighted than the half-forgotten prize
of Drake and Arson.
| am not an apologist for Mexico sti
less an admirer Of her polity or her inst
tutions. No man can be better persus
ded that she has done us great wrong
wrongs for which we might lawful
have exacted atonement, had they M
been provoked by our injurious treatmer
of her no man can hope less from tn
f future prospects, or the future dispos
ton of country cursed with the tw
worst possible forms of misrule-the ty
t amy of the soldier and the tyranny I
, the priest. The people of Mexico ar
/, technically the enemies of my countr
S wish them no triumphs over our dipl'
0 macy, no trophies over our arms but
9 have no sympathy with that mistake
d spirit of revenge, which glores in vlsi
g ing the errors of rulers on their ignora