New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-06-10


country, not without marked dsgree of influence
upon the politics. especially Of Pennsylvania,
New Yoik and Maryland, or rather Of the cities Of
Eew-Ycrk, Philadelphia and Baltimore, mostly
poltcal exiles from Great stain and Ireland, over
flowing with that uocOmpromsng hatred whl;h
poiti al exile is 90 apt TO inspire.
This old aud inyeterste, but or many years insis-
n6csut. war faction of the Democratic party hal
indeed since the Inauguration OF Jeflerscn's policy
of commercial restrictions received considerable
sccessions Tie total failure Of taat policy, so ds-
sstrous ia its immediate results to tie industrial
interests Of the country naturally produced great
deal of irritation on the part OF those who had
looked to il and ns-led upon as certain remedy
sesinst British sggressi9ns-an irritation produc-
tive of disposition, since that remedy had failed
10 try some other, however desperate. The UNI
yersal war spirit which twenty years oil coaIinus!
warfare in Europe had difiused throughout the cI'-
iljzed world, had not failed to extend contagious
stimulus 10 America. In tie South and Soatu-
West especially, thousands Of young men lett idIe
by tie institution Of Slavery, AS they read day BY
day Of battle after battle in Europe, began to forget
the lessons of Jefersonian Democracy, and to sigh
for swords, epsulets, and military glory.
The growth of this war spirit first made itself
decidedly manifest in the ec :ti0ns to the Allta
Congress Ia the preceding Congress, iS had been
only an iucopsiderable faction that had advo-
Gated rec ,urse to arms. Net only had most
e tLo,e who belonged to this faction secured
their reelection, they were re-enioTced BY
6 ,rin and
bers-Heuiy Clsy, John c. Calhoun, William
Iownces, Felix Grurdy, and Others less con-
spcuous, but sharing the same sentiments
corst trtng altogether d majority OF the Demo-
cratic side of the House. The Congress came TO-
eether. assembled By proclamation, on the 18th of
November, ISL, month before the regular d:y Of
meeting, end from that m0mert these y0urg sad
aspiring leaders set themselves to overturn the cid
policy. ard to override the old eidcrs II tho party,
and to precipitate war, for which DO previous
preparations had been made, and for which they
themselves omitted to make any. Preparations Tor
it we're, in their eJes, of very little consequence
AL their thoughts and all their lsb0Ts were en-
crossed in getting the country into war. Once
plunge the country ftlrly into war-such was their
idea--and means whereNlth to carry on the war
rnustthen of uece,sity, BE- forthc oming To impose
taxes before war was declared, might cool the
yaIlike aIdor OF the nation. War once fairly
commenced, taxes, if needed, would follow of
ccurse, by threatening Madison with opposition
to bis denomination, they forced him not only to
consent to war, but most sOrely against his incli
patton sid his better judgment, they compelled
him to recommend it, being veil aware that unless
recommended by him ii would DO impossible to
obtain for declaration Of war either Congress-
ora majority or the appreciation Of the party ont
Of doors. The war thus recommended by the Pres
ident was made party question, and when 1t was
once declared al opposition to it was denounced AS
moral treason.
But remarkable a. was the political triumph
achieved in tho c)DIIneDc, ment OF the war, forever
upiettng, as it did, sll the reforms, retrenchrents
curtailments, limitati ms, economies, and ia fact
the whole system Of Republican simplicity which
Je ifsrson had dalgurated and substituting losls,
banks, armies, naVies, patronage, corruption ana
extravaganza, every thing which Jefferson had so
bitterly condemned in the Federalists-the way u
which the promoters of this war succeeded
in carrying the thing through, after the
end Of it, was stu mora remarkable. The
war had been attended with all the csl,mties,
dstresses, and disgraces which had been fore
seen and predicted by its opponents TIE attempt
10 conquer Canada, which was tho operation
mainly relied upon by the war party, had proved
rot oDly total but very d',Iedtable failure.
The reliance upon loans to carry the war, after
Tesuiiog in stoppsge of specie payments, the dis
order Of the currency aud the distraction Of the
National credit bad failed to staye of system Of
oppressive taxation. IDstead of fses trade aud
ssilors' rights We had our merchant vessels sgept
fiom the ocean, our c9asts blocksded, our National
cruisers at Sea refused to tao or three slOops Of
WIT, and even our pri7aecrs if they got to sea al
all running the gauntlet with very snail chslees
that any prizes they might take would get into port
and with no small risk of being captured themselves.
From offensive We had been reduced to defensive
operations. Oar territories had been invaded at
several points. Washington had been occupied aud
tie capital burnt The peace i'll Europe had freed
England frcm the formidable enemy that, when the
wsr was declared had tsxel Ter energies to the
utmost, leaving her ct liberty to direct her whole
army ard navy against Us, while 1e were at such
odds among ourselves that the very existence Of
the Mon was threatened. Fortunately, however,
Crest Britain was ready to mske peace, which We
were but too happy to accept, satisfied to es APE
without cultaimeRf Of our territories, but with
out word said az 10 the rights Of the seas. All
this, however, did net prevent those By whom the
war had been declared from hurraing over il as