The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-09-19
r.,neoln ana the nrexie.n war.

the proof of the charges that have bee1
made. These facts show, beyond oil cavi&
or doubt, that he occupied precisely tn
same position in the Mexican war that Il
tories did in the Revolution aud the Fcdc
alists in the second war.
Lincoln was elected to Congress, in ii
year lS46, over Peter Cartwright, and d
ring the canvass addressed the people
various points in this District, always avod
ing his purpose to support a vigorous pro-
ecution of the war. He declared, if elect
he would devote his best efforts to prom6
the comfort and welfare Of the troops, Ctti
erwise he could not have been elected in 4
District which gave as many and as bravo
soldiers to the war as any District Of its |
size in the United States. No sooner, how,
ever, was he in Congress, than he desertsl
all his professions and forgot all his prot
ises, and set himself systematically to wof
to oppose the country, in which course
never failed or faltered during the two yeaI
ne occupied seat in Congress. Sixteer
days after he took his scat, on the 22d daa
of December, 1S47, he introduced lof|
set of resolutions condemning the con
mencement of the war by Gen. Taylor d
the spot of land between the rivers Rio.
Grande and the Nueces, the whole aniDsae1
of which can bc Judged by sample q
two:
whether that spot is or is not With
settlement Of people, which settlement
existed ever since long before Texas Rev6
luton, and until its inhabitants fed befor
the approach of the U. S. army"
wv neither the military force Of the u.
was or was not sent into that settlemef
after Gen. Taylor had more than once int
mated to the War Department that, in
opinion, no such movement was necessaf
to the defence orTprotection Of Texas"
He did not assert openly that the Amer711
leans were in the wrong, but, by covert i'm
plications, errors and misstatements, p,,
them in the wrong and the enemy in TN
right. The resolutions were received witt}
jeers and derision IN the House, where his2
own party were in the majority, and nevel
came to vote at all.
On the Sd day of January, 1s4s, he voted
against set of resolutions introduced into
the House, by Mr.. Hudson, of Mass. in
favor of Immediately withdrawing all tl,a1
troops in Mexico to the East bank of tn
Rio Grande, and forthwith concluding a.
treaty of peace. Why did he oppose them s.
Not because they authorized disgraccfur
withdrawal OF the troops and the establish,
ment OF an ignominious peace, for he waS
strongly in favor of those measures; bu1
because one of them provided that ''Mcxica
should be held to pay all just claims due Il
our citizens at the commencement of the
war, and that convention should be enter
ed into by the two nations to provide foo
the liquidation Of these claims and the mod
of payment" He did not believe thae
Mexico should pay the debt she owed our
RI lcl l.
his passions and prejudices to lead him.
But this was not the only vote given by
LINCOLN on the same Sd day of January
Mr.. Houston, of Delaware, introduced
resolution of thanks to Gen. Taylcr AM
his soldiers for their indomitable valor. Skill
and good conduct at Buena Vista. Mr.
Ashmun, of Mass, moved to amend by ad /.
ding the words, sin a war unnecessarily
and unconstitutionally begun by the Prcsi-
dent Of the United States" for which Lin
coin gave a hearty vote. He, however. felt
the disgrace and stigma into which his ca
rcer was bringing him, and accordingly. on
the 18th of January, made speech. in
which he attempted to justify his course
While attempting to applaud the soldiers
he still denounced the whole war, its cause.
its prosecution, the government which had
entered into and sustained it, This was
ono of the speeches read at the head Of the
Mexican army, and their effect was well de-
scribed by the correspondent of the New
Orleans Delta at the time:
'lf they had Mexican muskets on theis
shoulders, they could not assist the Mexi,l
cans as much, or do as much HARM as they
have done by their speeches. In the name
of God, will the politicians of our country
never cease gambling for the Presidencv4
upon the blood of our countrymen? Our1
army dreaC no danger, nor do they fear to
die in defence of their country, but they do
dislike to be sacrificed to the unlloly ambi- !
ton of sspiring politicians and political
knaves. Is there no way by which our
friends at home can put stop to the un,
patriotic conduct of politicians who would
sacrifice the whole army in order to give
tone to the next Presidential election? The
army will defend and fight the battles of the
country; then let their friends at home de-
fend them from the injuries arising from
such speeches as these, or the conduct Of
such men,"
On the 18th Of January, Mr.. Chase. of
Tenn, offered a resolution that at is mex
pedient to order our troops to retreat from
the positions which they have so gallantlv
won in Mexico, for the purpose OF falling
back On defensive line' A motion was
made to lay this on the table, on which Lin
coin voted AYE, thus virtually counseling
retreat. Believing the Mexicans in the
right, he could not very well counsel any,
thing else.
On the 14th of February he again voted
for a resolution declaring the war to be un-
necessary, unjust, and unconstitutional.
On the 2lst of the same month he voted
against resolution Of thanks to the Gener
ais and soldiers of the war, expressing in
the most signal and emphatic manner not
only his hostility to the resolutions, but dis
appreciation of the officers and soldiers who
had engaged in the war, very MANY of
whom were from his own State and Dis
trict.
On the 4th of May he voted against rails.
ing any additional force for the army or
giving it any additional support.
These facts prove that the charge brought
against him of opposing the war, and in
reality taking sides with the enemy, is true,
Notwithstanding the denial Of the Republi.
can sheets. Lincoln cannot be relieved of
the odium that should justly and descryedly
attach to his name on account Of the un-
patriotic, not to say treasonable, course hp
pursued. In his own District this senti.
mcnt manifested itself in q most decided
manner. So great was the feeling against
him that his name was never even mention,
ed for nomination OF reelection by his
own party, and had he been nominated hc
would have been beaten by thousands. So
strong was the feeling against him that the
Whig nominee, Mr.. Logan, felt the effect
Notwithstanding the population Of Lincoln,
and Col Harris, the lemocratiG pominee,
q brave and gallant officer in the E-ar uaa