Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-03-31
Was CLAW
in now are not

| OuT In now are not
Clay, then a
--luer of Co eress, offered a resoig-
ton in Congress to the effect that we
accord to the United Provinces of Rio
de La Plata which belonged to Spain,
a minister. AS these provinces were
then in revolt such declaration was
tantamount to recognition of their
independence, and this meant war
with Spain. We cite below passages
from his speech on that occasion to
show how similar was the war talk
then to now, and to show that then
our statesmen spoke of SPANS ex-
hausted resources, as they do now, and
yet she is still alive. Today Mr.. Clay
would be called the "Jingo" of Con-
gress or the yellow" statesman.
81 beg, in the first place, to correct
| misconceptions, if any exist, in regard
to my opinions. l am averse to war
with Spain, or with any power. 1
would give no just cause of war to any
power-not to Spain herself. 1 have
seen enough of war, and it's calamities,
even when successful. No country
upon earth has more interest than this
in cultivating peace and avoiding war.
as long as it is possible honorably to
avoid it. l cannot, however, approve,
in all respects, of the manner in which
our negotiations with Spain have been
conducted. If ever favorable time
existed for the demand. on the part of
an injured nation. of indemnity for
past wrongs from the aggressor, such
is the present time. Impoverished
and exhausted at home, by the wars
which have desolated the peninsula;
with foreign war, calling for infinite
ly more resources, in men and mo ney,
than she can possibly command, this
is the suspicious period for insisting
upon justice at her hands, in a firm
and decided tone. Time is precisely
what Spain now most wants.
War is one of those dreadful scourg
es, that so shakes the foundations of
society, overturns or changes the char
acter of governments, interrupts or
destroys the pursuits of private hap
piness, brings, in short, misery and
wretchedness in SO many forms, and
at last is, in its issue, so doubtful and
hazardous, that nothing but dire ne
cessity can Justify On appeal to arms.
Ii we are TO De lnVOlVeu IN q war with
Spain, let us have the credit of disin-
terestedness. Let US put her yet more
in the wrong. Let us command the
respect which is never withheld from
those who act a noble and generous
part.
wherever in America her sway ex-
tends, everything seems to pine and |
wlther beneath ats bdnefaI5 influence. |
The richest regions of the earth; man,
his happiness and his education, all |
the fine faculties of his soul, are regu-
lated, and modified, and moulded, to |
suit the execrable purposes Of an mex
orable despotism.
am no propaganda. would not
seek to force upon other nations our
principles and our liberty. If they do
not want them. l would not disturb
the repose even of detestable despot-
ism. But. if an abused and oppressed
people will their freedom; if they seek
to establish it; if, in truth, they have
established it,; we have right, as a
sovereign power, to notice the fact,
and to act as circumstances and our
interest require. I will say, in the
language of the venerated father Of
my country, born In land of liberty.t
my anxious recollections, my sYmpa-
thetic feelings, and my best wishes,
sre irresistibly excited, whatsoever, in