The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-02-14
STORY OF AN OLD WAR.
Great Mon Of Today are Following the
Errors OF Great Men in the Past
Some People Never Learn Any.
thing. .r .,
Grean VILE News.

Gresnville News. y&9Htl
There are no new situations in politics.
We were looking back over the hles OF the
Greenville Mountaineer for January. l4S-
6nss saaSsy ike the
the newspapers Of today that we were
lstartled. ... =.
The war With Mexico had been in progress
tion. The abuse now being showered on the
republican administration is light compared
With that which spouted from q thousand
sources upon President Polk. The Mexicans
as suffering martyrs, saints and heroes bat
Ting iD q Just cause against oppression.
Prominent raen4in this country even went 80
far a, 70 sHPpHsS Sis be STsT sus of
Colonel Morgsn. OF the Ohio volunteers, at
home on iuriough, some remarks at q ban
Quet at Columbus which the Noun ntaineer
reproduced, Us tollows: , I~,,,,. g.,
Mexicans from the mad Intentions OF their
rulers and II can only be done by keeping
and protecting the territory we have con.
quered. Can II be that the gallant men who
country's rights and their country's honor
In war, just on our part as was ever war
waged. are to be compelled TO return defeated
could not be by the enemy,) disgfaced by
their withdraw from the scene OF their
triumphs and the graves OF their companions,
before the obJectS OF Inc war are accomplish
ed?
"i said that men who are safely at home
while their countrymen are fighting the
battles Of their ceuntry-enduring privations
OF every kind and braving death almost every
supplies or Withdrawing our armies, disguise
their sentiments however they may, under
whatever artful pretext they choose are
traitors at heart"
was met By the Savannah, Ga, Union with
remarks like these:
"It strikes us that there never was more
unreasonable idea advanced by q sensible
man than tha. our institutions would be
weakened by extending our territory"
John A. Speers, Greenville man serving In
the army, was correspondent OF The Noun
taineer. His letters read exactly IKE those
now being printed In the county newspapers.
Here is part OF one OF them which sounds
AS 70 the prospect OF closing the wal. I can.
not for my own part come to any satisfactory
conclusion, for they will give US battle at
their strongholds between their towns and
cities and surrender when we approach any
Of them Besides this, have not the
least doubt that. after cutting our way 10 the
capital they will surrender and treat us with
apparent friendship, and still the cry will be
war TO the knife. 1t seems TO me, had
control Of the war. would change my course, &C.
laying everything in ruins as l advanced.
= The Mexicans, I hear, are disinterring
our dead and divesting them oftheir clothing,
and the coffin they paint over and resell TO
us. This shows the kind of people we have to
contend with"
Mr.. Calhoun made q great speech in the
senate, which we find printed 10 full IN the
Mountaineer OF January 18th, lS4S-ffty.tWo
years ago the day before yesterday. The
South Carolina statesmaps Views were as
gloomy as many we now hear expressed by
lesser statesmen. Here Is what he said:
"But what has all this splendid achieve
ment accomplished? Has the avowed object
of the war been attained? Have we conquer.
ed peaoei Have we compelled Mexico TO sign
q treaty? ~ Not single object contem-
plated by the campaign has been effected 4;
and, what 10 worse, our difficulties are greater
now than they were at the commencement
and the objects sought more difficult TO be
accomplished. 1t appears TO me tnat d
we have lost abroad as much In civil ana
political reputation as we have acquired LOT
our kill and valor In arms"
Yet peace was made with MEXICO 10 Feorn-
ary, less than q month after Mr.. Calhouns
predictions, which seem 10 indicate tnat even
be did not know quite all Oft
This country acquired an empire oy tne
war and has not suffered in consequence.
We have grown greater all the tlme since
Mexico Is yet alive and 10 prosperlng noml-
nally q republic Probably fity-two years
from now the moralists OF the time VIII looK
back with cynical pity on the rantings or the
anti expansionists Of today, will marvel that
his forefathers could have endured such Vaplo
Stiffness.