tory, have apparently become infatuated with military glory, and have recently given, various indications of their preference for men who have served their country in the field, over such as have merely labored to advance her prosperity and happiness, by cultivating the arts of peace.

The arbitrary spirit engendered by war, and the idea which it fosters, that all rights and interests must yield to the public safety, are both necessarily hostile in their tendency, to the free expression of opinion adverse to its prosecution. It is not surprisng that the authors of the Mexican war—a war so open to animadversion, and waged for purposes so sectional and odious-should wish to discourage all investigation into its true character; and all efforts to thwart the accomplishment of its object. No law could silence the press, nor arrest debate in Congress, nor discussion among the people. But the hope seems to have been indulged, that public opinion might be so directed, as to produce what legislation could not effect. On the popularity of the war might depend not merely its successful prosecution, and the consequent acquisition of the coveted territories, but the predominance of the democratic party, and the continued possession of power and emoluments by the present incumbents of office. Hence Mr. Polk, in his first Message after the commencement of hostilities, attempted to intimidate his opponents by insinuating that they were treacherous to the cause of their country. The war," said he, "has been represented as unjust and unnecessary, and as one of aggression on our part upon a weak and injured enemy. Such erroneous views, though entertained by but few, have been widely and extensively circulated, not only at home, but have been spread throughout Mexico, and the whole world. A more effectual means could not have been devised to encourage the enemy, and protract the war, than

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to advocate and adhere to their cause, and thus give them 'aid and comfort.' It is a source of national pride and exultation, that the great body of the people have thrown no such obstacles in the way of the Government in prosecuting the war successfully, but have have shown themselves to be eminently patriotic, and ready to vindicate their country's honor and interests at any sacrifice."

Here we have a most arrogant impeachment, by the first magistrate of the Union, of the patriotism of such of his fellow-citizens, including no small portion of the very Congress he was addressing, who in the exercise of the very rights guaranteed to them by the Constitution of their country, ventured to express the opinion, that the war in which he had involved the nation, was unjust, unnecessary, and aggressive. Mr. Polk did not deem it prudent to denounce in plain terms, the opponents to his measures as TRAITORS to their country, and meriting an ignominious death, but preferred doing it by implication; and hence applied to all such as pronounced his war unjust, unnecessary, and aggressive, the technical terms, "giving aid and comfort" to enemies, used by the Constitution of the United States (Art. III. Sect. 1), in defining the crime of TREASON. If this gentleman did indeed believe, that a conscientious opposition to an existing war, is inconsistent with patriotism, and equivalent to the crime of giving aid and comfort to the enemy, he is ignorant not merely of the first principles of ethics, but of the course pursued by some of the most illustrious statesmen and patriots who have adorned the pages of modern history.

What said Lord Chatham, the celebrated Prime Minister of England, who had led his nation to victory and power, and whose memory is embalmed in the grateful remembrance of his countrymen? This great man during the American war, declared in Parliament, "If I were an

American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop was landed in my country, I would never lay down my arms-never-never-never." Fox even refused to concur in a vote of thanks to officers for the victories they had achieved, in what he believed, to be an unjust war. Numerous distinguished members of the British Parliament were active and persevering in their opposition to the war. So again, the war waged by Great Britain against the French Republic, was freely denounced as unjust and unnecessary, by statesmen high in the confidence of the nation. The recent war against China, frequently called the Opium War, was sternly denounced by a large portion of the British public as most iniquitous. At a public meeting in London, at which a British peer, the Earl of Stanhope, presided, it was resolved: "That this meeting deeply laments that the moral and religious feelings of the country should be outraged, the character of Christianity disgraced in the eyes of the world, and this kingdom involved in war with upwards of three hundred and fifty millions of people, in consequence of British subjects introducing opium into China, in direct and known violation of the laws of that Empire." The meeting concurred in a petition to Parliament, for an immediate peace, and ordered that their proceedings should be translated into the Chinese language, and forwarded to the Emperor of China. Yet no Minister of the Crown, no member of Parliament, ventured to denounce this Constitutional expression of opinion as treasonable. In our own country we have seen men of the purest character, the most unquestionable patriotism, opposing the war of 1812 with Great Britain, as unnecessary, impolitic, and unjust. No Constitutional monarch in Europe would venture to impeach the patriotism and loyalty of those, who, in a mode sanctioned by the funda

mental laws of the Empire, opposed the measures of his Government.

The system of denunciation commenced in the Message, was zealously and rudely pursued by the official journal. The following article appeared in the Washington Union, soon after the date of the Message.

A WAR-REGISTER. TIMELY PROPOSITION.-It has been suggested, that the cause of the country may be promoted by the opening of a war-register in every city, town, and village, for the purpose of preserving an authentic record of the TORYISM which may be displayed by individuals, during the continuance of the present war. In this register, it is proposed to record the names of such persons as make themselves zealous in pleading the cause of the enemy, and oppose the war into which the people and the Government of the United States have been forced by Mexican aggression, insult, and robbery. Besides the names of the individuals who pronounce against the justice of our cause, such sentiments as are particularly odious, should be placed on the register. Where an individual expresses sympathy for the enemy, or wishes the death of the President, or the downfall of the National Administration as a punishment for having engaged in the war, the sentiments of the TORY should be registered in his own language as nearly as possible. All statements intended for entry on the record, should be verified by the name of the witness or contributor."

The wickedness of this article, is not concealed by the absurdity of its pretended proposition. Its evident design was to intimidate the opponents of the war, by exciting against them demonstrations of popular violence. It is a call from the Government organ upon the demagogues of the day, to stifle by brute force, all open denunciation of the war. Confiding in the countenance

and patronage of the executive and his partisans, the editor of this paper assumed a dictatorship over the proceedings of Congress, rebuking either House with vulgar insolence whenever it declined an immediate compliance with the wishes of the President. Such members as voted against granting further supplies, were stigmatized as Mexican Whigs. At last, a vote of the Senate displeasing to the Administration, was announced

as

ANOTHER MEXICAN VICTORY." Happily the purpose intended was not effected. Indignation, and not intimidation, was the result; and the President's editor was, by a formal resolution, "for having uttered a public libel on the Senate," excluded from the privilege of admission to the floor of the Senate, a courtesy that had hitherto been shown him. The course pursued by this journal merits attention only from its being the acknowledged organ of the executive, and from its obvious accordance with the spirit and design of Mr. Polk's official denunciation of the opponents to the war. Many of the officers of the army, following the hints given by the President and his organ, professed to be exceedingly scandalized by the objections made to the war. General Twiggs, in particular, was so regardless of decency as to give, at a public dinner in Mexico, the toast, "Honor to the citizen-soldier who steps forward to battle for his country. Shame to the KNAVES at home, who give aid and comfort to our enemies." A Colonel Wynkoop, wrote from Mexico: We here can see no difference between the men, who, in 1776, succored the British, and those, who, in 1847 give arguments and sympathy to the Mexicans." Another Colonel of the name of Morgan, declared in a public speech: "All who will advocate the withholding of supplies, or withdrawing our armies, disguise their sentiments however they may, under