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War!

War! image
Parent Issue
Day
20
Month
April
Year
1842
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The papers furnish abundance of epeculations on the probability and propriety of war with England. Some thinlt the government very reraiss in providing for public defence - some think Brit'i6h steamers ought not to be allowed to enter our harbors, lest they learn to enter without a pilot. Some are furious for war, saying we ought to have been fighting long ago. Others think there is no prospect whatever ofsuch an event, because it would be the very height of madnessbr us to eugage in it, and especialJy ruinous to the South. In attempting to obtain pay for 19 slaves, they mighl lose all the rest. BrotherLeavilt, vhose location at Washington lias given him greater advantagps for observalion than some others, seettis to have come to the conclusión that war is almost inevitable. He says; "Why is there no prqsent dangcr of war? Surely, our demands are stifticiently peremptory, and Enghnd's answers sufficiently tlecisive. IIow can they end but in war. But it would be su.cli madness, you say, in the slaveholders, to gu to war! l ask, in refurn what mjiiness can be greater than that of cleuving to slavery with a death-grasp? Those who set up slavery as the interest by which our country stands or falls, are mad enough lo do any thing. And lei any one say, whal can the) do better than gó to war?' Theyj ure s-hut up in a sea of difliculties, and ui war has at least the recomniendalion that! it is a change, and a change which has! nol been, like every other, tned and (bund inefleclual. Let those rely on the blandishments of Mr. Clay. who will, 1 believe, if the slavocracy can secure, as they have heretofore,the silence of northern sïntesmen, in the Seríate and the House of Represen-; tatiyes, they will have war. The silence of Webster and Davisand Prentiss on the passage oí Calhoun's resulutions in 1840, ihe silence of Senators Bates and Ghpaie and Huniiogtun and Evans, on five j si ve occasions that the subject has been! brought up during the present session, the dead silence of the other House, afiording to the slaveholders a pretext fur sayiny that Congress are unanimous in support of! a peremptory claim - the apathy of ihe' Northern press, - all these are favorable! to the designs of the conspirator9. it may ■ be that Gidditigs resolutions have broke the charm. It' so, they have saved us from the horrid disgrace of a war against the whole civilized world in defence of slavery. Let us hope and pray that it tnay be so. Theoutbreak between Mex- ico and Texas will hasten the crisis - be itj what t may." We confesa we cannot yet bring ourselvtís to believe -that either the North or the South have become sufficiently tmad"to' engage in a war with tho most powerful oation on earth,in defenco of the slave trade, tvhen the governmout caniua mueter funds,' )y taxation or borrowing, to pay its daiJy sxpense. To a war prosecuted for Buch a purpose, a large minority would be strenuously opposed, and it would be well for Lhose who are determined to rush into it, to ' remember tho senpture adroonition on that subject,and count the cost before they com- nt'nce.