Let us now see how this invocation to make peace by commencing with vigor the work of human slaughter, was received by the American Congress. This body was the grand inquest of the nation. The President appeared be- fore them as a prosecuting officer, accusing the Government of Mexico of high crimes and misdemeanors, and demanding from his auditors a judgment which would be equivalent to a sentence of death against thousands and tens of thousands of human beings, including multitudes of their own countrymen. We might suppose that Con- gress, impressed with the awful responsibility thus im- posed upon them, would apply themselves with calm, patient, and prayerful consideration to the duty before them ; that they would rigidly scrutinize the evidence submitted to them, and most earnestly seek for expe- dients to rescue their own and a neighboring country from the tremendous calamities impending over them. They were informed by the President, that a party of Ameri- cans and Mexicans had " become engaged,"" and sixteen of the former had been killed and wounded. Thus a coUi- sioa had occurred. But such a colUsion does not amount to war. A British frigate had some years since assaulted an American national ship, killed a portion of her crew, and forcibly impressed another portion. No war ensued ; but explanations were given, and redress made. Still later an American steamboat was seized in our own waters by a British force, and destroyed, and one of the crew killed. Still no war ensued. An examination of the tes- timony submitted by Mr. Polk might possibly show, that the recent collision was accidental, or provoked on our part, or unauthorized by Mexico. Explanations, if demanded, might lead to a pacific result, and the effusion of blood be prevent^id. Of all crimes, the commencement of an unnecessary war is the most atrocious, the most deserving the wrath of God, and the execration of mankind.
Melancholy and humiUating is the fact, that the American Congress passed a decree which they knew would occasion wide-spread wailing and lamentation, and woe and death, with a recklessness, a precipitation, and a disregard of evidence, which no court of judicature in our land