THE WAR PROSECUTED FOR CONQUEST.
In utter disregard of the multiplied proofs to the con- trary, Mr. Polk thought it expedient, in his Message to Congress of the 8th December, 1846, to hazard the ex- traordinary assertion, " The war has not been waged WITH A VIEW to conquest" ! He added, " But ha\ing been commenced by Mexico, it has been carried into the enemy's country, and will be there vigorously prosecuted, with a view to obtain an honorable peace, and thereby secure ample indemnity for the expenses of the war, as well as to our much-injured citizens, who hold large pecuniary demands against Mexico." We have seen Mr.
Polk's early and persevering efforts to secure Cahfornia, and his official declaration, in the instructions to Stockton, that he could foresee no contingency in which the United States would ever surrender or relinquish that province. What abuse of language can be greater than to fight for territory with the declared intention of holding it for ever, and yet to pretend that we fight not for conquest but indemnity ? But, independent of this most wretched quibbling about a word, let us pause for a moment to consider the avowal made by the President of the United States to a Christian people. It is no longer pretended that the war is one of defence. We are, it seems, to con- tinue fighting till we are paid for our trouble in slaugh- tering. We killed Mexicans on the Rio Grande ; but, receiving no pay, we bombarded Vera Cruz, and killed ' 15* more. This swelled our demand for compensation. Not receiving it, we marched hundreds of miles to the City of Mexico, and killed some thousands more. This added another and a hea\y item to our bill ; and thus we were to proceed, spreading misery and death, till we were fully indemnified for the money, and trouble, and blood, we had expended in