POLITICAL EVILS OF THE WAR.
All war is necessarily unfavorable in its tendencies to the liberties and prospeiity of a State, even when waged for the defence or recovei^ of freedom. TbxC burthens it imposes, the arbitrary authority it confers, and the dis- positions it fosters, are all adverse to popular rights.
These tendencies are, of course, controlled and modified by circumstances. The late Avar, having been earned on wholly without the limits of our own country, did not inflict upon our citizens those violations of right and those oppressive exactions which are ever experienced on the theatre of hostilities. It has nevertheless shown itself a dangerous foe to constitutional liberty.
We have seen in the preceding pnges that most pro- vident and ample preparations were made for the commencement of the war on the Rio Grande, and for the seizure of California, not only without the sanction, but even without the knowledge of Congress. It is utterly imjiossible that Congress would have issued, or the peo- ple have tolerated, a declaration of war against Mexico, either to compel her to pay our alleged claims, or to withdraw her troops and magistrates from her villages on the Rio Grande. Hence, it was deemed necessaiy first to provoke a colHsion, and then to appeal to Congress to defend the country from invasion ! The war, therefore, although recognized and prosecuted by Congress after its commenceriient, was in fact and in truth begun in conse- 12* 246 REVIEW OF the' MEXICAN WAR.
qiience of orders issued by the President on his own re- sponsibility, and not in pursuance of any constitutional or legal authority. He had, indeed, ^s Commander in- Chief, a right to direct the movements of the troops,